Staff/ Senior/ Principal Systems Engineer - R&D
$165,000–$260,000 year
On-site · South San Francisco, California, United States
Job Summary
Lead end-to-end system design and integration for complex R&D platforms in bioprocessing; establish User Needs, System Requirements, and verification/validation plans; own end-to-end architecture across mechanical, electrical, firmware/software, controls, and test; build integration strategies, lead cross-functional execution, and drive tradeoff decisions for performance, reliability, safety, cost, and manufacturability; guide design reviews, mentorship, and standards adoption; collaborate with Operations, Manufacturing, vendors, and Commercial/Sales to align on future developments; onsite in South San Francisco.
Required Qualifications
- Advanced degree (Masters or PhD preferred) in Bioengineering, Chemistry, Biology, or a related field
- 15+ years of Industry experience with 10+ years in the biopharma, biotech, or life science field
- Significant experience architecting and integrating complex R&D systems (multi-disciplinary: hardware + software/controls + test)
- Strong track record of leading cross-functional technical decisions and delivering integrated prototypes that meet defined acceptance criteria
- Expert ability to write concise system requirements and define interfaces that reduce integration churn
- Deep hands-on troubleshooting capability in lab environments with instrumentation, data-driven debugging, and structured RCA
- Broad experience with software, writing scripts (Python) and using CAD tools to evaluate mechanical and electrical designs
- Involved or leading multiple products and design releases to Manufacturing using both internal and external Contract Manufacturers
- Experience with ambiguity-heavy programs: rapid prototyping, evolving requirements, and parallel exploration
- Comfort with requirements/configuration discipline without over-bureaucratizing early-stage R&D
- Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills
- Ability to work in a small, cross-functional team in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to organize and plan as a key strength
- Strong analytical skills with data-driven technical solution capabilities
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with stakeholders
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