At Dartmouth's Cluster for Improving Healthcare Outcomes through Sensory Technology
Description
The Cluster for Improving Healthcare Outcomes through Sensory Technology at Dartmouth invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher specializing in wearable biosignal hardware design. The program bridges sensing/material innovation, circuits and low-power systems, and brain-inspired computing to transform wearable health platforms from lab prototypes into real-world impact.
We seek a hands-on hardware engineer with expertise in analog front-end design, PCB development, and biosignal acquisition systems. The postdoc will design, fabricate, and validate wearable sensing hardware; lead bench characterization and human-subject evaluations; and help translate research prototypes into field-deployable health platforms.
This position is full-time, non-remote, and in-residence at Dartmouth in Hanover, NH, with a start date as early as Spring 2026. The postdoc will be hosted in Computer Science and supported by the Guarini School for Graduate and Advanced Studies.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, simulate, and validate low-noise analog front-ends for biosignal acquisition (ECG, EEG, EMG, PPG, bioimpedance) with attention to amplification, filtering, and synchronized acquisition.
- Perform PCB design (rigid, flex, rigid-flex), rapid hardware iteration, and reliability testing for wearable form factors.
- Implement power management architectures for battery-operated wearables, including energy harvesting, ultra-low-power sleep modes, and dynamic power scaling.
- Execute benchtop calibration and characterization; maintain test fixtures and generate verification reports with traceable logs.
- Design and evaluate skin-electrode interfaces, electrode materials, and contact optimization for long-term signal quality and wearer comfort.
- Collaborate with firmware and ML teams to integrate hardware with embedded software and on-device signal processing pipelines.
- Support human-subject studies by preparing, deploying, and maintaining research-grade wearable devices in real-world settings.
- Prepare publications, figures, datasets, and technical reports; contribute to grant methods/aims and tech-transfer packages.
- Coordinate day-to-day with students and collaborators; maintain SOPs, versioning, and documentation.
Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field by start date.
- Hands-on expertise in biosignal acquisition and analog front-end design (low-noise amplifiers, filtering, ADC selection, grounding/shielding).
- Proven PCB design and bring-up experience (Altium/KiCad), power management, and bench debugging (oscilloscope, logic analyzer, spectrum analyzer).
- Solid signal-processing fundamentals for biosignal time series; proficiency with Python/MATLAB for analysis and tooling.
- Track record of first-author publications or documented delivery of research-grade wearable hardware systems.
Additional Experience That Will Strengthen the Application
- Packaging for human use: flex/rigid-flex PCBs, skin/electrode interfaces, environmental sealing (IP ratings), and comfort/adhesion considerations.
- Experience with embedded firmware development (C/C++ on ARM Cortex-M or similar) and OTA/fleet update workflows.
- Knowledge of RF/wireless design for BLE or other low-power communication protocols.
- Exposure to quality and risk practices (DFMEA/HFMEA), basic regulatory/design controls for digital health, and data governance for human/biological data.
Application Instructions
Submit via email to cihost@dartmouth.edu with subject line "EE Postdoc Application [Your Name]":
- Cover Letter describing your hardware development experience and alignment with the Cluster's program
- CV with publications and links to relevant projects or repositories
- Portfolio: 2-3 representative hardware projects (design files, photos, or documentation)
- Two representative publications
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For inquiries, contact Professor Tam Vu, Cluster Head, at Tam.N.Vu@dartmouth.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity employer under federal law. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications are welcome from all.
Dartmouth is committed to accessibility for its community. If you are an applicant with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please email ADA@Dartmouth.edu with the subject line "application accommodations."
Applicants are encouraged to address in their cover letter how their research, service, and/or life experiences prepare them to advance Dartmouth's commitment to diversity in service of academic excellence.