Software Engineer

NC State University; Raleigh, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare benefits

Wellness & Recreation Membership

Wellness Programs

Job summary

NC State University is seeking a Software Engineer for SPEED, a national NSF‑funded facility. You will develop backend services, APIs, and tools to orchestrate experiments across robotics and data systems.

You will work on cloud and on‑prem environments, integrating workflows, monitoring, and security. The role emphasizes production APIs, distributed systems, and collaboration across researchers and engineers.

Qualifications

• Three or more years of relevant software-development experience.
• Proficiency in Python programming and software engineering fundamentals.
• Experience building production APIs, backend services, or distributed systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop the software infrastructure for SPEED's backend services and APIs.
• Integrate workflow orchestration, scheduling, job queues, and monitoring.
• Deploy and maintain cloud and on‑premise services with containers and CI/CD.
• Provide technical documentation and user guides.
• Assist with onboarding and demonstrations for internal and external SPEED users.

Skills

Python

REST APIs

Backend services

Git

Linux

Cloud deployment

Testing

Documentation

CI/CD

Distributed systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD tooling

Databases

Job description

Special Instructions for more details.

Posting Information

Posting Number

Posting Number PG194906EP

Internal Recruitment

Internal Recruitment No

Working Title

Working Title Software Engineer

Anticipated Hiring Range

Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with education and experience (anticipated hiring range $70,000-$80,000)

Work Schedule

Work Schedule Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm (additional work outside of standard hours may be required due to business needs)

Job Location

Department

Department Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs

About the Department

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering’s primary research mission involves managing high‑disciplinary research initiatives, specialized laboratory facilities, and large‑scale sponsor portfolios. To support faculty innovation and maintain seamless operations across complex grant portfolios, the department utilizes embedded administrative professionals who provide direct, localized support to large faculty research groups, multi‑investigator centers, and specialized laboratory infrastructure. Operate the Self‑driving Platforms for Expedited Experimental co‑Design ( SPEED ) as an NSF‑funded national autonomous‑science user facility. Provide remote access to integrated self‑driving laboratories. Connect robotics, scientific instruments, AI, and data infrastructure. Enable reproducible experiments in chemistry and materials science. Serve academic, government, and industry research users.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well‑being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

Attain Work‑life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership , and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Software Engineer for SPEED

As the Software Engineer for SPEED (Self‑driving Platforms for Expedited Experimental co‑Design), an NSF‑funded national user facility for remotely accessible autonomous robotic experimentation in chemistry and materials science, you will develop the software infrastructure that connects users to SPEED’s autonomous laboratories. You will build and maintain the backend services, APIs, experiment‑submission tools, and user‑facing software needed to orchestrate experiments across robotics, scientific instruments, data systems, and AI/optimization tools in cloud and local environments.

• Develop and maintain backend services, APIs, experiment‑submission tools, and user‑facing applications for SPEED .
• Integrate workflow orchestration, scheduling, job queues, platform monitoring, and experiment status tracking.
• Connect robotics, scientific instruments, data services, and AI/optimization tools through reliable software interfaces.
• Deploy and maintain cloud and local services, containers, authentication, logging, monitoring, and related infrastructure.
• Apply strong software engineering practices, including testing, version control, documentation, release management, and reliability engineering.
• Support platform commissioning, user onboarding, troubleshooting, and technical demonstrations for internal and external SPEED users.

This role offers the opportunity to build the digital backbone of a national autonomous experimentation user facility, enabling researchers to remotely design, execute, monitor, and analyze experiments across integrated robotic laboratories. We welcome software engineers with experience building backend services, APIs, and software integrations across complex technical environments.

Other Responsibilities

• Evaluate vendor APIs, SDKs, and integration approaches.
• Participate in architecture and cybersecurity reviews.
• Create technical documentation and developer/user guides.
• Train staff and researchers on SPEED software tools.
• Provide occasional after‑hours support for critical systems.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software/computer engineering, or related field.

Other Required Qualifications

• .Three or more years of relevant software‑development experience.
• Proficiency in Python programming and software engineering fundamentals
• Development and integration of REST APIs, backend services, databases, and event‑or workflow‑driven systems.
• Use of Git and Linux‑based development environments, including automated testing, debugging, and technical documentation.
• Agentic coding.
• Deployment and operation of software in cloud or on‑premises environments, including containers, monitoring, and logging.
• Integration of software across heterogeneous hardware and software systems.
• Technical communication and collaborative problem‑solving across software, hardware, engineering, and research teams.
• Experience building production APIs, backend services, or distributed applications.
• Experience with databases, Linux, Git, testing, and deployment workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Development or support of scientific software or research‑computing systems.
• Integration of laboratory automation, robotics, or instrument‑control systems.
• Implementation of workflow orchestration, schedulers, message queues, or microservices.
• Use of Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure, or infrastructure‑as‑code.
• Integration of AI/ML services into software systems or autonomous experimentation workflows.
• Experience supporting external users or shared research facilities.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required

Valid NC Driver's License required No

Commercial Driver's License required

Commercial Driver's License required No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date 09/24/2026

Anticipated Close Date 10/08/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.

Position Number

Position Number 00112346

Position Type

Position Type EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.0

Appointment

Appointment 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID

Department ID 230101 - Interdisciplinary Programs - SVP

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability‑related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail] .

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*)..

• * How did you learn of this opportunity?
  • NCSU Website
  • NCSU Executive Search Services
  • Monster.com
  • CareerBuilder.com
  • InsideHigherEd.com
  • Other Online Job Board
  • Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
  • Job / Career Fair
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • HERC
  • Professional Journal
  • Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
  • Professional Organization
  • Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
  • NCSU Employee Referral
  • Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
  • Other
• If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source.(Open Ended Question)

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Contact Information for References

Optional Documents

NC STATE UNIVERSITY
RALEIGH, NC 27695
PHONE: [phone]