Senior Research Technician, Step 1

The University of Alabama in Huntsville; Alabama; On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Alabama in Huntsville seeks an instrumentation engineer to advance measurement science and data acquisition for Research Institute programs. You will develop, implement, and evaluate measurement and data-acquisition techniques, including thermal, optical, and high-speed systems, and collaborate on new instrumentation approaches.

Responsibilities include selecting sensors, integrating data-acquisition hardware, and supporting lab and field experiments to ensure reliable,

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or 2 years of college with 2–4 years of related experience in instrumentation or data acquisition.
• Coursework in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or Physics.
• Ability to apply engineering principles to the design, setup, operation, and analysis of experimental measurement systems.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, students, and staff to support experimental design and data analysis.
• Develop and evaluate measurement and data acquisition systems for research programs.
• Design, select, integrate, and operate instrumentation and data-acquisition hardware.
• Plan and support laboratory and field experiments including calibration and data collection.
• Develop custom measurement solutions to address unique research requirements and reduce risk.

Skills

Instrumentation expertise

Data acquisition

High-speed measurement

Noise analysis

Calibration

Experiment design

Thermal measurements

Optical instrumentation

Education

Associate's degree or 2 years of college

Coursework in Electrical/Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or Physics

Tools

Data-acquisition equipment

Oscilloscopes

Sensors

Signal conditioning

High-speed imaging

Triggering systems

Job description

Purpose of the Position:

This position provides engineering expertise in measurement science, instrumentation,
and experimental design in support of Research Institute-sponsored research programs.
The position will develop, implement, and evaluate measurement and data-acquisition
techniques, including thermal, optical, material-response, circuit/signal, and high-speed
measurement systems. Responsibilities include selecting and integrating
instrumentation, designing custom measurement and triggering solutions,
troubleshooting experimental systems, and conducting calibration, noise analysis, and
performance characterization. The position will support laboratory and field testing by
developing and validating experimental configurations prior to deployment, helping
reduce technical risk and improve the quality and reliability of research data. The
incumbent will also collaborate with research teams to develop new and innovative
instrumentation and measurement approaches to meet emerging research
requirements.

Duties / Responsibilities

• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, students, and other research personnel to support experimental design, instrumentation selection, test execution, data analysis, and continued development of Research Institute measurement capabilities.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate experimental measurement and data acquisition systems supporting Research Institute-sponsored research, including thermal, optical, material-response, circuit/signal, and high-speed measurement applications.
• Design, select, integrate, and operate instrumentation and experimental systems, including sensors, data-acquisition equipment, signal conditioning, high-speed imaging, and specialized triggering systems.
• Plan and support laboratory and field experiments, including test setup, instrumentation, calibration, data collection, troubleshooting, noise analysis, and performance characterization to ensure reliable and accurate research data.
• Develop and evaluate new or customized measurement and instrumentation solutions to address unique research requirements, improve experimental capabilities, and reduce technical risk prior to field testing.

Minimum Requirements

• Associate's degree or 2 years of college and 24 -48 months (2 to 4 years) of full-time work experience (2-3 years of experience in instrumentation, experimental testing, data acquisition, or engineering research)
• Coursework in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering or Physics
• Ability to apply engineering principles to the design, setup, operation, and analysis of experimental measurement systems

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with data-acquisition systems, oscilloscopes, sensors, signal conditioning, circuit and signal analysis, thermal measurements, strain gauges/load cells, optical instrumentation, and high-speed imaging or triggering systems is preferred.
• Experience developing custom instrumentation, electronics, or specialized circuits and integrating sensors and instrumentation into experimental systems is highly desirable

Published Salary (if available):

50,000 - 55,000