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Instrument Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary An Instrument Engineer II (IE II) applies developing expertise to a variety of ... Coordination of instrument design aspects with process, piping, electrical, and civil disciplines.

Performing instrument detailed design. Identifying inconsistencies and problems that may be present ... S. degree in Chemical or Electrical Engineering Minimum (5) years of experience with process ...

About the Role We are seeking an experienced RF/Millimeter-Wave Design Engineer to join our North Reading, MA team, the person that fills this role will be a Senior member in our instrument design ...

This engineer will work closely with the validation and design groups throughout the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase to ensure the success of current and future Apple products. Description You ...

About the Role We are seeking an experienced RF/Millimeter-Wave Design Engineer to join our North Reading, MA team, the person that fills this role will be a Senior member in our instrument design ...

This engineer will work closely with the validation and design groups throughout the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase to ensure the success of current and future Apple products. Description You ...

This engineer will work closely with the validation and design groups throughout the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase to ensure the success of current and future Apple products. Description You ...

New

$129K - $194K/yr

This engineer will work closely with the validation and design groups throughout the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase to ensure the success of current and future Apple products. Description You ...

New

Showing results 21-40

Instrument Design Engineer information

See salary details

$12.5K

$104.9K

$164K

How much do instrument design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for instrument design engineer in the United States is $104,896.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $77,500.00 and $131,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an instrument design engineer?

Instrument Design Engineers are professionals who specialize in designing, developing, and testing instruments such as sensors, control systems, and measurement devices used in various industries like manufacturing, oil and gas, and research. They work closely with other engineers to ensure that these instruments meet specific technical and safety standards. Their responsibilities include creating detailed design specifications, selecting appropriate materials, and overseeing the manufacturing and installation processes. Instrument Design Engineers play a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, safety, and accuracy in industrial operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an instrument design engineer?

To thrive as an Instrument Design Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering principles, instrumentation, and control systems, typically backed by a degree in electrical, mechanical, or instrumentation engineering. Familiarity with CAD software, PLC programming, and relevant industry standards or certifications (such as ISA or IEC) is often required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills set top performers apart in this field. These skills ensure precise design, efficient implementation, and reliable performance of instruments critical to industrial operations.

What are some common challenges faced by instrument design engineers when working on multidisciplinary projects?

Instrument Design Engineers often collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, and software teams to ensure that instruments function reliably within complex systems. A common challenge is managing communication across these disciplines to align design specifications and timelines. Balancing performance requirements with manufacturability and cost constraints can also be demanding. Staying updated with evolving industry standards and integrating feedback from end-users are key to successfully navigating these challenges and delivering effective instrument designs.

What is the difference between Instrument Design Engineer vs Instrumentation Technician?

AspectInstrument Design EngineerInstrumentation Technician
CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related fieldTechnical diploma or associate degree
Work EnvironmentDesign offices, R&D labs, project sitesFieldwork, maintenance facilities, plant floors
Industry UsageDesigns and develops instruments and systemsInstalls, maintains, and repairs instruments

While both roles work with instrumentation, the Instrument Design Engineer focuses on designing and developing new instruments, requiring engineering credentials. In contrast, the Instrumentation Technician handles installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting, often with technical diplomas. Their work environments and responsibilities differ, but both are essential in the instrumentation industry.

What states have the most Instrument Design Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Instrument Design Engineer jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Instrument Design Engineer jobs?

For Instrument Design Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Instrument Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $104,896 per year, or $50.4 per hour.

Senior Instrument Systems Engineer

Mountain View, CA โ€ข On-site, Remote

Muon Space
Space Research Administrationย โ€ขย 11 - 50 employees

$166K - $223K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 8 days ago


Job description

About the role

Muon seeks a Senior Instrument Systems Engineer to join our team in Mountain View, CA or Remote, with a focus on infrared remote sensing instruments. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated engineer with a versatile skill set who is comfortable working across many layers of technical depth from individual components through system level. This role will be a key member of the instrument engineering team, driving development from concept through on-orbit operations for our national security missions. Previous experience developing and operating infrared electro-optical systems, remote sensing instruments, and test infrastructure in fast-paced and small-team environments is preferred.

Responsibilities
  • Lead instrument architecture trades, define concept of operations, own radiometric model and throughput budget, drive requirements decomposition/flowdown and verification and validation (V&V) planning.
  • Develop and manage technical budgets, including mass, power, thermal, line-of-sight pointing/jitter, and data volume, to ensure adequate margins throughout development.
  • Develop comprehensive interface control documents (ICDs) across mechanical, thermal, electrical, and software interfaces, to drive a modular instrument architecture.
  • Support optical instrument assembly, integration, and test (AI&T) planning and implementation, including collaboration with cross-functional teams.
  • Champion the continuous improvement of systems engineering methodologies, tools, and best practices to enhance overall efficiency in instrument development.
  • Collaborate and communicate effectively with subsystem engineers and analysts, instrument and spacecraft systems engineers, AI&T and production teams, program managers, external partner teams, and other stakeholders.
  • This position participates in a 24/7 on-call rotation to support on-orbit anomaly resolution. The on-call rotation is approximately one week per month.
Qualifications
  • B.S, M.S., or Ph.D. in an engineering field, or equivalent experience.
  • 5+ years of experience working in a multi-disciplinary environment, with exposure to imaging systems, infrared remote sensing instruments, and spacecraft.
  • Software skills in one or more languages (e.g. Python, Julia).
  • Experience with root cause analysis efforts including data analysis and testing.
  • Experience performing data analysis, post-processing, and test report generation.
  • Excellent communication, presentation, and organization skills.
  • Excited to work in a fast-paced environment with new challenges each week.
  • Ability to obtain TS/SCI security clearance required, active clearance strongly preferred.
Nice-to-have Skills
  • Experience integrating and interpreting STOP analysis results to drive instrument design trades and error budget allocations.
  • Experience working hands-on with precision optical and mechanical metrology equipment.
  • Experience supporting environmental testing (thermal stress screening, TVAC, random vibration), integrated spacecraft testing, and launch campaigns.
  • Experience working in cleanroom environments.
Salary

The salary range for this role is $166,000 to $223,000, plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location as assessed during the interview process.ย