Senior Software Engineer - Integrated Systems

picarroinc; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

HSA/FSA plans

Equity

Job summary

Picarro is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to own design, development, and delivery of key software platform components for integrated instrumentation. You will drive features end-to-end, mentor peers, and raise engineering standards through reviews and best practices.

Responsibilities include architectural work, building robust interfaces for gRPC microservices, expanding test coverage, and integrating with CI/CD in Linux environments. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, or related major is required.
• 6+ years of hands-on coding experience, with 4+ years in Python and strong background in a statically typed language such as C++ (C++17)
• Experience with distributed messaging platforms (gRPC, ZeroMQ, MQTT, Kafka, REST APIs)
• Knowledge of asynchronous patterns (Publish/Subscribe) and interface definitions (ProtoBuf, JSON Schema)
• Concurrent programming (multithreading, multiprocessing, asyncio)
• Strong Linux/UNIX experience and package management
• Experience with Postgres, SQLite, MongoDB, Influx/TimescaleDB
• Problem solving and debugging complex issues; code quality via reviews
• Proficiency with Git, JIRA, Confluence; experience with build systems and testing frameworks

Responsibilities

• Architectural development of major software components for complex instrumentation platforms
• Independently scope, prioritize, and deliver features across the software lifecycle
• Design and build robust internal and external interfaces for gRPC microservices
• Extend CI/CD pipelines and write comprehensive tests for Linux target environments
• Diagnose and resolve production defects with root-cause analysis and preventive actions
• Support release planning, estimation, and risk visibility
• Mentor junior engineers through code reviews and design feedback

Skills

Python

C++

gRPC

REST

Asyncio

Linux

Postgres

MongoDB

TimescaleDB

Multithreading

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

Tools

Git

JIRA

Confluence

Docker

Kubernetes

CMake

PyTest

GTest

Job description

Role: Senior Software Engineer - Integrated Systems

Location: Santa Clara, CA

Job Term: Full-time; In-office 5 days a week

The Opportunity:

Picarro is building the next generation of integrated solutions that incorporate various analytical instrumentation, such as our state-of-the-art laser-based gas sensors, along with other off the shelf hardware products. These systems are adapted for numerous industries to deliver trusted, actionable data, allowing end-users to make critical operational decisions based on unambiguous information.

We seek an experienced Senior Software Engineer to own the design, development, and delivery of significant components of our software platform. This individual will take technical ownership of features and subsystems from conception through deployment, translating product requirements into robust designs and driving them to completion with minimal oversight. Beyond individual delivery, the Senior Engineer raises the bar for the team, setting the standard through code review, improving engineering practices, and mentoring less experienced developers while working with some of the best and brightest in the industry.

Responsibilities:

• Architectural Development: Contribute to system-level software architecture design and own the design and implementation of high-quality, clean, efficient, and maintainable code for major components of our complex analytical instrumentation platforms
• Technical Ownership: Independently scope, prioritize, and execute work across the software development cycle, carrying features from requirements through production deployment.
• System Interfaces: Design and build robust internal and external software interfaces for gRPC microservice applications, and partner with adjacent teams on integration.
• Test & Automation: Create and maintain comprehensive test coverage for applications deployed in Linux-based target environments, and extend CI/CD pipelines to support automated testing, continuous integration, and continuous deployment
• Troubleshooting: Diagnose and resolve complex software defects and production issues, delivering timely fixes along with root cause analysis and preventative follow-up
• Planning & Delivery: Contribute to release and sprint planning, sprint and regression testing, and software releases, providing effort estimates and surfacing technical risk early
• Technical Mentorship: Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through code review, design feedback, and pairing, helping establish and uphold team coding standards and design patterns

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education: A bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, or a related major is required
• Experience: 6+ years of hands-on coding experience, with a minimum of 4 years working primarily in Python and solid background with a statically typed, compiled language such as C++ (C++17 preferred), C#, Java, or Go.
• Distributed Systems: Strong production experience with one or more distributed messaging platforms such as gRPC, ZeroMQ, MQTT, OMG DDS, Kafka, and REST APIs (required)
• Messaging Patterns: Solid working knowledge of asynchronous communication patterns such as Publish/Subscribe. Familiarity with interface definition standards such as ProtoBuf, Apache Avro, and/or JSON Schema.
• Concurrency: Hands-on experience designing and building applications using multithreading, multiprocessing, and coroutines (asyncio)
• Linux: Strong experience with UNIX/Linux systems, including service integration and package management (Debian/Ubuntu preferred)
• Database Systems: Experience with relational databases like Postgres and SQLite, non-relational databases like MongoDB, and Timeseries databases like Influx and TimescaleDB.
• Problem Solving: Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to independently debug complex issues and propose effective solutions
• Tooling: Proficiency with software engineering workflows using tools such as Git (GitHub/GitLab), JIRA, and Confluence. Familiarity with build systems such as (depending on language): GNU Make, PyBuild, Hatchling, UV, Pants, CMake. Hands-on experience writing unit tests using frameworks such as PyTest or GTest.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Backend Frameworks: Experience using Python Flask/FastAPI/aiohttp, SQLAlchemy, and Celery
• DevOps & Orchestration: Working knowledge of Docker-based containers, Docker and Linux services, and Kubernetes-based orchestration systems

The base salary range for this full-time position is $160K to $180K. Our total compensation package includes base salary, bonus eligibility, and equity. Your base salary range and title will be determined based on the location, experience, qualifications, skills, knowledge, level, and pay of employees in similar positions.

We offer a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) plans
• Life, Short-Term Disability, and Lo