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Sensor Operator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Applied Intuition

Sensor Sim - ML Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$125K - $222K/yr

... operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United ... grade sensor simulation. In this role you will work with our research team to apply ...

InDyne

Missile Defense Radar Operator

CA · On-site

$53.48/hr

The Missile Defense Radar Operator (MDRO) position is located at Beale, CA. Essential Duties and ... to meet sensor mission support requirements on 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week (24/7) basis.

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Sensor Operator information

What Does a Sensor Operator Do?

A sensor operator is a fairly new position with the advent of unmanned aircraft and involves employing airborne sensors, either manually or with the help of a computer, to track and monitor various objects. The air force is one major employer for these types of defense positions. In this role, you assist with flight operations, debriefing, and planning missions. Your main task is to continually monitor these surveillance and weapon systems in a remote setting, ensuring each mission is successful. Other duties include detecting the correct targets using various forms of radar and video.

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

To thrive as a Sensor Operator, you need strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and an understanding of electronic and surveillance systems, often supported by specialized military or technical training. Familiarity with sensor platforms, data analysis software, GPS systems, and sometimes security clearance are typically required. Excellent communication, teamwork, and decision-making skills help operators relay critical information quickly and accurately. These abilities are vital for ensuring accurate data collection and mission success in high-stakes environments.

How does a Sensor Operator typically collaborate with other team members during a mission?

Sensor Operators work closely with pilots, mission commanders, and intelligence analysts to ensure accurate data collection and mission success. During operations, they communicate real-time findings, relay critical information, and adjust sensor settings based on team feedback. This role requires strong teamwork, adaptability, and clear communication, as decisions made by the Sensor Operator often impact mission outcomes and safety. Effective collaboration is key to interpreting data correctly and responding quickly to evolving mission scenarios.

What is a Sensor Operator?

A Sensor Operator is a specialized professional who operates and monitors sensor equipment, often on military aircraft such as drones or surveillance planes. Their main responsibility is to collect, analyze, and interpret data from various sensors, including radar, infrared, and video systems. Sensor Operators play a critical role in intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, and targeting missions. They work closely with pilots and mission commanders to provide real-time information and ensure the success of missions. This role requires strong technical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to make quick decisions under pressure.

What is the difference between Sensor Operator vs Radar Technician?

AspectSensor OperatorRadar Technician
Required CredentialsTypically certifications in sensor systems or related fields, sometimes associate degreesCertifications in radar systems, electronics, or technical degrees
Work EnvironmentControl rooms, field sites, or industrial settingsMaintenance facilities, technical labs, or field service locations
Employer & Industry UsageMilitary, aerospace, security, industrial sectorsDefense, aerospace, transportation, and military sectors
Common Search & ComparisonSensor OperatorRadar Technician

Sensor Operators and Radar Technicians both work with radar and sensor systems, often in similar industries like defense and aerospace. Sensor Operators focus on monitoring and operating sensor equipment, while Radar Technicians specialize in maintaining and repairing radar systems. Both roles require technical certifications and are vital for system performance, but their daily tasks and focus areas differ.

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What job categories do people searching Sensor Operator jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Sensor Operator jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Sensor Operator jobs? Cities in California with the most Sensor Operator job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Sensor Operator jobs in CA? For Sensor Operator jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Sensor Operator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Sensor Operator job openings in California as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Temporary. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.
Senior ML Engineer, Multi-Sensor Modeling

Senior ML Engineer, Multi-Sensor Modeling

Gridware

San Francisco, CA

$123.10K - $169.10K/yr

Full-time

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

About Gridware
Gridware is a San Francisco-based technology company dedicated to protecting and enhancing the electrical grid. We pioneered a groundbreaking new class of grid management called active grid response (AGR), focused on monitoring the electrical, physical, and environmental aspects of the grid that affect reliability and safety. Gridware’s advanced Active Grid Response platform uses high-precision sensors to detect potential issues early, enabling proactive maintenance and fault mitigation. This comprehensive approach helps improve safety, reduce outages, and ensure the grid operates efficiently. The company is backed by climate-tech and Silicon Valley investors. For more information, please visit www.Gridware.io.
Responsibilities
  • Develop algorithms that improve the speed, accuracy, and reliability of Gridware’s automated hazard detection systems
  • Work with multimodal time-series and spatial sensor data across diverse sampling rates and noise characteristics.
  • Design models that are robust, interpretable, and deployable in production environments.
  • Live in the data; help curate & share strategic & well-defined datasets that help solve our highest-value challenges
  • Explore advanced approaches such as graph-based learning for grid topology reasoning, geospatial modeling and localization and multimodal fusion across acoustic, magnetic, vibration, electrical, and visual signals
Production Engineering
  • Write clean, scalable, well-tested Python code that integrates into a large shared codebase.
  • Build end-to-end ML pipelines including data processing, feature extraction, training, evaluation, and deployment.
  • Optimize models for performance, reliability, and real-world constraints.
  • Collaborate on infrastructure for model monitoring, validation, and continuous improvement.
Collaboration & Communication
  • Translate complex analyses into clear insights for engineers, operators, and leadership.
  • Frame solutions to ambiguous, open-ended problems to achieve buy-in from various stakeholders by focusing on the business impact of your projects
  • Communicate uncertainty, tradeoffs, and model behavior effectively.
  • Partner cross-functionally with software, data engineering, product, and event-reporting teams.
  • Help shape technical direction and best practices for ML at Gridware. This includes exemplifying standards for experiment tracking, model versioning, reproducibility, and lifecycle management.
Required Skills
  • 5+ years of experience in machine learning, signal processing, or applied physics in production environments.
  • Strong programming skills in Python and experience contributing to large, shared codebases.
  • Experience working within modern software stacks, including cloud platforms, containerization, and CI/CD workflows
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, especially explaining data and models clearly.
Bonus Skills
  • Experience with Graph Neural Networks or learning over physical/topological systems.
  • Familiarity with power systems, embedded sensing, or edge ML.
  • Proven experience with time-series modeling and noisy real-world sensor data.
  • Experience with multimodal learning or sensor fusion.
  • Track record of technical leadership or mentoring.

This describes the ideal candidate; many of us have picked up this expertise along the way. Even if you meet only part of this list, we encourage you to apply!

Benefits
Health, Dental & Vision (Gold and Platinum with some providers plans fully covered) 
Paid parental leave 
Alternating day off (every other Monday)
“Off the Grid”, a two week per year paid break for all employees. 
Commuter allowance 
Company-paid training