Senior Test & Evaluation Engineer, MEMS IMU Sensors

About the role

You will lead the end to end evaluation and characterization of HRL's next generation MEMS inertial measurement units from initial prototype through sustainment. This role owns the definition, execution, and automation of rigorous test campaigns that de risk firmware, hardware, and system level performance. You will build and maintain lab infrastructure and analysis frameworks in Python and MATLAB to extract actionable insights from complex dynamic data. A core responsibility is to validate navigation grade performance across environmental, dynamic, and operational conditions while partnering closely with firmware, systems, and cross functional teams. You will translate high level requirements into test plans, pass fail criteria, and traceable documentation that ensures robust release readiness. In addition, you will drive failure analysis, yield trends, and iterative improvements to prototypes, and prepare artifacts for external evaluation and qualification. Your work will directly enable the transition of innovative MEMS IMU technology into reliable solutions for automotive, aerospace, and defense applications.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead end to end evaluation and characterization of MEMS IMUs, covering prototyping, product development, and sustainment with a focus on maturing hardware, firmware, and system behavior for transition out of R&D.
• Define and execute characterization strategies across environmental, dynamic, and operational conditions, including building and automating hands on test setups such as temperature, vibration, and shock.
• Analyze performance data to identify key performance drivers, validate models, and perform root cause investigations of anomalies, drift behaviors, and firmware related effects.
• Develop operational firmware to align sensor behavior, filtering, calibration algorithms, and embedded implementation with system level performance goals, and support firmware bring up and debug.
• Drive sustaining and maturation activities, including hardware and firmware debug, failure analysis, yield trends, and iterative improvement of prototypes and engineering builds.
• Develop lab infrastructure and supporting scripts for evaluation, characterization, and validation of products, building automation frameworks in Python, MATLAB, and Simulink.
• Lead system level validation by defining comprehensive test plans, developing objective pass fail criteria, and ensuring release readiness through robust test coverage and reproducible results.
• Partner cross functionally to ensure requirements flow down, system integration readiness, and the production of technical documentation needed for smooth transition to low rate production.
• Maintain configuration control, support engineering change processes, and prepare prototypes and early production IMUs for external evaluation and qualification.
• Operate and leverage IMU test equipment including vibration systems, shock testers, rate tables, centrifuges, and thermal chambers to execute defined test campaigns.
• Implement test automation and instrumentation interfaces that increase throughput, repeatability, and data quality across characterization and validation activities.
• Support the generation and maintenance of requirements artifacts, verification evidence, and validation packages required for regulatory and customer acceptance.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelors, master's or Ph.D. in a relevant field such as electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or a related discipline.
• Bring 7+ years of hands on experience owning sensor development and digital signal processing, including prototype bring up, hardware/firmware integration, performance validation, and schematic level hardware design and debug.
• Possess 4+ years of experience managing production and test documentation as well as requirements validation and the production of associated artifacts.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of inertial sensor performance parameters including bias, noise, and stability, and their interaction with filtering and compensation algorithms.
• Have experience with IMU test equipment such as vibration systems, shock testers, rate tables, centrifuges, and thermal chambers, plus test automation and instrumentation interfaces.
• Show proficiency with MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, or similar tools for data analysis, visualization, and automation.
• Maintain strong hardware fundamentals encompassing analog, digital, mixed signal, and power, and understand how these domains interact with embedded firmware.
• Exhibit proficiency in embedded C/C++ and at least one automation language, with a preference for Python, along with experience with RTOS concepts, HAL or bare metal drivers, and evaluation board bring up.
• Apply knowledge of software best practices, including Git based version control, code reviews, CI/CD workflows, and unit and integration testing.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of microcontrollers and system on chips, ADCs and DACs, and serial interfaces such as I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, and Ethernet.
• Hold US citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance.
• Be located in Malibu, California, and comply with any hours, travel, or visa requirements as dictated by the role and project needs.

Nice to have

• Bring 8+ years of hands on experience owning IMU or MEMS development, including prototype bring up, hardware firmware integration, and performance validation.
• Gain hands on experience with GNC integration, test and evaluation in relevant contexts.
• Have experience with Xilinx Vivado, UltraScale architectures, or ASIC platforms.
• Show familiarity with schematic design tools such as Altium Designer.

Practical notes

The role is based in Malibu, California, and requires US citizenship due to the need to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance. Employment is offered as a regular full time engagement, and the compensation range is $$154,500 to $197,900, aligned with California location pay scales. Candidates must be able to work on site and support any required hours, travel, or visa considerations as project demands dictate.