Sr Staff Engineer Instrument Architecture

BD; Milpitas (CA); Hybrid; USD 168,600 - 269,800; Full time

Job summary

Waters Corporation in Milpitas, CA seeks a Senior Staff Engineer to drive complex life science products from concept through verification. You will define requirements, architecture, and interfaces, and lead device drivers and communication protocols to deliver the intended customer experience.

You will collaborate with Marketing, HW, SW, Reagents, and Validation teams, mentor others, and own end‑to‑end requirements lifecycle in a hybrid, on‑site role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline; Master’s or PhD preferred.
• 12+ years in systems engineering, product development, or design in regulated environments.
• Experience with design control and regulatory testing is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Define system architecture and create ICDs and block diagrams.
• Map and optimize interfaces across optical, fluidic, electronic, and software subsystems.
• Design state machines and timing for real‑time hardware interactions.
• Develop end‑to‑end data flow from detectors to software layer.
• Manage system budgets for optical power, SNR, timing, and power use.
• Lead verification, validation planning and risk-based testing.

Skills

RTOS and embedded control

Real-time systems

Data pipeline architecture

High-speed data processing

System-level thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Controls design and state machines

Biophysics & reagents knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline

Master’s degree or PhD preferred

Tools

RS232

USB

TCP/IP

CAN bus

SPI

I2C

PCIe

Gigabit Ethernet

Job description

Introduction

As a result of the combination of the BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions business with Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), by applying to this role you will be applying for a position with Waters. Waters is a global leader in life sciences, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high‑volume testing environments, Waters’ innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across biology, chemistry, and physics. Waters collaborates with analytical laboratories around the world to advance the release of effective, high‑quality medicines, assure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combatting growing antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, Waters’ passionate team of approximately 16,000 colleagues partner with customers to turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.

We Are The People Who Give Possibilities Purpose

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health is our Purpose, and it’s no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us—from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year—to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

Job Description

The Senior Staff Engineer works closely with Marketing, HW, SW, Reagents and Verification & Validation to lead complex life science products through every stage of the development. This role includes understanding customer needs and workflows, system architecture and analysis, and ensuring that the various sub‑systems fit and interact to deliver the desired customer function and experience.

Job Summary

The Senior Staff Engineer is responsible for the definition and management of requirements, definition of product architecture, guiding characterization of prototype systems, and successful verification and validation. The engineer will take responsibility for system definition and documentation, including system requirements and architecture, device drivers, interfaces, and communication protocols. The engineer works with the engineering staff to develop and execute experimental protocols and to analyze and report results. Additional responsibilities include integration of system components, system‑level engineering verification, and planning of validation test activities. The role leverages experience, best practices, and methods to determine the root cause of complex issues and supports the growth of the team through mentorship.

Job Responsibilities

• Define System Architecture: Author comprehensive system‑level specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and functional block diagrams.
• Manage Subsystem Interactions: Map and optimize the optical, fluidic, electronic, mechanical, and software interfaces to prevent performance bottlenecks.
• Architect System Control & Real‑Time Coordination: Design state machines, control loops, and timing sequences that orchestrate real‑time hardware interactions across fluidic, optical, and electronic modules.
• Design End‑to‑End Data Flow Architecture: Map high‑bandwidth data pathways from raw analog detector signals through digitization, FPGA‑based processing, firmware buffers, and high‑speed transport layers up to the software application layer.
• Lead Sub‑Systems Budget Allocation: Define and manage system‑level budgets for optical power, signal‑to‑noise ratio (SNR), fluidic timing, and electrical power consumption.
• Conduct Performance Modeling: Build mathematical models to simulate system throughput, carryover, fluorophore spillover, and sensitivity.
• Drive Trade‑off Decisions: Balance competing requirements between resolution speed, laser power, mechanical footprint, and manufacturing cost.
• Own the end‑to‑end requirements lifecycle including user needs, system requirements, derived requirements, traceability, verification planning, and change management for a program.
• Be primary stakeholder in Design and Technical Reviews to practice sound decision making across the program.
• Work effectively and collaboratively in a cross‑functional team and with external partners to identify, communicate, and mitigate program needs at each product lifecycle.

Education, Knowledge & Experience

• System Control & Embedded Logic: Deep understanding of real‑time operating systems (RTOS), deterministic control loops, hardware‑software handshakes, state machine design, and communication protocols (RS232, USB, TCP/IP, CAN bus, SPI, I2C).
• Data Pipeline Architecture: Expert knowledge of high‑throughput data processing architectures, including DMA, FIFO buffering strategies, and high‑speed bus interfaces (PCIe, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet).
• Fluidic Dynamics: Understanding of hydrodynamic focusing, laminar flow, microfluidics, acoustic focusing, and high‑pressure sample delivery loops.
• Precision Optics: Solid understanding of multi‑laser excitation paths, beam shaping, dichroic filter design, and light collection geometry (forward/side scatter).
• High‑Speed Electronics & Detectors: Practical knowledge of Photomultiplier Tubes, Avalanche Photodiodes, Silicon Photomultipliers, and FPGA‑based digital signal processing.
• Biophysics & Reagents: Understanding of fluorophore excitation/emission profiles, antibody staining dynamics, and biological assay requirements.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline (e.g., Physics, Biomedical, Electronics, Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering). Master’s degree or PhD preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in systems engineering, product development, or product design.
• Experience in design control in a regulated environment.
• Familiarity with regulations and compliance testing is desired.

Physical Demands

• Role involves hands‑on assembly, integration and rework of complex hardware instruments including fluid handling, optics, motion control, electronics and cabling.

Work Environment

• Hybrid position. Will require on‑site and in‑lab work a minimum of 4 days per week.

Salary Range

$168,600.00 – $269,800.00 USD Annual

Equal Opportunity Employer

Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.