PRN - Project Scientist/Research Engineer

Who is Saint Louis University? Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic universities. SLU, which also has a campus in Madrid, Spain, is recognized for world-class academics, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service.

Project Scientist/Research Engineer – Applied Sensing & Instrumentation

JOB SUMMARY

AI-CHESS Lab is seeking a Project Scientist to support and lead hands-on engineering, instrumentation, and field deployment work. This roles is ideal for an engineer who enjoys building real systems, wiring and debugging hardware, and seeing devices operate in the field.

This position is being funded by a grant and/or designated source and therefore continuation in the position is contingent upon funding availability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead day-to-day activities in the electronics / instrumentation lab

• Maintain workspaces, tools, and test equipment

• Track and organize components, parts, and materials

• Develop and maintain build procedures and safety practice

​Design, build, and test prototype sensing systems

• Integrate off-the-shelf sensors with microcontrollers or development boards

• Design simple PCBs for sensor interfacing, power management, and connectivity

• Assemble and wire enclosures, connectors, and harnesses

• Develop basic data acquisition and logging setups

Support deployment of systems in real environments

• Prepare and test equipment prior to field work

• Install, maintain, and troubleshoot systems at field sites

• Document configurations, locations, and changes made in the field

Collaboration and documentation

• Work with faculty, staff, and students on joint prototypes and experiments

• Create diagrams, schematics, build notes, and quick-start guides for repeatable assembly

• Contribute technical input to reports, grant proposals, and presentations

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Physics, or a closely related field; or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.

• Demonstrated hands-on experience with:

  • Building and debugging electronic circuits and simple assemblies

  • Interfacing sensors or actuators with microcontrollers or development boards

  • Using bench-top instruments (multimeter, power supply, basic oscilloscope, etc.)

• Proficiency in at least one programming language commonly used for engineering or data work (e.g., Python, C/C++, Arduino).

• Experience taking an experimental setup or prototype from concept to working implementation.

• Willingness and ability to:

  • Spend significant time on bench-level and shop work

  • Handle light to moderate physical tasks related to mounting and moving equipment (with assistance as needed).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with:

  • PCB design tools and workflows (e.g., KiCad, Eagle, Altium, or similar)

  • Embedded systems or development boards (Arduino-class, ESP32, Particle, Raspberry Pi, or similar)

  • Low-voltage wiring, connectors, and harnesses in instruments, robots, or similar systems

  • Power systems for small devices (batteries, DC-DC converters, basic power budgeting)

  • Data logging and visualization for sensor data

• Some experience with basic metal work, such as:

  • Cutting, drilling, and tapping aluminum or steel for brackets and mounts

  • Using common shop tools (drill press, band saw, hand tools) safely

  • Assembling simple mechanical structures, enclosures, or racks

• Familiarity with:

  • Version control (e.g., Git) and structured documentation practices

  • Basic