Elegen is blazing a path towards a biology-based economy with a highly innovative approach to DNA synthesis that delivers an industry leading length of 7kb in 7 business days with a 99.999% per base accuracy. Our multidisciplinary team of best-in-class biologists, chemists, hardware, and software engineers apply cutting-edge technologies and methods to solve critical bottlenecks in synthetic biology workflows to help our customers in pharma, biotech, agbio, and biomanufacturing streamline their work and realize the full potential of programmable biology.
We are seeking a Staff Controls Software Engineer to join our controls software engineering team. This role affords an opportunity to join an innovative and collaborative team that is designing and implementing test control software for our DNA synthesis instrument. Reporting to Elegen’s Director of Controls Software Engineering, this is an on-site role. You’ll be based out of our San Carlos location and will enjoy working alongside some of Silicon Valley’s top scientists and engineers.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Design, implement, and test control software for an advanced microfluidic DNA synthesis instrument.
- Help design self-test and calibration procedures for its manufacturing, deployment, and end use.
- Collaborate with other R&D teams and end users to come up with improvements and fix deficiencies.
- Assist production teams with testing and trouble-shooting.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science or other engineering discipline. Graduate degree preferred.
- 8+ years experience in software development.
- Significant experience with hardware integration and control.
- Able to work onsite in San Carlos, California.
- High proficiency/expertise with both C++ and Python.
- Experience developing production-quality control software for complex hardware, with involvement in its full life-cycle including deployment to end users.
- Able to contribute to high-level software layers (business logic, state control, and the user interface) as well as lower-level algorithms and hardware control.
- Adept at creating object-oriented designs.
- Conscientiously follows best practices, including adhering to coding standards, developing automated tests, and consistently achieving well-structured, clean implementations.
- Able to work in a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary environment, regularly collaborating with domain experts.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Practical project management skills, especially in conjunction with agile software development.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with control software development for biotech or life science instruments.
- Knowledge of relevant technical disciplines such as fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, optics, or control theory.
- Experience with Linux.
- Familiarity with GMP regulatory software practices.
Salary and Benefits:
The annual base salary compensation for this role, based in California is: $175,000 - $200,000. Final compensation also includes bonus, equity and benefits. Specific offer packages are determined by multiple factors, including candidate skill, experience, expertise, and location.
✓ Healthcare ✓ Dental ✓ Vision ✓ Learning Allowance
✓ 401K ✓ Flexible PTO ✓ Short Term Disability ✓ Fitness Allowance
About The Company:
Founded and led by Dr. Matthew Hill and located in San Carlos, CA, Elegen is well-capitalized by top life science investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, and KdT. The company is advised and staffed by leading biotechnology scientists and entrepreneurs, including Dr. Marc Unger, inventor of the Nanoflex™ valve, and former CSO of Fluidigm. Dr. Hill has a PhD from Stanford and a proven track record of advancing innovative technologies from invention to commercial success. Over eight years in his previous role as VP of R&D at a leading molecular diagnostics company, he co-invented and launched five precision molecular diagnostic products, including a best-in-class noninvasive prenatal test used by millions. These products earn more than $350 million per year in revenue and enabled an IPO.
Elegen is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Elegen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic characteristics, or any other category protected by law. All applicants have rights under the following Federal Employment Laws:
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
- Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
Top Skills
What We Do
We are now at the dawn of the synthetic biology revolution, which will spawn new applications, markets, and business models, improving human lives in countless ways. This revolution will be driven by new technologies that enable DNA writing at speed and scale.
To catalyze this revolution, Elegen is creating a suite of ground-breaking technologies to achieve DNA writing with unparalleled speed, cost, and quality. Elegen is unlocking the power to reprogram biology and create biologic solutions in order to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.
Founded and led by Dr. Matthew Hill and located in San Carlos, CA, Elegen is a stealth-mode company that is well capitalized by top life science investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, and KdT. The company is advised and staffed by leading biotechnology scientists and entrepreneurs, including Dr. Marc Unger, inventor of the Nanoflex™ valve and former CSO of Fluidigm. Dr. Hill has a PhD from Stanford and a proven track record of advancing innovative technologies from invention to commercial success.
