Staff Electrical R&D Lead

Whoop•Boston, MA

14h

About The Position

WHOOP is hiring a Staff Electrical R&D Lead on its Hardware Engineering team to drive advanced development of next-generation wearable sensing technologies. The role leads exploration, design, characterization, and validation of novel sensing systems, building a deep understanding of the complete signal chain—from physiological signals and sensor interfaces through analog and digital electronics to downstream system requirements. The engineer applies electrical engineering fundamentals, hands-on experimentation, and advanced data analysis to translate system behavior into architecture and design improvements that optimize sensing performance. This is a hands-on technical leadership role requiring systems thinking, analytical rigor, and technical judgment. The Lead guides and mentors engineers and works closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Firmware, Signal Processing, and WHOOP Labs teams to evaluate emerging technologies, define system requirements, identify performance limitations, and make technical decisions. The role helps establish the technical direction for advanced electrical development while balancing innovation with product feasibility, performance, and development timelines.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
8+ years of relevant electrical engineering, hardware R&D, or sensing systems development experience, with demonstrated technical leadership and ownership of complex engineering projects.
Deep electrical engineering fundamentals across analog and digital circuit design, sensor interfaces, signal integrity, noise analysis, and system-level electrical architecture.
Strong systems-level understanding of sensing technologies.
Exceptional hands-on experimentation, hardware characterization, and debugging skills, with the ability to apply first-principles engineering and structured analysis to complex technical challenges.
Proficiency in Python or equivalent tools.
Ability to lead ambiguous, cross-functional technical initiatives, guide engineering decisions, mentor engineers, and drive technical challenges to resolution.
Commitment to embracing and leveraging AI tools in day-to-day tasks and ensuring AI-assisted work meets the same high-quality standards as personal contributions.

Responsibilities

Lead advanced electrical development from early technology exploration and sensor evaluation through feasibility, prototyping, system characterization, and design validation.
Develop a deep understanding of the sensing signal chain—including sensor behavior, analog front-end performance, electrical interfaces, physiological characteristics, and downstream system requirements—to inform architecture decisions and optimize end-to-end sensing performance.
Define and execute experiments to characterize sensor and system behavior, isolate variables, identify performance limitations, and evaluate interactions across electrical, mechanical, physiological, and environmental conditions.
Analyze data and translate experimental findings into electrical design improvements, technical recommendations, and quantitative performance requirements.
Drive evaluation, integration, and validation of new sensing technologies; establish test methodologies, performance criteria, and system-level requirements for reliable real-world operation.
Partner with Electrical, Mechanical, Firmware, Signal Processing, and WHOOP Labs teams to understand system dependencies, evaluate tradeoffs, and support broader sensing-system performance objectives.
Lead complex technical investigations and root-cause analysis using first-principles engineering, bench measurements, system telemetry, and structured experimentation.
Guide and mentor engineers, set technical priorities, provide design reviews and technical direction, and drive cross-functional alignment while contributing hands-on.
Translate ambiguous technical challenges into actionable development plans, communicate risks, recommendations, and progress, and balance engineering rigor with product and schedule objectives.
Remain hands-on with circuit design and simulation, prototype bring-up, hardware debugging, and design iteration, contributing directly to critical investigations and design decisions.