Electrical Engineer – Embedded Systems & Instrumentation (NDE)

Overview

Texas Research Institute (TRI) Austin is a small business with over 45 years of experience conducting applied materials science R&D for government and private-sector clients. We are seeking an Embedded Systems Engineer to develop hardware and software systems designed to collect experimental data across a wide range of applications and physical scales. The ideal candidate will support research and development activities by applying experience in embedded hardware and firmware development, sensor integration, data acquisition, system troubleshooting, and laboratory testing. Success in this role will require the ability to translate loosely defined technical needs into real-world, dependable solutions.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and prototype custom printed circuit boards (PCBs), including schematic capture, component selection, PCB layout, assembly, bring-up, debugging, and bench testing.
• Develop embedded hardware and firmware for sensor-based data acquisition, monitoring, and control systems, including bare-metal applications and supporting PC/software applications.
• Select, integrate, configure, and troubleshoot instrumentation and data acquisition (DAQ) systems for existing installations and newly developed systems.
• Design and implement custom sensor and measurement solutions using purpose-built components and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware.
• Apply analog signal conditioning and digital signal processing (DSP) techniques, including sampling, amplification, filtering, noise reduction, and analysis of sensor and experimental data.
• Design, prototype, and implement single- and multi-axis motion control systems and adapt existing equipment for new applications.
• Develop electrical solutions ranging from low-voltage DC power distribution and control systems to high-voltage AC systems for materials testing and characterization applications.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, modify, repair, and improve electronic and electromechanical systems, including obsolete and legacy systems. 
• Build, integrate, and test prototypes through controlled laboratory evaluation, then validate, refine, and prepare systems for field deployment.
• Document technical progress, development activities, design decisions, and test results through regular customer reports and project documentation.
• Prepare, review, and contribute to technical proposals, reports,and other project deliverables.

Position is In-Person, M - F

Valuable Skills

• B.S. degree plus 4 years of relevant professional experience or M.S. degree plus 2 years of relevant professional experience in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• 2+ years of professional experience in embedded development experience.
• Strong programming experience in C/C++ and Python .
• Experience with PCB design and development tools such as Altium or KiCad.
• Familiarity with hardware communication interfaces and protocols including SPI, I²C, RS-232, CAN, and other serial communication protocols.
• Comfortable with engineering lab tools including soldering equipment, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Familiarity with analog, RF, or microwave frequency circuit design.
• Experience with non-destructive evaluation (NDE/NDT) and inspection technologies, including eddy current, ultrasonic testing (UT), or terahertz (THz) inspection, is a plus.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering and research teams.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, presentation, and verbal communication skills.

This is an on-site position located in Southwest Austin, Texas. TRI offers an attractive benefits package and the opportunity to enjoy an excellent quality of life in Austin. Salary is commensurate with experience.

The ability to obtain a US DoD security clearance is mandatory. See https://www.dss.mil/ma/tw/dvd/vroc/faqs/ for more information.

TRI Austin, Inc.is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.