R&D Hardware Engineer

About Pendar Technologies

Pendar Technologies is a small, growing high-tech company that is advancing the field of intelligent chemical analysis. Leveraging advanced Raman laser spectroscopy and robust detection algorithms, our flagship product, the Pendar X10, represents the forefront of opto-mechanical innovation in hazardous material identification, which we manufacture onsite. Our innovative solutions assist first responders, law enforcement, and military personnel in identifying the chemicals they encounter in the field. Join Pendar to become part of a place that's developing cutting-edge technology and is making a significant impact safeguarding our country and communities.

About the Role

Pendar Technologies is seeking an R&D Engineer to support the development, testing, and improvement of advanced optical sensing systems. This role is hands-on and spans research, product development, and manufacturing support, with ownership of optomechanical design work. This role will design, build, and deploy automation cells and will work across multiple domains including materials (e.g., surface cleaning, adhesives), system reliability, automation, and environmental testing. Key to this role is a strong understanding of the fundamentals and the ability to take an idea from CAD through assembly and testing — we're looking for someone who has already done this independently, for example designing and building their own experimental or optomechanical apparatus.

This is an ideal role for a sharp engineer who learns quickly and enjoys building, experimenting, and solving real-world hardware problems in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design optomechanical mounts, alignment schemes, and automation cell architecture, from concept through fabrication and test.
• Build and evaluate physical prototypes to validate new design concepts and assess assembly methods, precision optomechanical alignment procedures, and manufacturing processes.
• Develop and implement environmental and reliability testing methods based on standards such as MIL-STD-810, including temperature cycling, thermal shock, humidity exposure, mechanical shock and vibration, electromagnetic susceptibility, and altitude testing.
• Collect, analyze, and present performance and reliability data generated from prototypes and test systems operating under a variety of environmental and stress conditions.
• Investigate product and process failures, perform root cause analysis, and support corrective action implementation.
• Design, build, improve, and maintain engineering test equipment, manufacturing fixtures, and experimental setups.
• Take a leading role in early-stage product testing, performance evaluation, and quality assessment activities.

Qualifications

• • B.S. or M.S. in Applied Physics or related Hardware Engineering field (e.g. mechanical, electrical, robotics)
  • 2–5 years of experience (internships or research experience included)
  • Experienced in CAD (SolidWorks) to quickly turn ideas into designs.
  • Strong hands-on skills in mechanical assembly, wiring, soldering, electronics controllers, and familiarity with machine shop tools and 3D printing.
  • Strong communication and documentation skills are required for recording and sharing SOPs and test results with other engineers

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with data analysis software tools (Python, MATLAB, MINITAB, etc.)
• Experience with PCB prototyping
• Exposure to standard manufacturing engineering practices.

Location and Additional Information

• This is a full-time position, fully on-site in Cambridge, MA, accessible by car, bike, and bus
• Salary range of $90,000 to $120,000 depending on the candidate
• Competitive benefits include healthcare, dental, vision, and matching 401k