Senior Staff Engineer, Software

PacBio•Menlo Park, CA

6d•$195,900 - $293,900•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Staff Software Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and delivering business-critical instrument control software for next-generation sequencing platforms. This is a highly visible, cross-functional role that works closely with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and systems engineering teams at PacBio. This role is ideal for a deeply technical engineer who thrives on solving complex system-level challenges and driving high-impact software solutions at the intersection of hardware and software.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline
10+ years of software engineering experience
Deep expertise in C#/.NET and proficiency in Python
Strong experience with real-time or embedded systems and hardware-software integration
Experience working with hardware systems such as robotics, optical systems, environmental sensors, or motion control
Strong proficiency with Linux environments
Solid understanding of software architecture, design principles, and best practices
Experience developing instrument control software, user interfaces, and system-level integrations
Experience designing and implementing APIs (e.g., RESTful services)
Demonstrated ability to independently drive complex technical projects from concept to production
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

Experience developing scientific instrumentation
Master’s degree or higher in a technical field
Experience working with firmware and low-level system interactions (e.g., FPGA interfaces)
Experience with Agile software development methodologies
Experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing frameworks
Experience in life sciences, biotech, medical devices, or other regulated environments

Responsibilities

Own and deliver business-critical instrument control software spanning multiple subsystems, directly impacting instrument performance, reliability, and customer experience
Drive technical design and implementation for complex, high-risk areas, independently defining approach and managing technical risk
Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and systems teams to ensure robust hardware-software integration and clear requirements
Identify and resolve systemic issues in performance, reliability, and scalability, including proactively addressing technical debt
Lead design and code reviews while contributing hands-on development in C#/.NET, ensuring high-quality, maintainable software
Influence system architecture and technical direction, and mentor engineers to elevate team-wide engineering standards