Contact protection for integrated circuit device loading

In one embodiment, a load frame and an integrated circuit device are aligned, with a base frame carried on a substrate, along a first alignment axis defined by a first alignment post extending from the base frame to the load frame, in a direction transverse to the substrate, and a first biasing device carried on the base frame is actuated to engage and bias the load frame toward the base frame aligned with the load frame, and to bias the integrated circuit toward the substrate. A latch latches the load and base frames together, aligned with and biased towards each other with the integrated circuit device and the substrate aligned with, and biased toward each other. Other aspects and features are also described.