Sensor Development Specialist

Sensor Development / R&D Engineer – Acoustic & Vibration Sensing
Location: East Midlands
Contract: 3–6 months
Start: ASAP

The Opportunity
We are looking for an experienced R&D / Sensor Development Engineer to support an exciting technology development project based in Derby.

This is a hands-on role focused on the evaluation, development and testing of acoustic, vibration and piezoelectric sensing technologies, with the opportunity to take concepts through prototype development and validation towards commercialisation.

The ideal contractor will have a strong background in sensor development, acoustic/vibration measurement, electronics, instrumentation or condition monitoring, and be comfortable working across both technical research and practical prototype development.

Key Responsibilities

• Research and assess existing acoustic, vibration and piezoelectric sensing technologies.
• Evaluate different sensor technologies and determine their suitability for the application.
• Investigate acoustic and vibration characteristics across different operating conditions.
• Assess background noise and environmental factors affecting sensor performance.
• Define key sensor requirements including sensitivity, frequency response and signal-to-noise ratio.
• Develop, refine and test sensor concepts and prototype assemblies.
• Design appropriate sensor mounting, packaging and environmental protection.
• Develop and carry out laboratory and field-based testing.
• Analyse test results and make recommendations for improving sensor performance.
• Support the transition from prototype development towards a commercially viable product.
• Produce technical documentation covering design decisions, testing, results and recommendations.
• Work closely with other technical stakeholders throughout the R&D process.

Required Experience
We are particularly interested in engineers with experience in several of the following:

• Piezoelectric sensor design or application
• Acoustic and vibration sensing
• Sensor development and instrumentation
• Low-noise analogue electronics and signal conditioning
• Embedded sensing and data acquisition
• Digital signal processing (DSP)
• Acoustic or vibration analysis
• MEMS or other sensor technologies
• Mechanical design and sensor packaging
• Laboratory experimentation and prototype testing
• Product development from concept through to validation

Desirable Experience
Experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous:

• Acoustic or noise detection
• Condition monitoring or fault detection
• Structural health monitoring
• Industrial sensing technologies
• Development of sensing products for commercial applications
• Advanced signal processing or anomaly detection
• Machine learning applied to sensor data
• Taking sensor technology from R&D into manufacture

The Person
We're looking for someone who is hands-on, technically curious and comfortable working in an R&D environment.

You should be able to investigate a technical problem, assess different approaches, build and test prototypes, analyse results and make clear recommendations.

The role would suit someone from a Sensor Development, Electronics, Instrumentation, Acoustic, Vibration, R&D or Condition Monitoring background.

Deliverables
The project will include clearly defined technical milestones, with deliverables including:

• Technology assessment and recommendations
• Sensor performance requirements
• Prototype sensor designs
• Test plans and validation results
• Technical documentation
• Recommendations for further development and commercialisation

Contract
3–6 month contract, starting ASAP, with clearly defined milestones, design reviews and reporting stages.
Contractors should be able to demonstrate relevant experience through previous sensor development, R&D, instrumentation, acoustic/vibration or related engineering projects.

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