Sensor Characterization Engineer

About the job

At Pairwise, we are a team of engineers, operators, and builders focused on enabling the next generation of technical talent to do their best work. We partner with leading technology companies to deliver high-performance engineering solutions across embedded systems, networking, semiconductors, and software. Our teams have contributed to some of the most advanced products in consumer, infrastructure, and communications technologies.

This full-time role offers the chance to work on-site with a global leader in the technology industry, contributing to impactful, technically challenging projects in a high-caliber and fast-moving environment.

Overview

We are seeking a hands-on Sensor Characterization Engineer to join a sensors and sensing systems team driving innovation in Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) and wearable consumer hardware. This team develops the novel sensing hardware and methods that power the next generation of immersive devices.

In this role, you will own the benchtop characterization of the sensors at the core of these products, spanning motion, magnetic, optical and biosensing, and environmental modalities. You will define test methods, run the measurements, and turn the resulting data into calibration parameters, error models, and clear reports that hardware and firmware teams act on.Strong MATLAB and Python scripting is essential along with measurement science and sensor domain expertise.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute benchtop characterization plans across sensing modalities, including IMUs, magnetometers, PPG and proximity sensors, strain gauges, and temperature sensors.
• Characterize performance across the operating range: bias, drift, noise, sensitivity, scale factor, cross-axis coupling, linearity, and temperature dependence.
• Apply modality-specific methods such as Allan variance and rate-table testing for inertial sensors, hard and soft iron characterization for magnetometers, and SNR, ambient rejection, and contact variation for optical biosensors.
• Develop and validate sensor calibration and compensation routines, and assess their performance across parts and conditions.
• Characterize sensor coexistence and interference with other active device subsystems, such as audio.
• Automate measurement, data processing, and analysis using MATLAB and Python, with a focus on accuracy and repeatability.
• Analyze results and produce clear characterization reports that feed back into hardware and firmware design decisions.
• Collaborate with hardware, firmware, and systems engineers to refine test methods and interpret results.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, or any suitable combination of education and experience.
• 3+ years of hands-on sensor characterization, sensor test, or metrology experience.
• Proficiency in MATLAB and Python for measurement automation, data analysis, and reporting.
• Solid understanding of sensor error sources and metrics across domains, including bias, drift, noise, sensitivity, and linearity.
• Characterization experience with inertial or magnetic sensors, including noise and stability analysis.
• Hands-on benchtop testing experience with lab instrumentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with rate tables or other precision motion references for IMU characterization and calibration.
• Optical biosensing characterization experience, such as PPG or proximity sensing, including ambient light rejection and skin or contact coupling effects.
• Experience with coexistence or interference characterization across sensor and audio subsystems.
• Ultrasonic sensor characterization experience.
• Domain expertise in MEMS, optical sensing, wearable, or AR/VR sensing systems.
• Experience with version control such as Git and automated test workflows.
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset for working across multi-disciplinary teams.

Benefits

Pairwise offers competitive compensation and access to a range of benefits for employees, including premium PPO and HMO medical insurance coverage, dental, vision, FSA, life insurance, short/long-term disability insurance, a company-matched 401k plan, and a generous PTO policy.  

We are proud to work with engineers and professionals who want to make an impact through their craft. If you're looking to be part of a team that values technical excellence, autonomy, and practical problem solving - we'd love to hear from you!

Pairwise is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse team and fostering an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.