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Lidar Engineer Salary Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Dewberry

Lidar Calibration Analyst

Fairfax, VA · On-site

$55K - $71K/yr

... and engineering firm. The firm succeeds through the individual and collaborative skills of its ... Salary Range The projected range for this position is $55,000-$71,000 annually. Depending upon ...

Entarian

LIDAR Technician / Cartographer

$75K - $85K/yr

The salary for this position is approximately $75,000 - $85,000/year. This is a fully remote ... engineering and technology solutions. Founded on a legacy of excellence dating back to 1993 ...

GFT.

Advanced LiDAR UAS Pilot

Houston, TX

$38 - $55/hr

Previous surveying, data processing, or engineering experience a plus. * Prior supervisory ... The salary range for this role is $38.00 - $55.00 per/hour. Salary is dependent upon experience and ...

GFT.

Advanced LiDAR UAS Pilot

Dallas, TX

$38 - $55/hr

Previous surveying, data processing, or engineering experience a plus. * Prior supervisory ... The salary range for this role is $38.00 - $55.00 per/hour. Salary is dependent upon experience and ...

Entarian

LIDAR Technician / Cartographer

$75K - $85K/yr

The salary for this position is approximately $75,000 - $85,000/year. This is a fully remote ... engineering and technology solutions. Founded on a legacy of excellence dating back to 1993 ...

GFT.

Advanced LiDAR UAS Pilot

Kansas City, MO

$38 - $55/hr

Previous surveying, data processing, or engineering experience a plus. * Prior supervisory ... The salary range for this role is $38.00 - $55.00 per/hour. Salary is dependent upon experience and ...

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All JobsLidar Engineer Salary Jobs

Lidar Engineer Salary information

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$38K

$115.9K

$191.5K

How much do lidar engineer salary jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for lidar engineer salary in the United States is $115,864.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,000.00 and $151,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the average salary of a Lidar Engineer?

The average salary of a Lidar Engineer in the United States typically ranges from $80,000 to $120,000 per year, depending on experience, location, and the industry they work in. More experienced Lidar Engineers or those with advanced degrees and specialized skills can earn upwards of $130,000 annually. Salaries may also be higher in sectors like autonomous vehicles, aerospace, and defense. Benefits and bonuses can further increase total compensation.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Lidar Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lidar Engineer, you need a strong background in electrical engineering, physics, or computer science, along with experience in lidar technology and sensor integration. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and programming languages like Python or C++, as well as knowledge of industry standards, is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating on complex projects and troubleshooting technical issues. These skills and qualities are vital to ensure accurate data acquisition, system reliability, and successful deployment of lidar solutions in real-world applications.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior Lidar engineers with extensive experience, advanced skills in sensor integration, and expertise in autonomous vehicle or aerospace industries can reach salaries of $300,000 or more annually. High compensation often correlates with leadership roles, specialized certifications, and working in high-demand sectors such as defense or advanced research. Salary levels vary based on location, company size, and individual expertise.

What factors can influence the salary range for a LiDAR Engineer?

Several factors can impact the salary range for a LiDAR Engineer, including years of experience, level of education, and specific technical skills such as proficiency with point cloud processing, sensor integration, or geospatial analysis. The industry sector—such as autonomous vehicles, surveying, or environmental monitoring—can also affect compensation, as can the size and location of the employer. Additionally, demonstrated expertise in handling large datasets or developing custom LiDAR solutions may lead to higher salary offers and advancement opportunities.

What does a lidar engineer do?

A lidar engineer designs, develops, and tests lidar systems used for 3D mapping, autonomous vehicles, and environmental monitoring. They work with sensors, data processing algorithms, and software tools to improve lidar accuracy and performance, often requiring knowledge of electronics, programming, and signal processing.

What is the difference between Lidar Engineer Salary vs Photogrammetrist Salary?

AspectLidar Engineer SalaryPhotogrammetrist Salary
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Engineering, Geomatics, or related field; GIS certificationsBachelor's in Geomatics, Geography, or related; GIS certifications
Work EnvironmentTechnology firms, surveying companies, autonomous vehicle industryMapping agencies, surveying firms, environmental consulting
Industry UsageAutonomous vehicles, robotics, infrastructure mappingTopographic mapping, land surveying, environmental studies

Both roles require expertise in geospatial data, GIS, and surveying techniques. While Lidar Engineers focus on laser scanning technology for 3D mapping, Photogrammetrists primarily use aerial imagery for mapping. Salaries vary based on experience and industry, but both are vital in geospatial fields.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Lidar engineers, especially those with advanced expertise in sensor development, data processing, and autonomous vehicle systems, can reach salaries of $500,000 or more at senior levels or in high-demand industries. Such compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, particularly in leading tech or automotive companies. Achieving this level typically requires extensive experience, specialized skills, and often leadership roles.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Lidar engineers, especially those with extensive experience, advanced skills in sensor technology, and expertise in autonomous systems or robotics, can earn $200,000 or more annually. Senior roles often require specialized knowledge in data processing, software development, and hardware integration, along with relevant certifications or advanced degrees.
More about Lidar Engineer Salary jobs
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Lidar Engineer Salary jobs near you
Infographic showing various Lidar Engineer Salary job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 92% In-person, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,864 per year, or $55.7 per hour.
Hardware Engineer, LIDAR Performance Validation

Hardware Engineer, LIDAR Performance Validation

Waymo

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$159K - $196K/yr

Other

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver-The World's Most Experienced Driver-to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo's fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.

Hardware Engineering is an innovative and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the eyes and ears of Waymo's autonomous driving technology, and integrate those products into vehicle platforms. We're seeking curious and talented teammates to keep us moving in the right direction.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule (at least 3 fixed days in the office) and reports to the LiDAR performance lead.

You will:

  • Work closely with electrical, mechanical, manufacturing and reliability engineers to develop and characterize high performance LiDAR systems and electro-optical subsystems
  • Develop bench characterization methods and accompanying physics-based software models to ensure the design is on track to achieve top level performance goals. Develop and maintain performance validation plans that scale appropriately with the design lifecycle from early bench prototypes to high volume production
  • Support definition of appropriate test and calibration procedures to ensure LiDAR data quality at scale. Work with design and test engineers to develop appropriate testing procedures and performance acceptance criteria.
  • Design and oversee execution of LiDAR field measurements and structured tests. Assess impact of environmental conditions on Lidar performance, help develop methods to detect and mitigate data quality impact of adverse environmental factors through experimental design, data mining and analysis
  • Interface with LiDAR software engineers, perception software engineers and systems engineers to help triage field issues related to LiDAR data quality, and aid in requirement derivation to ensure the LiDAR module upholds system-level performance and safety goals
  • Comfortably transition between physics modeling, simulation, large-scale data analysis and hands-on prototyping & testing in the lab

You have:

  • Masters of science with 5+ years experience or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics or equivalent
  • Strong knowledge of depth sensing technologies and hands on experience prototyping/characterizing precision optical, electrical, or mechanical components and assemblies
  • Experience with developing and maintaining physics-based computational models to describe and quantify performance bounds of LiDAR or other optical sensing hardware
  • Track record of innovation and solving challenging technical problems
  • Excellent data analysis, presentation and technical communication skills

We prefer:

  • PhD in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a similar field
  • Proficiency with data analysis in Python or C++
  • Experience with designing studies / experiments and hypothesis testing. Previous product development experience is a plus.
  • A track record of working across multiple physics disciplines and hands-on experience with from-scratch analytical physics modeling (e.g. Matlab/Python)
  • Strong understanding of optical semiconductors and optical systems

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process.

Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo's discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.

Salary Range
$159,000—$196,000 USD

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