Senior Instrument Control Software Engineer

Pacific Biosciences of California; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 196,000 - 294,000; Full time

Job summary

PacBio is seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer to design, develop, and deliver instrument control software for next-generation sequencing platforms. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and systems teams to solve complex system-level challenges and drive high-impact software solutions at the intersection of hardware and software.

The role requires 10+ years of software engineering, deep C#/.NET expertise, Python proficiency, and strong Linux experience, with a focus

Qualifications

• 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.

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

Skills

C#/.NET

Python

Real-time systems

Embedded systems

Hardware integration

Linux

REST APIs

System architecture

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

PacBio is seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer to design, develop, and deliver instrument control software for next-generation sequencing platforms. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and systems teams to solve complex system-level challenges and drive high-impact software solutions at the intersection of hardware and software.

The role requires 10+ years of software engineering, deep C#/.NET expertise, Python proficiency, and strong Linux experience, with a focus