Sensor Engineer / Senior Sensor Engineer

• Location: Kanata, Ontario (onsite)

• Reports to: Sensor Manager

• Role status: Existing vacancy

About RBR: Making waves since 1973

At RBR, we’ve been designing cutting-edge instruments to measure our blue planet for over 50 years. Built to withstand the harshest environments on Earth, our instruments are deployed from the ocean’s deepest trenches to the polar ice caps, capturing essential data on water temperature, salinity, pH, and more. This data empowers researchers in the global fight against climate change, and our technology supports groundbreaking science with partners like Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Woods Hole, the Scripps Institution, and the British Antarctic Survey.

At RBR, we care deeply about our work, each other, the environment, and the global communities we serve. We value teamwork, continuous improvement, and having fun along the way. From weekly lunches to social events, we’re a crew that thrives on complex, exciting challenges that have a meaningful impact on the blue planet! Ready to make waves with us? Apply below!

About the Role

As a Sensor Engineer at RBR, you will specify, develop, and bring to life the sensor technology that measures the ocean environment. Working hands-on alongside specialists in firmware, electronics, mechanical, software, systems, and oceanography, you’ll solve challenging technical problems and build a deep understanding of the complete instrument.

Your early focus will be on our chemical sensing work, particularly pH and electrochemical sensors, and over time you’ll support RBR’s full range of sensors. You’ll see your work through from the lab bench to instruments deployed by researchers around the world, making a tangible difference to ocean and climate science.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and characterise chemical and electrochemical sensors, from requirements and specifications through testing and verification

• Advance RBR’s production and in-development optical and chemical sensors, including turbidity, fluorescence, radiometry, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), transmissometry, nitrate, pH, and dissolved oxygen

• Develop and characterise pH and other electrochemical sensors, from requirements through testing and verification

• Research and define next-generation sensor technology for RBR instruments

• Design and run experiments to evaluate sensor performance and guide design decisions

• Develop and refine calibration methods in partnership with our calibration lab team

• Troubleshoot hardware and software issues to find root causes, providing first-line support to our production and assembly team and second-line support on customer issues

• Collaborate with our multidisciplinary research and development (R&D) team and external partners on design and testing, balancing several projects at once

• Create detailed project schedules, technical specifications, and prototype verification plans

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, engineering, or a related science

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in sensor development, instrumentation, or related R&D

• Strong background in chemistry or electrochemistry, including experience with pH or electrochemical sensors

• Experience designing and running experiments, testing instruments, and building test setups using lab equipment

• Proficiency with data analysis tools such as Python or MATLAB

• Strong attention to detail and solid documentation habits, with the ability to report findings clearly and concisely

• A collaborative, organised approach and enthusiasm for taking on new challenges

• Proficiency in written and spoken English

Nice to Haves:

• Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field

• Experience with ISFET, ion-selective or potentiometric sensors

• Experience developing calibration methods or transfer functions

• Experience taking a sensor from prototype to production

• Field deployment or water quality measurement experience

Salary range: $75,000 - $115,000

• This role may be filled at the Sensor Engineer or Senior Sensor Engineer level. The final salary and job level will depend on your experience and qualifications. We know great talent shows up at different points in a career. Whether you’re earlier in your journey or bring senior-level experience, we encourage you to apply.

Why you’ll love working at RBR

• 🌴 20 days of vacation, plus a company-wide holiday shutdown and paid sick days

• 🩺 Benefits from day 1 & RRSP contribution matching

• 💰 Bonus program

• 🏋🏽 Annual fitness reimbursement program

• 🚴 Greener commuting incentive program (bike-to-work, carpool, or transit passes)

• 🚗 EV reimbursement program + on-site charging stations

• 💝 Charitable donation matching

• 🌮 Weekly lunches (on us!)

• 🎉 Team events and social activities

• 🤝 Collaborative, supportive work environment

• 🧠 Work alongside passionate experts spanning multiple disciplines

• 🌊 Direct impact on climate science and ocean research

At RBR, we celebrate and support diversity in our workplace. As an equal-opportunity employer, we welcome people from all backgrounds and aim to find the most talented person for each role. Accommodations are available upon request at every stage of the selection process.

AI statement: At RBR, we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools during parts of our hiring process. These tools may be used to support note-taking, scheduling, and/or organizing candidate information. Final hiring decisions are made by our people.