Software Engineer - Automation Applications

Bright Machines•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

Software Engineers at Bright Machines are responsible for defining and implementing the systems that make Software Defined Manufacturing possible. Our platform is deployed across factory sites around the world, supporting manufacturing operations for some of the biggest names in the industry. As an Software Engineer, you will take meaningful ownership of features and small projects across our factory software stack — including Shopkeeper (our version for a better MES), the Assembly Dashboard for Observability, Metrics and Reporting, and the infrastructure connecting the factory floor to the cloud. You will independently design and implement solutions to moderately complex problems, collaborate with cross-functional partners, actively contribute to the technical direction of the team, and mentor junior engineers. You may also lead small cross-functional projects or initiatives. If you are ready to take ownership and contribute to a platform that changes manufacturing, this is your opportunity to Be Bright.

Requirements

3-5 years of professional software engineering experience
Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field
Proficiency in at least two frameworks, languages, or technologies in our stack (Python, FastAPI, TypeScript, React, Vue, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes)
Demonstrated ability to independently design and ship features in a production environment
Experience conducting code reviews and contributing to engineering standards
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Track record of working effectively both independently and as part of a cross-functional team
Experience collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders (product, ops, or hardware teams)

Nice To Haves

Experience with manufacturing execution systems (MES), factory automation, or industrial software
Familiarity with Kubernetes, Kustomize, or GitLab CI/CD pipelines
Experience with event-driven architectures, WebSockets, or real-time systems
Background in AWS services (S3, IoT Core, SSM, EKS, CodePipeline)
Demonstrated experience mentoring junior engineers or leading small technical initiatives
Contributions to technical decision-making within or across teams

Responsibilities

Write clean, efficient, and maintainable code across our backend and infrastructure stack
Take full ownership of small-to-medium projects or features end-to-end from design through deployment
Independently design and implement solutions to moderately complex engineering problems
Accurately estimate and prioritize tasks within sprint and quarterly planning cycles
Conduct code reviews and provide constructive, actionable feedback to peers
Proactively identify and resolve technical challenges before they become blockers
Mentor junior engineers through pairing, reviews, and technical guidance
Clearly communicate technical decisions and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical audiences
Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including product managers, hardware engineers, and operations
Actively participate in technical discussions, architecture reviews, and team decision-making
Contribute to improving team processes, development workflows, and engineering standards
May lead small cross-functional projects or initiatives as technical lead