Senior R&D Test Engineer

RheoSense Inc.•San Ramon, CA

8d•$150,000 - $190,000•Onsite

About The Position

RheoSense is seeking a highly experienced Senior R&D Test Engineer to lead performance evaluation, reliability assessment, technical investigations, verification, and product testing for advanced scientific instrumentation and measurement technologies. This senior-level role calls for substantial experience in product development, scientific instrumentation, experimental design, engineering investigations, and multidisciplinary problem-solving. The engineer will identify technical risks, develop test strategies, evaluate product performance, analyze complex data, and drive improvements through rigorous investigation and evidence-based decision-making. Rather than focusing mainly on executing predefined procedures, this role requires independently determining what to test, why testing is needed, and how to generate meaningful evidence of product performance, reliability, manufacturability, and customer success. The work spans laboratory and engineering environments and may involve fluidics, mechanics, optics, sensors, materials, measurement systems, electronics, and integrated hardware/software systems. The position is focused on instrumentation and hands-on product testing, not software development or software quality assurance. The role provides broad exposure to product development, customer applications, engineering, and business operations. Strong technical judgment, product insight, leadership, and the ability to translate customer and market needs into product improvements may create opportunities to grow into Product Management, Technical Leadership, or Engineering Management roles. The position is based onsite in office, laboratory, and manufacturing environments in San Ramon, California. The anticipated annual base salary range is $150,000 to $190,000. Starting salary depends on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, technical expertise, and other job-related factors. Exceptional candidates may be considered above the posted range. The position may also be eligible for discretionary performance-based incentive compensation, subject to individual and company performance. Relocation assistance is not available.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, Physics, Materials Science, Life Sciences, or a related scientific or engineering discipline.
Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in product development, engineering, laboratory testing, scientific instrumentation, research, manufacturing, or related technical environments.
Experience designing and executing experimental studies, test plans, engineering evaluations, or product-testing activities.
Demonstrated ability to independently solve complex technical problems through structured investigation and root-cause analysis.
Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting technical or scientific data to support engineering decisions.
Hands-on experience with laboratory equipment, measurement systems, instrumentation, or prototype testing environments.
Experience preparing technical reports, test protocols, engineering documentation, and experimental records.
Experience leading technical projects or cross-functional engineering initiatives.
Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional environment and collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations teams.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate technical concepts and findings.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and common engineering, scientific, or data-analysis tools.
Comfort with responsible use of AI technologies and the judgment to independently validate technical conclusions, recommendations, and engineering decisions.
Ability to sit, stand, walk, and move throughout the facility during the workday.
Ability to use computers, testing equipment, instrumentation, and standard office equipment.
Ability to handle and manipulate small mechanical and electronic components, test fixtures, and laboratory equipment.
Ability to perform hands-on testing, troubleshooting, assembly, and evaluation requiring manual dexterity and visual attention to detail.
Ability to occasionally lift, carry, and move materials, equipment, and test apparatus weighing up to 25 pounds.
Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders regarding technical and operational matters.
Ability to work safely in laboratory and manufacturing environments while following established safety procedures and requirements.

Nice To Haves

Background in microfluidics and fluidic systems.
Background in plastics, polymers, and plastic-processing technologies.
Background in mechanical systems and precision mechanisms.
Background in optics and optical sensing.
Background in protein filtration, sample preparation, and characterization.
Background in rheology and viscosity measurement.
Background in electronics, sensors, and instrumentation.
Background in scientific instrumentation and analytical devices.
Familiarity with software-controlled instruments, firmware-integrated systems, and data-analysis tools.
Ability to learn quickly, think critically, connect concepts across disciplines, and apply engineering fundamentals to product-development and product-testing challenges.

Responsibilities

Develop comprehensive test strategies, experimental protocols, and engineering evaluation plans for products, subsystems, consumables, and new product features.
Translate product requirements, customer needs, and intended use cases into measurable test criteria.
Identify potential failure modes, technical risks, edge cases, and performance limitations through engineering analysis and experimentation.
Design and execute hands-on testing of fluidic systems, sensors, optics, mechanical assemblies, electronics, and integrated hardware/software systems.
Develop, improve, and maintain test fixtures, laboratory setups, sample-handling methods, measurement techniques, and experimental procedures.
Evaluate product performance, reliability, repeatability, robustness, accuracy, and usability under normal operating conditions and stressed-use scenarios.
Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret experimental data to support engineering decisions, product improvements, and root-cause investigations.
Troubleshoot product, process, and customer-related issues through structured root-cause analysis and engineering investigation.
Distinguish product issues from experimental variation, measurement uncertainty, or test-method limitations.
Document test methods, protocols, observations, results, deviations, and conclusions clearly and reproducibly.
Collaborate with Engineering, Applications, Manufacturing, Quality, Software, Firmware, and Product Development teams.
Present findings, recommendations, risks, unresolved questions, and proposed corrective actions to project teams and management.
Identify opportunities to improve product performance, reliability, manufacturability, testability, and customer experience.
Use modern engineering tools, including AI-assisted technologies, to improve test planning, data analysis, documentation, troubleshooting, and technical evaluations.
Participate in design reviews and provide technical recommendations based on engineering analysis and test results.
Establish and continuously improve structured testing and product evaluation practices for new and existing products.
Independently determine what should be tested, why testing is required, and the methodology for generating reliable, actionable engineering evidence.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers, technicians, and cross-functional team members.
Lead complex product-testing, reliability, and failure-analysis initiatives supporting strategic product-development efforts.
Serve as a technical subject matter expert in product performance, product reliability, and engineering investigations.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.