Sr. Electro-Mechanical Instrumentation Engineer

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross‑fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation.

As Draper continues to grow we’re hiring experienced engineers with expertise in sensor and instrumentation technology to support programs from early concept development through manufacturing and deployment. As a Hardware Instrumentation Engineer you will play a critical role in the design, development, integration, and production of high‑precision inertial instruments for advanced guidance applications. You will work closely with cross‑functional teams of engineers and physicists to develop next‑generation gyroscopes, accelerometers, and guidance‑aiding sensors, building and characterizing prototypes, developing production rollout strategies, and ultimately delivering production‑hardened instruments that meet some of the world’s most stringent performance and reliability requirements.

This role spans the full product lifecycle and requires hands‑on technical experience across sensor development, electro‑mechanical and solid‑state device design, control systems, sensor readout electronics, mechanical design, and system integration. Experience with MEMS or solid‑state sensor technologies, precision instrumentation, and performance characterization is highly valued. Knowledge of optical displacement sensing technologies is a plus.

• Drive solutions to complex problems with limited direction to design and develop precision instruments.
• Actively mentor less experienced Hardware Instrument engineers.
• Design experiments and experimental precision instruments to prove which design concepts are viable and optimal.
• Collaborate with other engineers to design and develop prototype and production hardware to meet the application needs.
• Collaborate with other groups to integrate precision instruments into larger systems, delivering on performance metrics.
• Develop initial processes for the fabrication of custom designed instruments.
• Draft and present formal technical documents, reports, and testing results to manager for approval.
• Provide training related to devices to employees, sub‑contractors and/or customers.
• Perform independent research when needed for solving problems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Understanding of the design, development, and application of a wide variety of instruments.
• Understanding of the processes used in the fabrication of precision instrument hardware.
• Thorough understanding of applied math and physics.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Proficient with general modeling and simulation tools such as MATLAB, computer‑aided design (CAD) software, finite element analysis (FEA) software, and/or other design & analysis tools relevant to your discipline.

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Applied Physics, Electrical or Computer Engineering required;
Master’s or PhD degree preferred.

5-10 years of experience in Hardware Instrument Engineering or related.

• Experience designing and developing electro‑mechanical or electromagnetic instrumentation systems.
• Working knowledge of control system electronics and mechanical design principles; FEA experience preferred.
• Exposure to optical displacement sensing technologies is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience with novel or emerging technologies that advance fabrication, assembly, miniaturization, or system integration.
• Highly self‑motivated with the ability to thrive in a multidisciplinary, collaborative environment.
• Interest in mentoring students and junior engineers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief technical and…