Principal System Architect - Photon Flash

591x Varian Medical Systems, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 224,000 - 309,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Life insurance

Job summary

Siemens Healthineers is seeking a Principal System Architect to define the architecture for an investigational Photon FLASH radiation therapy platform intended for clinical trials. You will bridge clinical needs with technical feasibility across software, hardware, imaging, and workflow to support future productization.

The role requires a Ph.D. and 10+ years in complex medical devices or regulated healthcare technologies, with deep systems engineering expertise, risk management experience, and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent with deep technical expertise in relevant fields.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary product development in regulated environments.
• Knowledge of radiation therapy treatment planning and delivery systems.

Responsibilities

• Define the overall architecture and technical roadmap for the Photon FLASH ecosystem.
• Translate clinical and physics requirements into system requirements and features.
• Lead system-level decisions across treatment planning, delivery, controls, planning software, and clinical workflow.
• Guide development of FLASH planning and delivery capabilities balancing clinical needs and safety.
• Lead system-level risk management, hazard analysis, and design trade-offs.
• Ensure alignment with FDA design controls and applicable standards.
• Collaborate with clinicians, physicists, KOLs, and ARPA‑H stakeholders to shape future use cases.

Skills

Technical leadership

Cross-functional communication

Systems engineering

Radiation therapy knowledge

Regulatory awareness

Decision making under uncertainty

Education

Ph.D in Physics, Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Electrical Engineering

Job description

Join us in pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. Our inspiring and caring environment forms a global community that celebrates diversity and individuality. We encourage you to step beyond your comfort zone, offering resources and flexibility to foster your professional and personal growth, all while valuing your unique contributions. We are seeking a Principal System Architect to define the architecture for an investigational Photon FLASH radiation therapy platform suitable for clinical trials. This role is critical to the success of the ARPA-H Photon FLASH program as it will establish the bridge between clinical relevance and the technical framework that guides both software and hardware development. You will translate emerging FLASH science into an integrated system architecture spanning treatment planning, radiation delivery, imaging, controls, workflow, and data systems. Working across preclinical, clinical, scientific and engineering disciplines, you will ensure novel FLASH capabilities are clinically relevant, technically feasible, and suitable for future clinical investigation and productization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define the overall architecture and technical roadmap for the Photon FLASH ecosystem in the face of challenging and changing requirements and realization technologies.
• Translate requirements from radiobiology, clinical viability, radiation physics, dose‑rate modeling, and treatment optimization into system requirements and product features.
• Lead system‑level decisions across treatment planning, radiation delivery, controls, delivery software, planning software, and clinical workflow.
• Guide development of FLASH treatment planning and delivery capabilities that balance clinical needs, technical constraints, safety, and performance.
• Lead system‑level risk management, hazard analysis, and design trade‑offs.
• Ensure alignment with FDA design controls and applicable standards.
• Collaborate with clinicians, medical physicists, Key Opinion Leaders, academic partners, and ARPA‑H stakeholders to shape future clinical use cases and study requirements.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D in Physics, Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.
• 10+ years of experience developing complex medical devices, treatment planning systems, radiation therapy platforms, or other regulated healthcare technologies.
• Is guided by maturity, vision, depth of domain and technical experience and the ability to identify, analyze, and decide on relevant issues in time and with courage, even in the absence of complete information.
• Ability to transfer clinical needs and protocols into technology requirements.
• Strong systems engineering background with experience leading multidisciplinary product development.
• Deep understanding of radiation therapy treatment planning, optimization, and delivery systems.
• Experience with medical device risk management, regulatory requirements, and design controls.
• Excellent technical leadership and cross‑functional communication skills.

About Us:

We are a team of more than 72,000 highly dedicated Healthineers in more than 70 countries. As a leader in medical technology, we constantly push the boundaries to create better outcomes and experiences for patients, no matter where they live or what health issues they are facing. Our portfolio is crucial for clinical decision‑making and treatment pathways.

How We Work:

When you join Siemens Healthineers, you become one in a global team of scientists, clinicians, developers, researchers, professionals, and skilled specialists, who believe in each individual’s potential to contribute with diverse ideas. We are from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, political and/or sexual orientations, and work together, to fight the world’s most threatening diseases and enable access to care, united by one purpose: to pioneer breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably.

Compensation and Benefits:

The base pay range for this position is: $224,490 - $308,671. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate. If this is a commission eligible position the commission eligibility will be in accordance with the terms of the Company's plan. Commissions are based on individual performance and/or company performance.

Benefits list: medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance, long‑term and short‑term disability insurance, paid parking/public transportation, paid time off, paid sick and safe time.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Siemens Healthineers is an Equal Opportunity and Affinity encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, transgender, sex stereotyping, order of protection status, protected veteran or military status, or an unfavorable discharge from military service, and other categories protected by federal, state or local law.

EEO is the Law: Applicants and employees are protected under Federal law from discrimination.

Reasonable Accommodations: Siemens Healthineers is committed to equal employment opportunity. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing a job application, interviewing, completing any pre‑employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please fill out the accommodations form. If you’re unable to complete the form, you can reach out to our HR People Connect People Contact Center for support at [e-mail]. Please note HR People Connect People Contact Center will not have visibility of your application or interview status.

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Export Control: “A successful candidate must be able to work with controlled technology in accordance with US export control law.” “It is Siemens Healthineers’ policy to comply fully and completely with all United States export control laws and regulations, including those implemented by the Department of Commerce through the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), by the Department of State through the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and by the Treasury Department through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions regulations.”

Data Privacy: We care about your data privacy and take compliance with GDPR as well as other data protection legislation seriously. For this reason, we ask you not to send us your CV or resume by email. We ask instead that you create a profile in our talent community where you can upload your CV. Setting up a profile lets us know you are interested in career opportunities with us and makes it easy for us to send you an alert when relevant positions become open.

We are a team of 72,000 highly dedicated employees across more than 70 countries passionately pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare to help improve people’s lives around the world. As a leader in the industry, we aspire to create better outcomes and experiences for patients no matter where they live or what health issues they are facing. Our portfolio, spanning from in‑vitro and in‑vivo diagnostics to image‑guided therapy and innovative cancer care, is crucial for clinical decision‑making and treatment pathways.

Our culture: We are part of an incredible community of scientists, clinicians, developers, researchers, professionals, and skilled specialists pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, to improve people’s lives around the world. We embrace a culture of inclusivity in which the power and potential of every individual can be unleashed. We spark ideas that lead to positive impact and continued success.