Scentian Bio – Senior Reliability Engineer

Location: Auckland, New Zealand | Full-time

About Scentian Bio

Scentian Bio is building the future of sensing, creating receptor-based sensor systems that bridge biology, software, and hardware. We are a fast-moving deep-tech startup turning world-class science into real-world products.

Our sensors are applied in food quality, pest detection, and human health, delivering measurable impact across multiple industries. Our mission is to bring practical, high-value sensing products to market while building a globally recognized platform for smell intelligence.

The Role

We are seeking a hands-on, senior-level Reliability Engineer to lead sensor testing, reliability validation, and early production activities.

In this critical role, you will take ownership of how we test, validate, and prepare products for real-world use. You will design and run reliability experiments, lead pilot production, and guide the team in building robust, reproducible systems.

You will join a highly capable team spanning science and engineering and play a key role in strengthening engineering rigour, scaling testing methodologies, and supporting the transition from advanced research to customer-ready products. Your work will directly influence the success of our first products and lay the foundation for next-generation sensor platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute reliability, accelerated life, and QA/QC testing for sensors and prototypes, documenting results to drive process improvements.

• Lead pilot production and early product validation to ensure reproducibility, quality, and manufacturability.

• Establish and embed reliability practices, test methodologies, and documentation standards across the team.

• Develop and document QMS processes, including SOPs and work instructions.

• Mentor scientists and engineers in practical engineering approaches to testing, instrumentation, and documentation.

• Collaborate with leadership (CSO, CTO) to translate technical findings into clear decisions, risks, and timelines.

• Implement design-for-reliability, test protocols, and production readiness frameworks.

Required Experience & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline.

• Significant hands-on experience in reliability engineering and product development, including taking products from prototype through to validated, customer-ready systems.

• Experience in commercial product development environments with strong QA/QC and documentation practices.

• Experience contributing to or supporting pilot production, manufacturing transfer, or early-stage production systems.

• Comfortable working at the bench and leading hands-on execution.

• Experience mentoring and guiding engineers/scientists.

• Strong analytical thinking, with a practical, solutions-focused approach and clear communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience building or establishing reliability and testing practices in an emerging or early-stage product environment.

• Experience with wet lab techniques or biological assay workflows, enabling effective collaboration with the science team.

• Experience working within GMP, ISO 13485, or other regulated environments.

• Experience with hardware-software integration in miniaturised systems, including embedded electronics or firmware.

Why Join Scentian Bio

• Take ownership of a critical capability and directly influence the success of early products.

• Apply your experience from established engineering environments in a setting where you can move faster and see immediate impact.

• Work at the intersection of biology, hardware, and data, solving genuinely novel technical challenges.

• Mentor and shape the engineering culture of a growing deep-tech company.

• Be part of a collaborative, high-calibre team bringing breakthrough science into real-world use.

Apply

Send your CV and a short cover letter highlighting your experience in reliability and product development to: [email protected]