Senior Field Test Specialist

HME has been creating innovative products for the drive-thru and pro-audio industries since 1971. From the very beginning, we've known these solutions would never have happened without the customer-focused people who make up our company. HME has a team environment with a culture of collaboration, learning, and growth. With subsidiaries located in California, Missouri, Canada, UK, India, and China, companies around the world depend on HME for clear, reliable communication solutions. From setting the standard for drive-thru headsets and timer systems in the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry to developing professional audio equipment used in the Olympic Games, HME strives to create the newest, most innovative products on the market while providing quality care and attention to its customers. At HME you will have the opportunity to learn and grow while developing our future products. Come join our team!

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Field Test Specialist.

What you will do in the position:

• Field Test Strategy & Program Coordination
• Lead complex field test activities across multiple concurrent products, including hardware, software, and AI-enabled solutions; coordinate sequencing, timing, and resource needs in alignment with product roadmaps and launch dates.
• Develop field test strategies and plans in partnership with Product Management and Engineering, including the number and profile of test stores, store selection, test scenarios, success criteria, and exit criteria.
• Coordinate field test logistics and resource requirements, including test equipment, installation scope, and scheduling with Field Test Technicians and installation partners.
• Brand & Customer Relationships
• Cultivate and maintain field testing relationships with QSR brands, franchisees, and operators, helping build a reliable network of test sites for future programs.
• Support and coordinate brand approval and testing processes by preparing test plans, documentation, and results in the formats required by participating brands.
• Coordinate the timely resolution of field issues and escalations at test sites and keep brand and store contacts informed throughout the test.
• Field Validation & Insight
• Conduct and, for complex programs, lead on-site validation of product functionality, usability, performance, and value, accounting for site-specific conditions that affect results, such as store layout, drive-thru configuration, connectivity, and, for vision products, camera placement and lighting.
• Recommend and track field test metrics, using product data and user feedback to assess results against established success criteria.
• Translate field findings into structured, prioritized inputs for Product Owners and Senior Product Managers, including defects, usability issues, and feature gaps; track assigned actions and communicate progress through resolution.
• Compile field evidence and provide recommendations to support launch-readiness and pilot-to-rollout decisions.
• Field-Test Installation Readiness & Installer Experience
• Lead installation-readiness coordination for field tests, pilots, and early product rollouts, from Sales and Corporate Accounts handoff through site survey, pre-install readiness, scheduling, installation, configuration, system validation, and transition to Tech Support and Service.
• Develop and maintain field-test and early-rollout process maps, handoffs, roles, and checklists in partnership with Sales, Corporate Accounts, Tech Ops, Field Service, Engineering, Tech Support, and installation partners.
• Capture installer feedback and field-test learnings and partner with the functions responsible for installer training, installation guides, and equipment kits to improve installation readiness and the overall installer experience.
• Monitor installation outcomes during field tests, pilots, and early rollouts, including time from order to install, first-time-right installs, repeat visits, and install-related support tickets; identify recurring issues and recommend improvements to the appropriate functional owners.
• Support and coordinate the transition from field-test or early-rollout support to the standard service and support model.
• Reporting & Communication
• Document and present field test and early-rollout installation findings, risks, and recommendations to Product Management, Engineering, and leadership.
• Work with Product Marketing to obtain customer testimonials, case study material, and proof points.
• Standards, Best Practices & Peer Support
• Develop and maintain field testing standards, playbooks, and templates, incorporating lessons learned and feedback from partner teams.
• Provide functional guidance and peer support to Field Test Technicians and Field Test Specialists on test preparation, installation coordination, store training, and issue resolution, without formal supervisory responsibility.

What you will need to succeed:

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• 5+ years of related experience in field testing, product validation, field service, installation operations, QA, or technical customer support, including 2+ years running multi-site field programs.
• Experience working with installation and field service teams, including third-party installers.
• QSR, hospitality, or retail operations experience preferred, ideally with franchise-model brands.
• Experience coordinating with brand or corporate approval processes is a plus.
• Strong project and program management skills, including running concurrent tests on tight timelines.
• Process design and improvement skills: mapping cross-functional workflows, defining handoffs, and measuring results.
• Technical aptitude with hardware-software products (audio and communications systems, networking, cameras, cloud applications) and the ability to diagnose issues in the field.
• Data analysis and reporting skills (Excel; Power BI or similar a plus).
• Strong customer management and communication skills, including presenting to brand contacts and leadership.
• Ability to guide others and set standards without formal authority.
• Education
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent experience.
• Travel
• Based out of Carlsbad corporate office, works on-site, remotely, and at customer test locations regularly. Travel 30-40%.

The posted pay range, $92,100 - $122,800, is what we reasonably expect to pay for the role. This may vary depending on experience and other factors. Our benefits package includes tuition reimbursement; 3 weeks paid vacation your first year, paid holidays, medical, vision, and dental coverage, pet insurance, life insurance, and 401K contributions.

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee will occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds, 50 pounds with assistance.