Lead Systems Engineer (Optics/Sensors)

Location: Niwot, Colorado; hybrid work with an office, laboratory, and manufacturing environment

Salary: $120,000–$177,000 per year, depending on experience

Company

hirify.global develops micro-contamination monitoring equipment, including optical particle counters, for semiconductor and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

What you will do

• Own system architecture, subsystem decomposition, interface definitions, and performance budgets for complex instrumentation products.
• Act as the system-level technical authority and resolve architecture, integration, and cross-functional engineering trade-offs.
• Lead requirements engineering, traceability, integration planning, verification, validation, and performance characterization.
• Analyze complex system issues through modeling, experiments, root cause analysis, trade studies, hazard analyses, and DFMEA.
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams on design transfer, production ramp, sustaining engineering, and compliance.
• Establish systems engineering processes, requirements governance, documentation practices, and technical mentoring across disciplines.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related scientific discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in complex instrumentation or precision product development.
• Experience with real-time systems, optics and sensors, electromechanical systems, laser light scattering, imaging systems, or related subsystems.
• Understanding of optical-to-electrical detection chains, including detectors, analog front ends, signal conditioning, FPGA, and digital signal processing.
• Experience integrating systems across multiple engineering disciplines and using requirements management tools such as JAMA or DOORS.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, QBD methodologies, control systems, sensor integration, signal processing, and embedded systems.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in Engineering.
• Experience leading system architecture and integration on cross-functional programs.
• Experience establishing or maturing systems engineering practices.
• Experience in regulated or high-reliability industries such as medical devices, semiconductors, or aerospace.

Culture & Benefits

• Work environment focused on entrepreneurialism, innovation, individual accountability, customer impact, and continuous improvement.
• Medical, dental, vision, FSA, life insurance, and an onsite clinic for Colorado employees.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Vacation, holiday, and leave policies.
• Tuition reimbursement, employee recognition programs, and employee assistance programs.