Test & Instrumentation Engineer
Munich
Full-time
Permanent employee
About Hades
Hades is a modern resource extraction company on a mission to transform how the world accesses critical resources and energy. Founded in 2025, we’re developing ultra-deep laser drilling technologies that push the limits of what’s possible underground. Based in Munich, we’ve raised over €20M in funding from leading European resilience investors including HV Capital, Headline, Project A and Visionaries Tomorrow. We’re now building a world-class team to bring this vision to life.
The Role
As Test & Instrumentation Engineer, you will design, build and operate the test benches that develop, characterise and qualify the Hades sensor suite. You decide whether a sensor is good enough to go into the drilling system, and you prove it with data.
You will take each sensor from datasheet to qualified component: bench characterisation, calibration against traceable references, and environmental testing under the temperature, pressure, vibration and laser-light conditions it will see in the field. The data your benches produce defines what the drilling system can see.
This is a foundational role with significant ownership. You will work closely with our electronics, optics, mechanical and software engineers, and you will set the bar for measurement quality across the company.
Responsibilities
You will take each sensor from datasheet to qualified component: bench characterisation, calibration against traceable references, and environmental testing under the temperature, pressure, vibration and laser-light conditions it will see in the field. The data your benches produce defines what the drilling system can see.
This is a foundational role with significant ownership. You will work closely with our electronics, optics, mechanical and software engineers, and you will set the bar for measurement quality across the company.
Responsibilities
- Design, build and operate test benches for the sensor suite: characterisation, calibration and environmental qualification of sensors for temperature, pressure, flow, strain, vibration, displacement and optical power
- Define sensor test specifications with the engineering team and turn requirements into test plans, acceptance criteria and pass/fail evidence
- Characterise sensor performance: accuracy, linearity, hysteresis, noise, drift, bandwidth and response time, including behaviour under laser exposure, high temperature and high pressure
- Run environmental and lifetime testing (thermal cycling, pressure, shock and vibration, ageing) to qualify sensors and their electronics for downhole and surface use
- Own calibration: build reference setups, define procedures, ensure traceability to accredited standards and quantify measurement uncertainty for every sensor we qualify
- Design the bench electronics: signal conditioning, grounding and shielding, data acquisition and safety interlocks for pressure, thermal and laser testing
- Automate test sequences and build the pipeline from sensor to dataset (logging, processing and reporting) so results are reproducible, traceable and quick to access
- Evaluate sensor suppliers and new sensing technologies, and feed results straight back into sensor selection and system design
- Support validation of the sensor suite on drilling rigs and in the field
Qualifications
- BSc or MSc in Electrical Engineering, Measurement Engineering, Physics, Mechatronics or a related field (recent graduates welcome)
- Hands-on experience building test benches or measurement setups, gained in industry, internships, working-student positions, a thesis or student teams
- Deep understanding of sensor technology, signal conditioning and noise: you know why a thermocouple reading drifts, how to ground a bench and how to keep EMI out of a measurement
- Working knowledge of measurement uncertainty and calibration (GUM, traceability, reference standards)
- Experience with data acquisition hardware and software, e.g. NI hardware/LabVIEW, or comparable DAQ systems
- Proficiency in Python for test automation and data analysis, including statistics on test data; Git and clean, documented code
- Confidence in the lab: reading and drawing schematics, wiring, soldering, and working with oscilloscopes, DAQs, power supplies and reference instruments
- Rigour in documentation: test plans, procedures and reports others can reproduce
- Evidence of exceptional ability, such as top-of-class academics, ambitious side projects, competition or hackathon wins, startup experience or equivalent
- Excellent written and spoken English; German is a plus
- Willing to live in the greater Munich area
Nice to have
- Experience with harsh-environment or downhole sensing (high pressure, high temperature, vibration), e.g. from oil and gas, geothermal, aerospace or automotive
- Optical and photonic sensing: photodiodes, pyrometers, thermal cameras or fibre-optic sensors (FBG, distributed temperature sensing)
- Environmental and qualification testing to standards such as IEC 60068, and working with pressure equipment safely
- Calibration lab practice (ISO/IEC 17025, DAkkS)
- Embedded systems or C/C++ for sensor electronics and firmware
- Laser safety (EN 60825-1) and electrical safety for test equipment (EN 61010-1)
Why Hades?
At Hades, you'll be part of a high-growth, high-impact deep-tech startup making a tangible difference. Our mission is critical: to secure sovereignty for Europe through the responsible and efficient extraction of vital materials and energy. We offer:
- Impactful Work: Contribute directly to solving global challenges related to resource scarcity and energy independence.
- Cutting-Edge Technology: Work at the forefront of ultra-deep drilling, leveraging advanced engineering and innovative approaches.
- Growth Potential: Join a rapidly expanding company with significant opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Dynamic Environment: Thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, and entrepreneurial setting in the heart of Munich.
- Purpose-Driven Mission: Be part of a team dedicated to a sustainable and secure future for Europe.
What we offer
- An opportunity to make a huge impact on the future of Europe by increasing resilience and providing a path to resource and energy sovereignty
- A human-centered company culture with super nice and supportive colleagues
- A great sense of community through team events and fun in and outside the office
- Highly competitive compensation and benefits package
If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology and contributing to a more sustainable future, we encourage you to apply now.