Software Engineer I, Instrument Software

Lila Sciences; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 108,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Flexible PTO

Parental Leave

Educational Assistance

Commuter Benefits (bike share)

Lunch Program

Job summary

Lila Sciences is hiring a Software Engineer to develop next-generation Lab Instrument Integration Software, bridging software, hardware, and AI-enabled lab automation. The role emphasizes building robust drivers, APIs, and interfaces for seamless instrument control and data exchange.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to address integration challenges, debug complex systems, and contribute to AI-driven development to accelerate scientific discovery.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Python and C#/.NET required.
• Experience debugging hardware-software integration issues preferred.
• Strong analytical and structured troubleshooting approach.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop robust lab instrument software to enable hardware and software communication.
• Integrate lab instruments into AI-enabled automation infrastructure.
• Conduct testing, debugging, and troubleshooting of device drivers and interfaces.
• Create and maintain clear technical documentation for APIs and integrations.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers, software developers, product managers, and end-users to resolve integration challenges.
• Engage in AI-driven development to improve software delivery speed and quality.

Skills

Python

C#/.NET

Hardware-software integration

Communication skills

Tools

Git

Job description

Your Impact at LILA

Lila Sciences is hiring a Software Engineer to develop the next generation of Lab Instrument Integration Software, which is a foundational component of our AI-enabled laboratory. We are looking for self-motivated problem solvers who enjoy sitting at the often tricky interfaces between software, science, and hardware to deliver powerful solutions that will accelerate science.

What You’ll Be Building

• Lab Instrument Software Development: Develop robust software to enable communication between robotics and automation hardware (e.g., robotic arms, liquid handlers, sensors) and the control software, ensuring reliable and efficient hardware integration.
• System Integration: Seamlessly integrate lab instruments into our Next Generation, AI-enabled lab automation infrastructure, managing complex interfaces between cloud and edge infrastructure, and device execution.
• Testing and Debugging: Perform rigorous testing, debugging, and troubleshooting of drivers to identify, isolate, and rectify performance issues, bugs, and compatibility challenges.
• Technical Documentation: Create, update, and maintain clear, comprehensive documentation for driver interfaces, APIs, and integration methods, facilitating ease of use by internal teams and end-users.
• Collaboration and Support: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including hardware engineers, software developers, product managers, and end-users, providing technical support and resolving integration challenges promptly.
• AI driven development: work with state of the art coding models and development infrastructure to improve the speed and quality of software delivery.

What You’ll Need To Succeed

• Proficiency in Python, C#/.NET, or other programming languages or frameworks is essential
• Demonstrated ability in debugging and problem-solving, preferably hardware-software integration issues.
• Strong analytical thinking and a structured approach to troubleshooting and resolving complex technical problems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams.

Bonus Points For

• A strong interest in or background in science
• Experience in developing software for laboratory automation systems or robotics used in life sciences, pharmaceutical, or similar industries.
• Experience working directly with end-users (e.g., scientists, laboratory technicians), using feedback to drive product improvements.
• Experience with hardware integration and device driver development, especially in robotics or automation contexts.
• Proficiency with version control systems, especially Git.

Compensation

We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.

Expected Base Salary Range: $108,000 USD – $140,000 USD

U.S. Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision coverage
• employer-paid life and disability insurance
• flexible time off with generous company wide holidays
• paid parental leave
• an educational assistance program
• commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees
• a company subsidized lunch program

International Benefits

Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region.

USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.

About LILA

Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind’s greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.

LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai.

Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance.

We’re All In

Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

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