Field Test and Validation Engineer

Austin Sensing Company; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Insurance benefits

Lunch and dinner served daily

Job summary

Austin Sensing Company is seeking a Field Test and Validation Engineer to measure how our sensing systems perform in real operating conditions. You’ll design and run tests that establish what our products can reliably detect, track, and withstand, then work with engineering to resolve the issues you find.

Most testing occurs at our test site near Austin with travel to customer locations and military facilities as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience testing and validating hardware systems in outdoor or operational environments.
• Ability to turn product requirements into measurable tests and clear acceptance criteria.
• Experience designing controlled experiments and accounting for measurement uncertainty.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or a comparable tool for data analysis and test automation.
• Hands-on troubleshooting across hardware, software, networking, and power systems.
• Experience collecting and analyzing synchronized data from multiple devices.
• Clear technical writing and the ability to explain results, limitations, and recommended next steps.
• Willingness to work at our test site 4–7 days per week, including weekends, and travel as needed.
• Comfort setting up and operating equipment outdoors in changing conditions.

Responsibilities

• Develop test plans and acceptance criteria for radar, acoustic, and RF sensing systems.
• Run field tests that measure detection range, probability of detection, false alarm rates, tracking accuracy, coverage, and latency.
• Establish ground truth using independent position measurements, synchronized logs, and documented target activity.
• Evaluate performance across different targets, terrain, weather, clutter, interference, and installation configurations.
• Coordinate test sites, equipment, target vehicles, and personnel so tests are safe, repeatable, and productive.
• Set up sensors, networking, power, data recording, and instrumentation in the lab and field.
• Analyze test data, investigate unexpected results, and distinguish product issues from test setup errors.
• Work with RF, signal processing, embedded systems, and software engineers to reproduce failures and verify fixes.
• Build scripts and tools for data collection, analysis, and repeatable performance reporting.
• Maintain test records that identify hardware versions, software versions, configurations, conditions, and results.
• Work with deployment engineers to validate performance at customer sites and bring field findings back to engineering.

Skills

Test & validation

Python

MATLAB

Data analysis

Troubleshooting

Technical writing

Field testing

Experiment design

4–7 days/week availability

Education

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Aerospace engineering

Physics

Tools

GNSS/RTK

Job description

Building the future of sensing is extremely hard work. We move fast, tackle difficult technical problems, and expect a lot from one another. We look for self-starters who take ownership and deliver. If you are looking for a traditional 9-to-5, this is not the place for you.

But if you want to build advanced sensing systems in Austin, strengthen U.S. military capabilities, protect American warfighters, support public safety and aerial firefighting, and work alongside operators in the field, we want to hear from you.

Why Austin Sensing Co.

We design and manufacture vertically integrated sensing systems for defense, public safety, and critical infrastructure. Our products are deployed in demanding environments where failure is not an option. Built in America and headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Field Test and Validation Engineer

Location

Austin, TX

On-site

Testing

About Austin Sensing Company

Austin Sensing Company builds radar, acoustic, and RF sensors for defense, public safety, critical infrastructure, and autonomous systems. We design and manufacture our hardware in Austin, Texas, with a focus on making high-performance sensing reliable, affordable, and widely available.

About the Role

We’re hiring a Field Test and Validation Engineer to measure how our sensing systems perform in real operating conditions. You’ll design and run tests that establish what our products can reliably detect, track, and withstand, then work with engineering to resolve the issues you find.

Most of your testing will take place at our dedicated test site, with additional work at customer locations and military facilities as needed. This role requires someone who can plan a controlled experiment, set up equipment, collect trustworthy data, and turn results into clear engineering recommendations.
Note on the field schedule: You’ll be at our test site, approximately one hour from our Austin office, 4–7 days per week.

What You’ll Do

Develop test plans and acceptance criteria for radar, acoustic, and RF sensing systems.

Run field tests that measure detection range, probability of detection, false alarm rates, tracking accuracy, coverage, and latency.

Establish ground truth using independent position measurements, synchronized logs, and documented target activity.

Evaluate performance across different targets, terrain, weather, clutter, interference, and installation configurations.

Coordinate test sites, equipment, target vehicles, and personnel so tests are safe, repeatable, and productive.

Set up sensors, networking, power, data recording, and instrumentation in the lab and field.

Analyze test data, investigate unexpected results, and distinguish product issues from test setup errors.

Work with RF, signal processing, embedded systems, and software engineers to reproduce failures and verify fixes.

Build scripts and tools for data collection, analysis, and repeatable performance reporting.

Maintain test records that identify hardware versions, software versions, configurations, conditions, and results.

Work with deployment engineers to validate performance at customer sites and bring field findings back to engineering.

What You’ll Bring

Experience testing and validating hardware systems in outdoor or operational environments.

The ability to turn product requirements into measurable tests and clear acceptance criteria.

Experience designing controlled experiments and accounting for measurement uncertainty.

Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or a comparable tool for data analysis and test automation.

Hands-on troubleshooting skills across hardware, software, networking, and power systems.

Experience collecting and analyzing synchronized data from multiple devices.

Clear technical writing and the ability to explain results, limitations, and recommended next steps.

Willingness to work at our test site 4–7 days per week, including weekends, and travel to other test locations as needed.

Comfort setting up and operating equipment outdoors in changing conditions.

Preferred Experience

Experience testing radar, RF, acoustic, counter-UAS, or other sensing systems.

Familiarity with radar performance metrics, signal processing, and target tracking.

Experience using GNSS, RTK, or other positioning systems to establish ground truth.

Experience conducting drone flight tests or coordinating with drone pilots.

Experience testing environmental durability and system reliability.

Experience working at military ranges, customer sites, or other controlled facilities.

A degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or a related field.

401(k)

Insurance benefits

Lunch and dinner served daily