Senior Embedded Software Engineer
Cambridge, MA /
Software /
Full-time
/ On-site
COMPANY DESCRIPTION
Volta Labs, Inc. (https://www.voltalabs.com/) is an MIT spin-off that has unlocked powerful new capabilities with our proprietary fluidic technology. Working at the intersection of engineering and biology, we are preparing to commercialize our first product for DNA sequencing sample prep. DNA sequencing being the foundational technology behind our understanding of diseases and the tool that provides a view into the fundamentals of biology, Volta is at the forefront of driving further adoption of sequencing.
Working at Volta Labs means having big ambitions for solving the world’s most challenging problems. We take pride in having brought together individuals from many different fields (physics, biology, engineering, operations) come together to work toward one common goal -- that is to build the most advanced sample prep solution for sequencing. We are a product-driven company where employees are expected to learn, grow and thrive in a fast-paced, open, and collaborative environment. This is an exciting phase to Volta with huge upside potential.
About the Team
This role will be part of the Software Engineering team at Volta. We are a small but mighty team responsible for all software activities within the company. We build the entire product software stack (firmware to the cloud) in addition to internal systems for ingesting and analyzing experimental data. We also develop and maintain a sophisticated automation environment for our lab instruments. Our tech stack includes C++, Python 3, ReactJS, TypeScript, Grafana, and AWS, and our software has been deployed in some of the foremost research institutions in the world. Areas of work include firmware, instrument control, lab automation, telemetry, data analysis, and cloud computing. Join us if you want to work at the interaction of software, hardware, and biology and define the future of automation in the life sciences!
About the Role
We are looking for a senior embedded software engineer who is excited about solving complex cross-disciplinary problems and creating amazing technology collaboratively. You will own the design and development of the entire firmware layer (C/C++). In addition, you will also work on the instrument control code higher up in the software stack (Python).
How you will contribute
- Elicit detailed requirements from hardware, software, and automation engineers
- Read and understand electrical schematics of instrument subsystems to determine their impact on firmware
- Design, develop, and maintain low-level firmware for microcontrollers on our custom PCBs
- Develop and maintain instrument control software to orchestrate various hardware subsystems
- Test software at the system and subsystem level, creating test cases and test plans as needed
- Collaborate closely with hardware, software & automation engineers to ensure the software integrates seamlessly with the overall system design
Minimum qualifications
- 5-10 years experience with design and development of driver-level firmware, application-level firmware, bootloaders and related low-level functionality using C/C++ in RTOS and bare-metal environments
- Expert knowledge of handling communication between onboard computer and multiple firmware endpoints using communication interfaces like SPI, I2C, and USB
- Ability to read and understand circuits, schematics and board layouts
- Extensive experience with programming in Python 3 at higher levels of the software stack
- Experience testing software on and off the instrument
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- BS or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a similar discipline
- A background in biology or laboratory automation is not required, but a keen interest in learning more about these areas is
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with firmware development for liquid-handling robots
- Experience with instrument control software development for liquid-handling robots
- Experience in fast-paced startup environments with continuously evolving requirements
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, and actively seek out and value diverse perspectives. Women, people of color, people who are differently abled, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are encouraged to apply. Even if you don't check every box, but see yourself contributing, please apply. Help us build an inclusive community that will change the face of bio-automation!
