Research Engineer in BME

The University of Vermont; Burlington, Northern (VT, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Vermont is seeking a Research Engineer to design, develop, and maintain integrated hardware and software systems that support biomedical and behavioral research in naturalistic settings.

The role involves building and deploying sensor-based data collection platforms, developing software for data acquisition, quality assurance, and long-term data management, and ensuring secure, privacy-conscious collection of research data.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience designing or working with data collection from multiple sensors or devices.
• Strong written and verbal communication, ability to document technical work clearly.
• Ability to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience troubleshooting software and/or hardware issues.

Responsibilities

• Design networked sensor systems and develop software applications in multiple languages.
• Create real-time monitoring and quality assurance tools for data collection.
• Implement automated data processing and feature extraction pipelines.
• Maintain hardware and electronics for research deployments and data systems.
• Support data analysis, visualization, and documentation of processes.

Skills

Sensor data integration

Programming

Data acquisition

Team collaboration

Documentation

Problem solving

Education

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

Tools

Git

Slurm

Cloud storage

Job description

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law.

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Finalists for positions at UVM may be subject to a criminal background check.

For classified staff positions, actual hiring pay dependent on current competitor market conditions, comparable campus peer(s) at time of hire, and candidate’s experience level and length.

Be sure to carefully review and update your application information before submitting an application!

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 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
• 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

Anticipated Pay Range $55,000 - $60,000

Other Information

Special Conditions

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

FLSA Exempt

Union Position

Union Position Yes, UVMSU

Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice.

Job Location

Job Open Date

Job Open Date 09/18/2026

Job Close Date (Jobs close at 11:59 PM EST.)

Open Until Filled No

The University of Vermont is a welcoming, educationally purposeful community committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces intellectual diversity and global perspectives. We seek to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility. Staff play a critical role in this effort and the successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM’s mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through the execution of their job duties.

Position Information

Position Title

Position Title Research Engineering PC2 X

Posting Number

Posting Number S6305PO

Department

Department Elec & Biomed Engineering/54020

Position Number

Position Number 00028002

Percent of Full-Time

Percent of Full-Time 1.0

Standard Hours at 1.0 FTE

Standard Hours at 1.0 FTE 37.5

Term (months per year)

Term (months per year) 12

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).