Research And Development Engineer

R\&D Engineer – LiDAR \& Autonomous Sensing Systems

Location:

Calabasas, California — On-site

Employment Type:

Full-Time

About SVI Technologies

SVI Technologies is an early-stage deep-tech company developing advanced FMCW LiDAR and physics-based AI sensing technologies for robotics and autonomous systems. Our proprietary sensing technology combines high-precision 3D sensing with Doppler velocity and other physics-based measurements to enable advanced robotic perception, navigation, and inspection capabilities.

We are seeking a highly motivated, hands-on

R\&D Engineer

to join a small, high-performing team developing and integrating advanced sensing technologies from laboratory prototypes through deployment on real-world robotic systems.

This is a highly hands-on position spanning

LiDAR systems, optics, electronics, instrumentation, sensor integration, experimental testing, data analysis, and robotic platforms

. The successful candidate will work closely with our sensing, robotics, and software teams to build, characterize, integrate, and validate next-generation autonomous sensing systems.

Our technology is moving from prototype development toward operational deployment through commercial partnerships and U.S. Government-funded programs, creating an opportunity to work directly on advanced technology as it transitions from the laboratory into operational systems.

If you're interested in building and testing advanced sensing systems and enjoy working across hardware, software, and robotics, we'd like to hear from you.

Why Join Us

• Work on advanced LiDAR, robotics, autonomous systems, and physics-based sensing technologies
• Build and test real prototype systems rather than working solely in simulation
• Take technology from laboratory experiments through robotic integration and field demonstrations
• Work hands-on with LiDAR, optics, electronics, IMUs, cameras, instrumentation, UAVs, and robotic platforms
• Solve challenging real-world sensing, calibration, integration, and measurement problems
• Have significant technical ownership and influence in an early-stage deep-tech company
• Work in a small, highly collaborative R\&D team with direct access to company leadership
• Contribute to both commercial and U.S. Government programs
• Competitive compensation, stock options, and Company benefits

Key Responsibilities

• Build, integrate, test, and characterize FMCW LiDAR and advanced sensing systems
• Design and conduct laboratory and field experiments to evaluate sensor and system performance
• Integrate LiDAR, IMUs, cameras, GPS/GNSS, and other sensors into robotic and autonomous platforms
• Develop experimental setups, fixtures, calibration procedures, and test methodologies
• Perform optical, electrical, mechanical, and software integration of prototype sensing systems
• Collect and analyze LiDAR, Doppler, point-cloud, IMU, and robotic-state data
• Characterize range, precision, velocity, stability, drift, calibration, and overall system performance
• Support development and validation of sensor-fusion, motion-compensation, mapping, and perception capabilities
• Develop Python and/or MATLAB tools for data acquisition, analysis, visualization, calibration, and system characterization
• Troubleshoot prototype hardware, interfaces, sensors, communications, and system-level performance
• Work with robotics and software engineers to transition laboratory capabilities into integrated real-time systems
• Support prototype builds, system integration, field testing, and customer/government demonstrations
• Document experimental methods, test results, system performance, and engineering findings

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Physics, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field
• 3\+ years of relevant hands-on engineering or R\&D experience; significant hands-on graduate research may be considered toward this requirement
• Hands-on experience building, integrating, testing, or characterizing sensors, instrumentation, robotic systems, or other complex electro-optical systems
• Experience designing and conducting engineering experiments and analyzing experimental data
• Experience with LiDAR, optical sensing, machine vision, 3D sensing, or related sensing technologies
• Strong Python and/or MATLAB programming skills for test automation, data analysis, and visualization
• Experience working with laboratory instrumentation and data-acquisition systems
• Ability to troubleshoot hardware, software, interfaces, and system-level performance
• Ability to work independently on open-ended R\&D problems and collaboratively across multiple engineering disciplines
• Strong problem-solving, experimental, and systems-level thinking
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined by applicable U.S. export-control laws and regulations and eligible to work on U.S. Government programs

Candidates who meet most, but not all, of the qualifications are encouraged to apply, particularly those with strong hands-on engineering fundamentals and a demonstrated ability to quickly learn new technologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with FMCW LiDAR or coherent optical sensing
• Familiarity with IMUs and other robotic/navigation sensors
• Experience with Doppler or coherent velocity measurements
• Experience with optical alignment, lasers, photodetectors, fiber optics, or photonic systems
• Experience with point clouds and 3D data processing
• Experience integrating LiDAR and IMUs or other multi-sensor systems
• Experience with ROS/ROS 2 and robotic systems
• Experience with UAVs, mobile robots, or other autonomous platforms
• Experience with embedded systems, Linux, networking, serial interfaces, CAN, Ethernet, or other sensor communication interfaces
• Experience with CAD, rapid prototyping, mechanical fixtures, or prototype system packaging
• Experience with environmental or field testing of prototype systems
• Experience transitioning technology from laboratory prototypes into real-world systems
• Defense, aerospace, industrial inspection, or government R\&D experience

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who enjoys being

hands-on with real hardware

and is equally comfortable setting up an experiment, troubleshooting a sensor, writing a Python analysis script, interpreting the resulting data, and helping integrate the system onto a robotic platform.

This is

not a software-only or analysis-only position

. The successful candidate will spend significant time in the lab building, testing, debugging, calibrating, and improving prototype sensing systems, and will help take those systems through field testing and operational demonstrations.

Compensation \& Benefits

Base salary: $120,000–$150,000 per year

, depending on experience, qualifications, and technical expertise. The position also includes eligibility for stock options and Company benefits.

Interested in Joining SVI?

If you're interested in helping build and deploy advanced sensing and autonomous robotic systems, we'd like to hear from you.

Learn more:

www.svi.tech

www.clubmidnighthammer.com

Send your resume and a brief introduction to:

careers@svi.tech

SVI Technologies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.