Software Engineer (Instruments)

Automata; Boston, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

401k

Well-being budget

Holiday: 30 days + 10 federal holidays

Additional leave days

Birthday trees

Paid sick leave

Mental health support

Career progression frameworks

Job summary

Automata is hiring a Software Engineer (Instruments) in the greater Boston area. You will contribute to our instruments library by building, testing, and delivering high-quality drivers for our LINQ platform that combines hardware and software to streamline lab automation.

The role requires 3+ years in driver development, embedded systems experience, and a collaborative attitude. Location is hybrid in the Boston area with travel as needed; salary range is $130,000–$160,000 plus a 5%

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience with driver development, preferably in the biotech industry.
• Experience with integrated systems or embedded systems
• Highly collaborative approach to developing software
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ideal skills: Python, Protobuf, REST APIs, gRPC, TCP/IP, serial interface
• Experience in start-up environments
• Located in greater Boston (US HQ)
• Willingness to travel as-needed for customer projects and complex troubleshooting

Responsibilities

• Designing and writing code of software systems as required by the product function
• Supporting users of the software systems with issues
• Writing test scenarios and carrying out testing of integrated systems that include software
• Reviewing the code of peers to ensure software engineering best practices
• Delivering our instrument drivers to our customers
• Owning entire pieces of work and delivering them with reliable problem-solving and proposing resolutions to critical issues
• Suggests alternative solutions to customer problems based on available information

Skills

Driver development

Embedded systems

Collaboration

Communication skills

Python

Protobuf

REST APIs

gRPC

TCP/IP

Serial interface

Willing to travel

Greater Boston resident

Job description

Level: 3 Salary band: $130,000 - $160,000 Bonus: 5% performance-based, discretionary Location: Hybrid

At Automata, we're on a mission to transform how scientists work by making automation accessible to every lab in the world. We believe that by giving labs the power to automate, we can unlock discoveries that will shape the future of life sciences—from diagnostics and drug discovery to synthetic biology.

But we’re more than just a company disrupting the industry—we're a team of innovators, problem-solvers, and creators passionate about empowering scientists. Our LINQ platform combines hardware and software to streamline workflows, making lab automation fast, flexible, and affordable. This means our customers can focus on groundbreaking research, while we take care of the rest.

Why Work at Automata?

• Impact: Your work will directly contribute to advancements in science and medicine, supporting labs around the globe as they push boundaries in research and innovation.

• Innovation: You’ll be part of a team solving complex problems (seriously, no one else has figured out how to do this yet), using cutting-edge technology (we have robots).

• Growth: We invest in our people. Whether through hands-on experience, professional development, or collaborative projects, you’ll grow both professionally and personally.

• Community: Join a diverse, passionate team that values collaboration (golf on a Thursday, Soccer once a month, movie nights whenever we fancy it).

We are looking for a Software Engineer (Instruments) whose mission is to contribute to our extensive instruments library, by building, testing, and delivering high-quality drivers.

Why is this role important for Automata?

This role will be at the centre of how our customers experience Automata and will help shape their success, generating solutions that enable complex lab automation integrations. This role will live at the intersection of science, hardware and software.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Designing and writing code of software systems as required by the product function
• Supporting users of the software systems with any issues they encounter
• Writing test scenarios and carries out testing of integrated systems that include software
• Reviewing the code of peers to ensure software engineering best practices are followed
• Delivering of our instrument drivers to our customers
• Owning of entire pieces of work and deliver them by providing reliable problem-solving, identifying and proposing resolutions to critical issues
• Suggests alternative solutions to customer problems based on available information

What it takes:

• 3+ years of experience with driver development, preferably in the biotech industry.
• Experience with integrated systems or embedded systems
• Highly collaborative approach to developing software
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ideal skills; Python, Protobuf, REST APIs, gRPC, TCP/IP, serial interface
• Experience in start-up environments
• Located in greater Boston (US HQ)
• Willingness to travel as-needed for customer projects and complex troubleshooting

Nice to have:

• Experience with enterprise software platforms, integrations with lab systems (ELN, LIMS), etc.
• Experience in start-up environments

Why You’ll Want to Join Us

• You want to operate at the edge of your capability - where expectations are high and impact is real
• You’re motivated by ownership and autonomy - not hierarchy or process
• You want to build and scale something meaningful - our product directly saves lives
• You’re currently under-leveraged, moving faster than your environment allows
• You want to work with people who are equally driven, pragmatic, and focused on outcomes

US team benefits:

• Healthcare
  Competitive healthcare for you and your family
• 401k
  We offer a 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Well-being budget
  Invest in your own well-being, personal growth, and hobbies
• Holiday
  30 days + 10 federalholidays
• Additional leave days
  Time off for dependents, 'Me days', birthdays and volunteering days off
• Birthday trees
  Planting a tree for every employee on their birthday, every year
• Paid sick leave
  10 days paid sick leave to stay home and focus on rest and recovery
• Mental health support
  Access the therapy for you and your family through Spill
• Career progression frameworks
  Each department & discipline has a progression framework

We are an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Discrimination of any kind based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status is strictly prohibited.