Propulsion Test Instrumentation Engineer

Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is a publicly funded research institute, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is home to a diverse community of leading scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and researchers from across the globe, transforming problems and roadblocks into pioneering research and technology prototypes that help move society ahead.

Develop and validate instrumentation and data acquisition systems for gas-turbine and jet-engine component, rig and engine development tests. Combine applied propulsion physics with experimental engineering to translate research questions into measurement requirements, implement reliable acquisition systems and establish whether test data support the intended engineering conclusions.

Working alongside colleagues in Digital Engineering, contribute specialist expertise from measurement design through hands‑on commissioning and experimental investigation. The role combines responsibility for agreed engineering deliverables with shared technical decisions, capability planning and knowledge exchange that supports colleagues’ professional development.

• Develop measurement strategies with propulsion and test specialists. Translate research objectives and model‑validation needs into experimental plans; use sensitivity and pre‑test uncertainty analysis to establish measurement locations, accuracy, bandwidth and repeatability requirements.
• Design measurement architectures covering sensors, signal conditioning, acquisition and processing. Specify pressure, temperature, thrust, speed, flow and dynamic measurements as required, accounting for installation effects, environmental conditions, sampling, filtering and synchronisation. Define interface requirements and verification criteria.
• Deliver agreed instrumentation and DAQ work packages from specification through commissioning. Evaluate equipment, support sensor selection and installation, develop or configure acquisition software, verify channel settings and troubleshoot complex signal, timing and integration problems through practical testing.
• Develop measurement methods, acquisition utilities and experimental fixtures where existing solutions cannot answer the research question. Prototype and compare approaches against reference methods; quantify their limitations and demonstrate the improvement before adoption on propulsion tests.
• Establish calibration, end‑to‑end verification and uncertainty budgets. Assess repeatability and measurement readiness, document usable ranges and limitations, and investigate discrepancies between predictions and measurements with discipline specialists. Distinguish physical behaviour from measurement and processing artefacts.
• Develop reusable data‑reduction and quality checks with modelling and software colleagues. Preserve traceability between configurations, calibration records, raw data and processing versions; define common channel metadata, units and interfaces for reproducible comparisons and integration with engineering tools.
• Develop a two- to three-year instrumentation and DAQ capability roadmap with the team. Assess research needs, emerging techniques and equipment obsolescence; propose staged investments and make‑or‑buy options based on technical benefit, risk, cost, delivery and maintainability.
• Contribute to design reviews, joint development and practical problem solving. Share methods and engineering reasoning through peer review and documented examples, supporting colleagues as they undertake more complex work with increasing independence.

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical or instrumentation engineering, or a related discipline. Relevant postgraduate study is desirable.
• Typically 5-7…