Principal / Senior Instrument Software Engineer (Tech Lead)

StickyCell Hong Kong Limited; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

StickyCell Hong Kong Limited is seeking a Principal / Senior Instrument Software Engineer (Tech Lead) to define architecture and drive the instrument software platform. You will lead control and automation software, integrate devices, and guide imaging/analysis efforts with hardware and algorithm teams.

You will own UI direction, data management, and testing strategies, while mentoring engineers and coordinating with R&D partners to deliver reliable instrument solutions.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or above in a related engineering field.
• Strong proficiency in Python and/or C++.
• Experience leading software for hardware-connected systems or laboratory automation.
• Experience integrating application software with devices, SDKs, drivers, or interfaces.
• Solid software engineering fundamentals: architecture, testing, version control, release management.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects and mentor engineers.
• Strong written and verbal communication in English; Cantonese/Mandarin/Japanese preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define software architecture, roadmap, and engineering standards for the instrument platform.
• Lead design and development of instrument control and automation software.
• Build robust workflow orchestration, state machines, fault handling, and recovery.
• Guide integration of imaging acquisition software with hardware and algorithm teams.
• Own instrument UI direction, data management, and technical documentation.
• Establish test strategies and support bring-up, debugging, and handoff.
• Mentor engineers and coordinate cross-functional delivery with hardware and R&D partners.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

English communication

Education

Master's degree or above in Computer Science / Software Engineering / Electronics / Biomedical Engineering / Automation / Robotics

Tools

Python

C++

Job description

Principal / Senior Instrument Software Engineer (Tech Lead)

• Define software architecture, technical roadmap, and engineering standards for the instrument platform.
• Lead design and development of instrument control and automation software, including electromechanical subsystems and third-party device integration.
• Build robust workflow orchestration, state machines, fault handling, and recovery for reliable instrument operation.
• Guide integration of imaging acquisition and analysis software with hardware and algorithm teams.
• Own instrument UI direction, experiment data management, and technical documentation.
• Establish test strategies and support prototype bring-up, debugging, and production handoff.
• Mentor engineers and coordinate cross-functional delivery with hardware and R&D partners.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or above in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Automation, Robotics, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency in Python and/or C++.
• Experience leading software for hardware-connected systems, scientific instruments, laboratory automation, or industrial equipment.
• Experience integrating application software with devices, SDKs, drivers, or control interfaces.
• Solid software engineering fundamentals: architecture, testing, version control, and release management.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects, mentor engineers, and work in multidisciplinary R&D teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication in English; Chinese (Cantonese / Mandarin) and japanese preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with databases, CI/CD, and cloud or on‑premise deployment.
• Exposure to medical‑device or regulated‑product software practices.
• Technical leadership in high‑availability or customer‑facing product environments.