Principal Sensor Engineer

Ecolab•Eagan, MN

About The Position

Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. Ecolab partners with over one million customers to make the world cleaner, safer, and healthier – to protect people and resources vital to life. At Ecolab, we are science-centered, and people-driven, with a commitment to create a world where people are healthy, businesses can grow, and our planet is respected. Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions, data-driven insights, and personal service for customers in foodservice, healthcare, hospitality, and industrial markets around the world. Innovation is at the center of Ecolab’s growth. Research, Development, and Engineering (RD&E) is comprised of over 1,600 innovators that are dedicated to helping our customer achieve their goals. As a part of our global RD&E team, you will be inspired by our purpose and value proposition to deliver best-in-class technology to help ensure our expertise and insights are present whenever and wherever they are needed. Together, we deploy solutions that solve complex operational challenges, build resilience, and reduce risk in a rapidly changing and unpredictable world. As an Ecolab RD&E team member, you will work in a collaborative, cross-functional, and customer-focused environment. At Ecolab, your voice matters, your contributions are rewarded, and you can make an impact. The Principal Sensor Engineer is responsible for the design, development, and commercialization of advanced chemical and physical sensing technologies used in industrial, commercial, and customer-facing equipment. This role sits within the Equipment and Connected Solutions (ECS) organization and works cross-divisionally to translate sensing principles into robust, manufacturable sensor solutions that perform reliably in real-world environments. The Principal Sensor Engineer partners with multi-disciplinary teams across Ecolab RD&E to solve impactful customer challenges. As a technical leader, this role provides leadership across sensor concepts, development, and integration from early exploration through product launch.

Requirements

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemistry, or a related field
5+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree, 3+ years with a Master’s degree, or a PhD (industry experience not required)
Hands-on experience with sensor prototyping, experimentation, and validation
Strong expertise in at least one sensing domain (optical, electrochemical, impedance-based, conductivity, or biosensing)
Proven ability to work cross-functionally and communicate complex technical concepts clearly

Nice To Haves

PhD in Applied or Experimental Physics, Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Science, Physical or Analytical Chemistry, or a related field, with 2+ years of post-graduate R&D experience
Experience developing sensor prototypes using integrated hardware and software platforms
Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional teams or experience leading technical initiatives or projects
Experience with project management and driving work from concept through execution
Familiarity with machine learning or data science approaches applied to sensor systems or data analysis
Experience developing or supporting embedded, manufactured products
Experience with analytical instrumentation design or development
Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present results to a range of audiences

Responsibilities

Assess sensing needs across divisional applications and translate them into clear technical requirements
Develop sensor solutions using a combination of internally developed and commercially available technologies
Research and evaluate new sensing approaches to improve product performance and enable new capabilities
Build and test prototypes in lab and field environments to assess feasibility, performance, and robustness
Lead and collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop sensor-enabled products
Document and communicate results through technical reports, presentations, and demonstrations
Partner with electronics, firmware, data, mechanical, and product teams on system integration
Communicate sensor tradeoffs and recommendations (cost, accuracy, reliability) to technical and non-technical stakeholders