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Sensing Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Sensing Systems Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA ยท Hybrid

$276K - $310K/yr

The role We are looking for a Sensing Systems Engineer to take ownership of the sensing subsystem across our vehicle platforms. This role sits within the Robotics team and operates at the ...

Sensing Systems Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA ยท On-site

$276K - $310K/yr

The role We are looking for a Sensing Systems Engineer to take ownership of the sensing subsystem across our vehicle platforms. This role sits within the Robotics team and operates at the ...

Tactile Sensing Hardware Engineer Mountain View, CA | Full-time | Onsite About Proception At Proception, we're building the hardware layer for Physical AI. Our products, ProHand and ProGlove , enable ...

Tactile Sensing Research Engineer

San Carlos, CA ยท On-site

$200K - $250K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The sensing systems we develop are not isolated components-they directly shape what robots can perceive, understand, and manipulate. Our work spans materials, sensing, actuation, control, and system ...

Description As a highly technical and motivated Sensing Systems Engineer, you possess a comprehensive understanding of cameras, motion sensors, and other sensing technologies. You are experienced in ...

Description As a highly technical and motivated Sensing Systems Engineer, you possess a comprehensive understanding of cameras, motion sensors, and other sensing technologies. You are experienced in ...

Motion Sensing System Architect

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$286K/yr

The Motion Sensing Hardware Team integrates MEMS and magnetic sensing technologies throughout Apple's product portfolio in a collaborative environment that fosters creativity and engineering ...

Motion Sensing Hardware Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA

$175K - $308K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

The Motion Sensing Hardware Team at Apple is entrusted with the responsibility of integrating MEMS and magnetic sensing technologies across its product portfolio. This team comprises a collaborative ...

Motion Sensing Hardware Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA

$175K - $308K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

The Motion Sensing Hardware Team at Apple is entrusted with the responsibility of integrating MEMS and magnetic sensing technologies across its product portfolio. This team comprises a collaborative ...

You will play a key role in engaging with external vendors and internal customers to specify, develop and characterize inertial sensing systems for consumer applications. You should be familiar with ...

Motion Sensing Hardware Engineer

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$145K - $192K/yr

The Motion Sensing Hardware Team at Apple is entrusted with the responsibility of integrating MEMS and magnetic sensing technologies across its product portfolio. This team comprises a collaborative ...

Motion Sensing Hardware Engineer

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$145K - $192K/yr

The Motion Sensing Hardware Team at Apple is entrusted with the responsibility of integrating MEMS and magnetic sensing technologies across its product portfolio. This team comprises a collaborative ...

Sensing Systems Engineer

San Jose, CA

$184K - $324K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

Description As a highly technical and motivated Sensing Systems Engineer, you possess a comprehensive understanding of cameras, motion sensors, and other sensing technologies. You are experienced in ...

Motion Sensing System Architect

Bodega Bay, CA

$184K - $324K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

The Motion Sensing Hardware Team integrates MEMS and magnetic sensing technologies throughout Apple's product portfolio in a collaborative environment that fosters creativity and engineering ...

You will play a key role in engaging with external vendors and internal customers to specify, develop and characterize inertial sensing systems for consumer applications. You should be familiar with ...

Position Sensing Systems Engineer

San Diego, CA

$175K - $263K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

The team is seeking an exceptional position sensing systems engineer with broad skills to lead product and technology development projects.","responsibilities":"Define position sensing system ...

Position Sensing Systems Engineer

San Diego, CA

$142K - $214K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

The team is seeking an exceptional position sensing systems engineer with broad skills to lead product and technology development projects.","responsibilities":"Define position sensing system ...

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Showing results 1-20

Sensing information

See California salary details

$27.4K

$105.5K

$189K

How much do sensing jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for sensing in California is $105,491.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,566.00 and $132,685.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in sensing roles, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in sensing roles often encounter challenges such as integrating diverse sensor types into systems, ensuring data accuracy, and managing large volumes of real-time data. Addressing these challenges typically involves close collaboration with software engineers, data analysts, and hardware teams to optimize sensor placement and calibration. Staying updated with the latest advancements in sensor technology and developing strong troubleshooting skills are also critical for overcoming obstacles and maintaining reliable system performance.

What is the difference between Sensing vs Testing?

AspectSensingTesting
CredentialsTypically requires certifications in sensing technologies or instrumentationRequires certifications in testing procedures and quality assurance
Work EnvironmentOften involves fieldwork, installation, and calibration of sensorsUsually conducted in labs or controlled environments to evaluate product performance
Industry UsageCommon in manufacturing, automation, and environmental monitoringPrevalent in quality control, product validation, and R&D

While sensing focuses on detecting and measuring physical phenomena using sensors, testing emphasizes evaluating and validating products or systems through systematic procedures. Both roles are essential in ensuring product quality and functionality, but sensing is more about data collection in real-world conditions, whereas testing involves controlled assessments to verify performance standards.

What is a sensing job?

Sensing jobs typically involve roles where individuals work with sensors and related technologies to collect, process, and interpret data about physical environments. These positions can be found in industries like manufacturing, automotive, robotics, and environmental monitoring. Sensing professionals may develop, install, or maintain sensor systems, analyze sensor data, or integrate sensing technologies into larger systems. Common job titles include sensor engineer, instrumentation technician, and data analyst. The goal is often to enable automation, improve safety, or enhance decision-making through real-time data acquisition.

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

To thrive as a Sensing Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering, physics, or a related field, with expertise in sensor technologies and data analysis. Familiarity with technical tools such as LabVIEW, MATLAB, and sensor-specific calibration equipment, as well as certifications in instrumentation or automation, are often required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial to excel in this role. These competencies ensure accurate data collection, system reliability, and successful integration of sensing solutions into various applications.

What are the most commonly searched types of Sensing jobs in California?

The most popular types of Sensing jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Sensing jobs?

Cities in California with the most Sensing job openings:

Infographic showing various Sensing job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 12% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $105,491 per year, or $50.7 per hour.

Sensing Systems Engineer

Wayve

Sunnyvale, CA โ€ข Hybrid

$276K - $310K/yr

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

The role

We are looking for a Sensing Systems Engineer to take ownership of the sensing subsystem across our vehicle platforms. This role sits within the Robotics team and operates at the intersection of AV Engineering, Hardware, Vehicle Software, Validation and Product.

You will be responsible for ensuring that our sensor stack and its integration into the vehicle platform meet the performance standards required for reliable model development and deployment. This includes defining clear requirements, building robust validation frameworks, and driving system-level decisions.

This is a cross-functional role focused on reducing ambiguity in sensing performance and enabling confident, data-driven decisions about vehicle readiness.

Key Responsibilities
  • Own sensing system performance
    • Define what "good" looks like for the sensing stack in the context of model development, on-road performance and other applications using sensor data
    • Translate high-level product needs into measurable sensing requirementsย 
  • Requirements & system definition
    • Develop and maintain clear sensing system requirements (e.g., sensing subsystem performance for both perception and localization sensors, calibration quality etc.)
    • Align requirements across Robotics, AV Product, Hardware, Vehicle SW and Automotive Product
  • System architecture & integration
    • Support Hardware and Vehicle Software teams to ensure correct sensor integration into the vehicle platform
    • Identify trade-offs and drive decisions on sensor configuration and system design
    • Provide consultancy on customers new vehicle programs on sensor requirements
  • Verification & validation
    • Design and implement frameworks to evaluate sensing system performance
    • Establish benchmarks and acceptance criteria for new vehicle bring-up
    • Diagnose and resolve sensor-related issues before they impact on-road behavior
  • Cross-functional leadership
    • Act as the central point of coordination for sensing across teams
    • Bring clarity to decision-making during ambiguous or fast-moving bring-up phases
  • Impact on ML systems
    • Evaluate how sensing quality affects model performance in real-world scenarios
    • Partner with ML teams to close the loop between data quality and model outcomes
About you

In order to set you up for success as a Sensing Systems Engineer at Wayve, we're looking for the following skills and experience.

Essential
  • 5+ years of experience in autonomous systems, robotics, automotive, or a closely related field, with direct involvement in real-world system deployment or vehicle bring-up
  • Strong systems engineering capability, including translating high-level product or model needs into clear, testable sensing requirements
  • Hands-on experience with at least one primary sensor modality (camera, LiDAR, radar), including integration into real-world platforms such as vehicles or robotic systems
  • Working knowledge of multi-sensor systems, including both perception sensors (camera, LiDAR, radar) and localization sensors (IMU, GNSS, wheel odometry)
  • Experience evaluating sensor performance and understanding limitations in real-world conditions
  • Experience defining metrics, benchmarks, and acceptance criteria for system performance
  • Experience working closely with multiple stakeholders such as Hardware, Vehicle Software, ML/Perception/Localization, and Product teams
Desirable
  • Experience in autonomous driving or ADAS systems
  • Practical experience with sensor calibration, time synchronization, and data alignment
  • Experience with vehicle platforms or embedded systems
  • Background in safety-critical or high-reliability systems
  • Experience on safety standards applied to AV, in particular SOTIF

This is a full-time role based in our office in Sunnyvale.ย  At Wayve we want the best of all worlds so we operate a hybrid working policy that combines time together in our offices and workshops to fuel innovation, culture, relationships and learning, and time spent working from home. The reasonably estimated salary for this role ranges from $276,000-$310,000, plus a competitive equity package. Actual compensation is based on the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience.ย ย