Overview
The Lead Instrumentation Technician is responsible for leading all vehicle level and component level instrumentation activities that support durability, structural, and correlation testing. This role requires advanced expertise in sensor integration, data acquisition systems, strain gaging, transducer calibration, fabrication, and sophisticated troubleshooting. The Lead Technician provides technical direction to the instrumentation team, collaborates closely with engineering groups, and ensures high quality data collection across global proving grounds.
What you’ll do
Become part of an iconic brand that is set to revolutionize the electric pick-up truck & rugged SUV marketplace by achieving the following:
Instrumentation & Data Acquisition
- Lead full vehicle and subsystem instrumentation for durability, structural correlation, and digital twin validation.
- Install, configure, and validate data acquisition systems for durability, structural load measurement, displacement, and acceleration.
- Ensure proper installation, routing, protection, and functionality of sensors including accelerometers, displacement transducers, load cells, pressure sensors, and straingage networks.
Strain Gaging & Measurement Systems
- Apply strain gages to bodyinwhite, chassis, suspension, powertrain, and auxiliary structures.
- Perform straingage bonding, soldering, environmental protection, and bridge verification.
- Validate strain channels and compute principal stresses to ensure correlation with simulation and physical tests.
Transducer Calibration & Data Quality
- Perform calibration of transducers including:
- Load cells
- Force sensors
- Displacement transducers (LVDTs, potentiometers, strings)
- Accelerometers
- Straingage based sensors
- Interpret and validate calibration curves, sensitivities, offsets, and scaling factors.
- Develop and maintain calibration documentation and ensure traceability.
- Possess deep understanding of force, displacement, and acceleration data to ensure correct test execution and high quality signal integrity.
Fabrication & Mechanical Work
- Fabricate Wheel Force Transducer (WFT) stator brackets, sensor mounts, and other custom hardware required to support instrumentation.
- Support mechanical disassembly and reassembly of vehicles or components for instrumentation access.
- Maintain a clean, safe, and organized fabrication and instrumentation environment.
Testing Support & Troubleshooting
- Support high load durability tests—including 329 durability tests—ensuring all measurement systems remain reliable throughout test cycles.
- Possess advanced troubleshooting abilities across electrical, mechanical, and software based instrumentation systems.
- Diagnose issues such as signal noise, drift, grounding problems, wiring faults, connector failures, calibration errors, and DAQ setup misconfigurations.
- Minimize test downtime through efficient corrective action and root cause analysis.
Leadership & Training
- Lead, mentor, and train a team of technicians and mechanics on instrumentation best practices.
- Provide guidance in sensor installation, wiring techniques, troubleshooting strategies, and safety protocols.
- Manage task assignments, workflow planning, and quality control within the instrumentation garage.
- Support continuous improvement and documentation of processes, fixtures, calibration procedures, and tooling.
Location & Travel Expectations:
- This role will be based out of the Scout Motors location in Novi, Michigan.
- This role requires 5 days per week in the office, with regular in-person meetings and events.
- Applicants should expect that the role will require the ability to convene with Scout colleagues in person and travel to participate in events on behalf of the company from time to time.
What you’ll bring
We expect all Scout employees to have integrity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and strive to exhibit a positive attitude, as well as a growth mindset. You’ll be comfortable with change and flexible in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. You’ll take a collaborative approach to achieve ambitious goals. Here's what else you'll bring:
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, electrical engineering or a related field
- 12+ years extensive hands-on experience in vehicle or structural instrumentation.
- Strong capability in sensor installation, wiring, strain gaging, and transducer calibration.
- Deep understanding of force, displacement, acceleration, and strain data.
- Demonstrated expertise in troubleshooting complex instrumentation systems.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, and load case requirements.
- Fabrication skills: basic machining, welding, bracket creation, and hardware integration.
- Strong leadership and communication skills.
- Minimum of High School Diploma, GED or equivalent required for all roles at Scout Motors, Inc.
Preferred
- Experience supporting vehicle durability tests at proving grounds.
- Familiarity with high channel count DAQ systems, telemetry, CAN, and WFT systems.
- Experience in EV platforms, heavy-duty vehicles, or offroad durability environments.
- Prior team lead or supervisory experience.
- Shape
Core Competencies
- Technical leadership.
- Advanced problem-solving.
- Precision and attention to detail.
- Cross-functional collaboration.
- Clear communication.
- Safety and quality focus.
- Ability to thrive in dynamic test environments.
What you'll gain
The benefits of joining Scout include the chance to build products and a company from the ground up. This is a chance to create something new and lasting – with an iconic brand at its foundation. In addition, Scout provides competitive compensation and benefits to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. Program specifics are detailed in company policies and employee benefit guides, select highlights:
- Competitive insurance including:
- Medical, dental, vision and income protection plans
- 401(k) program with:
- An employer match and immediate vesting
- Generous Paid Time Off including:
- 20 days planned PTO, as accrued
- 40 hours of unplanned PTO and 14 company or floating holidays, annually
- Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave for biological and adoptive parents of all genders
- Paid leave for circumstances related to bereavement, jury duty, voting time, or military leave
Pay Transparency
This is a full-time, exempt position eligible to receive a base salary and to participate in an annual performance bonus program. Final salary offered will be determined based on factors including but not limited to the candidate's skills and experience. The annual performance bonus program is preset and not candidate dependent.
Initial base salary range = $150,000.00 - $181,250.00
Internal leveling code: IC7
