Research Engineer in BME

University of Vermont; Burlington (VT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Vermont in Burlington, VT seeks a Research Engineer in BME to design, build, and maintain integrated hardware and software for biomedical research in naturalistic settings. You will deploy sensor-based data collection platforms, develop data acquisition software, QA and feature extraction pipelines, and ensure secure, privacy-conscious data handling.

Collaborating with investigators, staff, IT, and external partners, you will enable longitudinal studies, optimize infrastructure,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, ECE or related field.
• Proficient in Python, with experience in Go, C++, JavaScript, or HTML.
• Experience designing or working with multi-sensor data collection systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication with ability to document work clearly.
• Ability to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience troubleshooting software and/or hardware issues.

Responsibilities

• Design networked sensor systems for research use.
• Develop software applications in multiple programming languages.
• Create real-time monitoring and QA tools.
• Implement automated data processing and feature extraction pipelines.
• Maintain research hardware and electronics.
• Support data analysis and visualization activities.
• Document technical processes and best practices.
• Provide deployment and troubleshooting support to studies.

Skills

Python

Go

C++

JavaScript

HTML

Sensor data

Data synchronization

Communication

Teamwork

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or related field

Tools

Git

HPC (Slurm)

3D printing

Job description

Research Engineer in BME

The Research Engineer designs, develops, and maintains integrated hardware and software systems that support innovative biomedical and behavioral research in naturalistic settings. This position is responsible for building and deploying sensor-based data collection platforms, developing software for data acquisition, quality assurance, feature extraction, and long-term data management, and ensuring reliable, secure, and privacy-conscious collection of research data. The Research Engineer collaborates closely with investigators, research staff, IT professionals, and external partners to support longitudinal studies, optimize research infrastructure, and advance data-driven scientific discovery.

Key responsibilities

Key responsibilities include designing networked sensor systems; developing software applications in multiple programming languages; creating real-time monitoring and quality assurance tools; implementing automated data processing and feature extraction pipelines; maintaining and improving research hardware and electronics; supporting data analysis and visualization activities; documenting technical processes and best practices; and contributing to collaborative research initiatives. The incumbent also provides technical support for study implementation, including system deployment, troubleshooting, and, when needed, direct interaction with research participants.

This position requires expertise in software engineering, data systems, sensor technologies, hardware integration, and research computing, along with strong problem-solving, communication, and project coordination skills. The successful candidate will play a critical role in enabling high-quality, scalable, and reproducible research through the development of robust data collection and analysis infrastructure.

Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience)

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related field


• Demonstrated proficiency programming in Python, with additional experience in at least one of: Go, C++, JavaScript, or HTML


• Experience designing or working with systems that collect data from multiple sensors or devices simultaneously (e.g., synchronizing data streams across wired, Bluetooth, or Wi‑Fi connections).


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document technical work clearly for future team members


• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with a multidisciplinary research team


• Experience troubleshooting software and/or hardware issues

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with remote diagnosis and repair of software and/or hardware issues


• Experience with longitudinal or naturalistic data collection studies (e.g., in-home monitoring, wearables, ambulatory assessment)


• Experience building real-time or near-real-time data quality dashboards or monitoring tools


• Experience with signal processing or automated feature extraction from raw sensor data (e.g., physiological, audio, video, or motion data)


• Experience with 3D printing and CAD design for custom hardware enclosures


• Familiarity with high-performance computing environments (e.g., HPC clusters, Slurm)


• Experience working with IRB protocols, human subjects research, or participant-facing research roles


• Familiarity with version control (e.g., Git) and maintaining well-documented software repositories


• Experience with cloud storage, databases, or large-scale data management pipelines


• Prior experience in an academic or biomedical research environments


• Experience preparing figures, text, or technical content for scientific publications or grant proposals

Anticipated Pay Range

$55,000 - $60,000

Special Conditions

A probationary period may be required, Contingent on continued funding, Occasional evening and/or weekends required (if non-exempt position, may result in overtime), Travel to and from worksites required, This position is ineligible for telework due to the essential functions, Background Check required for this position

FLSA

Exempt

Union Position

Yes, UVMSU

Job Location

Burlington, Vermont, United States

Standard Hours at 1.0 FTE

37.5

Term (months per year)

12

Department

Elec & Biomed Engineering/54020