Sensor Intelligence Engineer II

About the role

You will own the full lifecycle of a specific sensor modality within WHOOP's product ecosystem, translating raw physical phenomena into robust physiological insights. This position requires you to act as the deep technical authority for your sensor, defining and enforcing performance requirements while navigating the tradeoffs between hardware, firmware, and algorithmic constraints. You will design and execute studies that capture the data necessary to refine sensor models and enable new product capabilities. Collaboration will be cross-functional, working closely with hardware, firmware, and data science partners to align on design choices and validation strategies. Your responsibility is to ensure that the sensor not only meets specification but also delivers consistent, meaningful insights to members in real-world conditions. You will distill complex experimental results and technical learnings into clear narratives for a multifunctional audience, guiding decision-making across the team. Success in this role will be measured by your ability to ship high-quality sensor-driven features on schedule while maintaining the integrity and accuracy expected from WHOOP's platform.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Serve as the subject matter expert for a sensor modality, constructing and managing performance requirements and design sensitivities across the product lifecycle.
• Process raw data streams and implement signal processing and algorithmic approaches to evaluate sensor performance and enable new product features.
• Design hardware and human studies to capture the datasets required for sensor development, validation, and optimization.
• Collaborate with hardware and firmware engineers to provide feedback on prototype and product design, ensuring alignment with sensor performance goals.
• Clearly communicate technical learnings to a multifunctional audience so that the team can efficiently navigate through a complex decision space.
• Translate physiological principles and sensor behavior into models that support accurate, reliable, and actionable insights for members.
• Partner with data science to integrate machine learning and statistical methods that enhance sensor-derived metrics and detect subtle performance patterns.
• Define test protocols and metrics that quantify sensor accuracy, robustness, and usability under diverse real-world conditions.
• Support the development of system-level features that depend on coordinated sensor inputs and tight timing across modalities.
• Drive experiments that isolate sources of noise and error, and iterate on design changes to improve signal quality and feature performance.
• Establish traceability from high-level product requirements to low-level sensor specifications and validation results.
• Mentor junior engineers by providing hands-on guidance on measurement techniques, data analysis, and debugging strategies.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of sensing technologies, signal processing methods, and best practices in medical device development.
• Ensure that all work adheres to internal standards for documentation, risk assessment, and quality throughout the product development process.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field; a Master's or PhD degree is preferred.
• Bring 3+ years of experience as a hands-on engineer or scientist focused on leading early-stage sensor design from concept to completion.
• Demonstrate proficiency with Python and/or MATLAB for data analysis, signal processing, and machine learning applications.
• Show familiarity with electrical and optical laboratory characterization equipment used for sensor validation and debugging.
• Exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Be innovative, knowledgeable, and adaptable to changing requirements while consistently delivering quality algorithms under tight deadlines.
• Have a strong understanding of how to translate raw sensor measurements into reliable physiological signals and performance metrics.
• Be comfortable working in a fast-paced, iterative environment where requirements evolve as new insights emerge from data and experiments.

Nice to have

• Experience with multiphysics numerical modeling tools to simulate sensor behavior and guide design decisions.
• A basic understanding of human physiology, including hemodynamics, thermoregulation, and biochemistry relevant to sensing mechanisms.
• Prior experience in the context of medical device development, including requirements definition, risk assessment, and verification activities.

Practical notes

This role is based in the WHOOP office located in Boston, MA. The successful candidate must be prepared to relocate if necessary to work out of the Boston, MA office.