Software Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation
Location: Cambridge (On-site)
Salary: £40,000 – £55,000 + Share Options
Job Type: Full-time
The Company
An innovative and rapidly growing technology company at the forefront of life science instrumentation is seeking a Software Engineer to join its multidisciplinary team.
This is an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge technology that supports breakthroughs in drug development, biomolecule production and scientific discovery.
The Role
You will play a key role in developing software that powers a sophisticated analytical instrument, with a strong focus on machine control and hardware integration.
Working across the software stack, you will be involved in interfacing with hardware components, controlling experimental workflows and ensuring robust, reliable system performance. While some frontend development is involved, the primary focus is on backend systems and interaction with physical devices.
You will collaborate closely with scientists and engineers across multiple disciplines to translate complex experimental requirements into maintainable and scalable software solutions.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop software to control instrumentation and experimental workflows
* Interface with hardware components such as sensors, actuators and microcontrollers
* Implement and maintain reliable communication between software and devices
* Troubleshoot issues across hardware and software boundaries
* Contribute to backend systems, data handling and experiment execution
* Support rapid prototyping of new features and hardware capabilities
* Integrate new functionality into an evolving software platform
* Maintain and improve existing codebases
* Fix bugs and enhance system robustness
* Contribute to unit and system testing
* Work closely with cross-functional teams including scientists and engineers
* Participate in technical discussions and solution design
Requirements
* Degree (MEng or equivalent) in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Physics or related engineering discipline
* 2–5 years’ experience in software development, ideally within hardware or instrumentation environments
* Strong programming skills in Python, C++ and TypeScript
* Experience with machine control, embedded systems or hardware integration
* Familiarity with Git, build processes and software development lifecycle
* Strong problem-solving skills and ability to learn quickly in a practical environment
* Excellent communication and teamwork abilities
What’s on Offer
* Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology at the intersection of science and engineering
* Collaborative, fast-paced environment with real product impact
* Exposure to multidisciplinary teams and complex systems
* Share option scheme
* Competitive salary package