R&D Engineer
Sennos•Durham, NC
•Onsite
About The Position
The R&D Engineer owns a wide range of hands-on hardware responsibilities — from sensor characterization and calibration, system validation to supplier quality and supporting new product development. This role works across multiple product lines, collaborating closely with firmware, production, and customer-facing teams, and helps build the processes that allow Sennos to scale confidently. This is a high-ownership, high-variety role. On any given week you might be characterizing a new sensor module, prepping documentation for a supplier audit, running a fermentation test, or validating a new hardware assembly. If you like breadth, real hardware, and work that directly impacts a shipped product, this is a strong fit. This role is hands on and is required to be on-site in our Durham headquarters.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or related technical field (or equivalent years of professional experience)
- 3–5 years of experience in hardware R&D, product testing, or a closely related engineering role
- Hands-on experience with sensor calibration and characterization (electrochemical, optical, or physical measurement)
- Experience with electronics assembly and lab techniques: soldering, connector rework, mechanical assembly, fluid handling
- Experience writing clear technical documentation — SOPs, test procedures, assembly instructions, and failure reports
- Solid understanding of hardware testing methodologies — functional, performance, limit, and lifecycle testing
- Familiarity with calibration standards and reference instrumentation (pH meters, DO probes, conductivity standards, pressure sensors)
- Comfort working within ERP and project management systems (MRPeasy, Jira, Confluence, or similar)
- Strong attention to detail and methodical approach to diagnosing hardware issues
- Experience with embedded systems and firmware – operation, debugging, daily usage
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a fast-moving environment
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
Nice To Haves
- Experience in the brewing, food & beverage, or fermentation industry
- Background in supplier quality, ISO processes, or audit preparation (SGS, UL, etc.)
- Exposure to firmware/embedded systems in a cross-functional context
- Experience with pressure testing, fluid system validation, or gasket/seal testing
- Software development skills – c/c++, python, scripting
- Familiarity with dissolved oxygen measurement or multi-parameter water quality instrumentation
Responsibilities
- Design and execute the full spectrum of hardware tests — functional, performance, limit, edge case, and longevity — across sensing products and assemblies
- Conduct pressure testing up to 40+ psi, thermal stress and temperature sweep testing, fluid integrity validation, water ingress testing, and gasket lifecycle evaluation
- Define acceptance criteria and build repeatable test protocols the team can rely on
- Own calibration procedures and characterization work for the full sensor suite — density, temperature, pH, EC (conductivity), dissolved oxygen, and pressure
- Execute temperature sweep characterizations, multi-point calibrations, re-characterization of fielded sensors, and validation of calibration standards using reference equipment (Hach, YSI, Fluke, and similar)
- Build and kit hardware assemblies — sensor modules, board stacks, tank mounts, and probe housings — across multiple product lines
- Perform soldering, connector rework, module integration, and mechanical assembly
- Work with test fixtures and build rigs for characterization work
- Contribute to the development and validation of new hardware as the product line expands — including new tank mount variants, multi-metric sensor modules, and expanded sensing capabilities such as vision and turbidity
- Run early validation tests, document failure modes, and help translate prototype learnings into production-ready processes
- Write and maintain build SOPs, triage procedures, calibration documentation, and assembly instructions
- Work within the ERP system (MRPeasy) for inventory, PO receipts, and shipping manifests
- Contribute to Confluence knowledge base and support production runs by coordinating kitting and creating Jira tickets
- Contribute to exploratory work — evaluating new sensing modalities (e.g., ultrasound-based alcohol differentiation), investigating novel calibration approaches, assessing sensor longevity under field conditions
- Surface new market requirements that inform the product roadmap
Benefits
- Equal Opportunity Employer statement
- Permanent authorization to work for any employer in the United States required
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
