Instrumentation Software Engineer Jobs in California

Systems Software Engineer

Company: Picarro
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Education: Bachelor's Degree Required

Position Overview

Picarro is seeking a Systems Software Engineer to design, develop, and maintain robust software systems that support scientific instrumentation and data-driven applications. This role requires strong software engineering fundamentals, experience building reliable and maintainable systems in Python and Linux environments, and a solid understanding of software development best practices.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working across system layers-from application logic to data processing-and can contribute to both software infrastructure and analytical workflows.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain systems-level software in Python
• Build reliable, testable, and maintainable code using modern software engineering practices
• Develop and maintain unit tests and automated test frameworks
• Work in collaborative Agile development environments using Git-based workflows
• Develop and optimize system components running on Linux-based platforms
• Build and support data pipelines, tools, and internal software frameworks
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams (hardware, systems, data, and science teams)
• Support debugging, performance tuning, and system reliability improvements
• Contribute to architecture decisions and software design reviews

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or related field
• Strong proficiency in Python with experience building production-quality software
• Solid understanding of Linux operating systems and command-line tools
• Experience with collaborative software development (Git, code reviews, Agile workflows)
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices (modularity, testing, documentation)
• Experience writing unit tests and building testable software systems

Technical Skills

• Advanced Python programming
• Strong experience with software development workflows (Git, branching, CI/CD concepts)
• Unit testing frameworks (pytest or equivalent)
• Linux system usage and scripting
• Familiarity with modern Python libraries and constructs, including but not limited to
• NumPy
• Pydantic
• asyncio
• typing
• pathlib
• itertools
• collections
• Ability to design clean, maintainable, and reusable software components

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building or supporting scientific or instrumentation software systems
• Exposure to data analysis, data modeling, or visualization workflows
• Experience working in hardware-software integrated environments
• Familiarity with performance optimization and debugging complex systems
• Strong understanding of asynchronous programming concepts in Python
• Experience contributing to shared software frameworks or platforms

The base salary range for this full-time position is $120K to $130K. Our total compensation packages include base salary, bonus eligibility, and equity. Your base salary range and title will be determined based on the location, experience, qualification, skills, knowledge, level, and pay of employees in similar positions.

We offer a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) plans
• Life, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• Employee Referral Program
• 401K
• Social events (summer picnic, holiday party, team lunches, etc.)
• On-site Health & Wellness programs (fitness challenges, outdoor bootcamp, flu-shots, etc.)

About Picarro:
We are the world's leader in timely, trusted, and actionable data using enhanced optical spectroscopy. Our solutions are used in a wide variety of applications, including natural gas leak detection, ethylene oxide emissions monitoring, semiconductor fabrication, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, atmospheric science, air quality, greenhouse gas measurements, food safety, hydrology, ecology, and more. Our software and hardware are designed and manufactured in Santa Clara, California and are used in over 90 countries worldwide based on over 65 patents related to cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technology and are unparalleled in their precision, ease of use, and reliability.
At Picarro, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, gender identity, social orientation, or disability. Posted positions are not open to third-party recruiters/agencies, and unsolicited resume submissions will be considered free referrals.
At Picarro, we strive to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, have equal opportunities. If you are an individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, please contact Picarro, Inc. at disabilityassistance@picarro.com for assistance.