Staff Software Engineer - Instrument Software

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At Illumina, we are expanding access to genomic technology to realize health equity for billions of people around the world. Our efforts enable life-changing discoveries that are transforming human health through the early detection and diagnosis of diseases and new treatment options for patients.

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Position Summary

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer for our Hardware Integration and Frameworks (HWI) platform team. This role is critical to our instrument sequencing platforms, serving as the bridge between our firmware/hardware subsystems and the high-level, user facing applications powering our DNA sequencing products. You will drive technical excellence in system architecture, mentor engineers, and ensure the HWI platform scales to meet product requirements across multiple product lines.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Own the architectural design and evolution of the HWI software subsystem, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability
• Drive subsystem-level architecture decisions and contribute to product-wide technical strategy
• Define and enforce engineering standards, best practices, design patterns for hardware/software integration
• Evaluate and introduce new technologies and tools to improve development efficiency

Software Development

• Design and develop critical HWI components using C#/.NET and Linux-based systems
• Implement robust interfaces between Hardware Abstraction and Application Layers
• Optimize system performance and resource utilization
• Create comprehensive testing strategies including unit, automation, and hardware simulation

Problem Solving & Risk Management

• Independently investigate and resolve complex system-level issues
• Proactively identify technical risks and develop mitigation strategies
• Debug complex timing, concurrency, and hardware interaction issues
• Perform root cause analysis and implement systemic improvements

Collaboration & Mentorship

• Partner with hardware, firmware, and software teams to define interfaces and integration strategies
• Mentor engineers in software design, debugging techniques, and best practices
• Build strong relationships across product development functions to align technical solutions with business objectives
• Communicate technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Contribute to the long-term product roadmap and help define departmental technical goals

Qualifications

Skills

• Strong proficiency in C# and .Net Core
• Experience with Linux environments
• Proven experience developing hardware abstraction layers and firmware/software integration
• Deep understanding of service-oriented architecture, object-oriented analysis and design, event driven design, and other architectural patterns
• Experience in REST API design
• Multi-threading, synchronization, and concurrent programming

Nice to Have

• CI/CD pipeline design and implementation
• Static analysis tools and security scanning
• Performance profiling and optimization
• Proficiency with Atlassian tools like Jira and requirements management tools (like Jama)
• Basic proficiency in Typescript and Angular

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 8+ years of professional software development experience

#LI-HYBRID

The estimated base salary range for the Staff Software Engineer - Instrument Software role based in the United States of America is: $152,600 - $228,800. Should the level or location of the role change during the hiring process, the applicable base pay range may be updated accordingly. Compensation decisions are dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, an individual’s qualifications, location where the role is to be performed, internal equity, and alignment with market data. Additionally, all employees are eligible for one of our variable cash programs (bonus or commission) and eligible roles may receive equity as part of the compensation package. We offer a wide range of benefits as innovative as our work, including access to genomics sequencing, family planning, health/dental/vision, retirement benefits, and paid time off.

We are a company deeply rooted in belonging, promoting an inclusive environment where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute to our mission. Built on a strong foundation, Illumina has always prioritized openness, collaboration, and seeking alternative perspectives to propel innovation in genomics. We are proud to confirm a zero-net gap in pay, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or race. We also have several Employee Resource Groups (ERG) that deliver career development experiences, increase cultural awareness, and offer opportunities to engage in social responsibility. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to providing employment opportunity regardless of sex, race, creed, color, gender, religion, marital status, domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military or veteran status, citizenship status, and genetic information. Illumina conducts background checks on applicants for whom a conditional offer of employment has been made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Background check results may potentially result in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. The background check process and any decisions made as a result shall be made in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Illumina prohibits the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the application and interview process. If you require accommodation to complete the application or interview process, please contact accommodations@illumina.com. To learn more, visit: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf. The position will be posted until a final candidate is selected or the requisition has a sufficient number of qualified applicants. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.