Senior Systems Engineer, Optical & Embedded Sensing Platforms

Hach•Bellevue, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sea-Bird Scientific Research & Development team is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer with deep, hands-on experience spanning oceanographic sensing applications, electronic design, embedded firmware, and optical sensing systems. This role will provide system-level architecture and technical leadership for next-generation oceanographic instrumentation. The successful candidate will integrate opto-electronic subsystems, low-noise analog electronics, embedded control, and calibration methodologies into compact, power-efficient, and robust submersible sensors. This position emphasizes deep oceanographic sensing domain knowledge, practical engineering execution, cross-disciplinary system integration, and end-to-end product development ownership. This position reports directly to the VP of Research and Development.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or closely related engineering discipline.
Minimum of 10 years of practical engineering experience in the design and development of integrated electronic and opto-electronic systems.
Demonstrated experience delivering complex instrumentation from concept through production.
Strong background in analog and mixed-signal electronic design, including low-noise photodiode and sensor front-end circuits.
Hands-on embedded firmware development experience (C/C++, microcontrollers, real-time acquisition systems).
Experience integrating optical subsystems including LEDs, photodetectors, optical filters, and fibers.
Proven system-level engineering experience including requirements development, architecture, and verification planning.

Nice To Haves

Experience with oceanographic or environmental optical measurements (fluorescence, transmissometry, radiometry, backscatter, absorption).
Proficiency with optical modeling and simulation tools (e.g., Zemax, TracePro, or equivalent).
Expertise in low-power optical system design for battery-operated instruments.
Knowledge of advanced optical signal processing and calibration techniques.
Track record of leading technology development or innovation projects.
Strong troubleshooting capability across optical, electronic, and embedded domains.

Responsibilities

Serve as technical lead for system architecture, with primary ownership of optical and opto-electronic system design, spanning optics, electronics, firmware, and mechanical interfaces.
Define and manage optical performance budgets (SNR, dynamic range, spectral response, stray light, stability, drift, and calibration fidelity).
Collaborate closely with mechanical engineering to ensure optical alignment stability, pressure tolerance, and thermal performance in subsea environments.
Design and develop low-noise analog and mixed-signal electronics for optical detection systems (photodiode TIAs, lock-in detection, ADC interfaces, precision references).
Architect embedded firmware for sensor control, optical signal acquisition, calibration workflows, and real-time processing.
Implement firmware-based filtering, signal processing, and diagnostic capabilities for optical and non-optical measurements.
Perform modeling and simulation of optical systems (radiometric performance, signal propagation, noise sources) and validate through bench testing.
Lead integration of optical, electronic, and firmware subsystems, ensuring coherent system performance.
Define and execute verification and validation strategies, including optical calibration, environmental testing, and long-term stability assessments.
Lead and contribute to strategic technology projects focused on advancing sensing capabilities (e.g., new measurement modalities, improved sensitivity, miniaturization, or power efficiency).
Drive early-stage prototyping, feasibility studies, and proof-of-concept demonstrations for next-generation sensing approaches.
Partner with science and product teams to translate measurement requirements into novel system architectures.
Lead cross-functional design reviews with a strong focus on system performance and integration risks.
Provide mentorship in engineering and system design to multidisciplinary teams.
Lead root-cause analysis for complex system issues spanning optics, electronics, and firmware.
Document architectures, design rationale, and performance analysis to support product lifecycle and knowledge continuity.