Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford

Instrumentation Software Engineer – Pathogen

Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: Oxford • United Kingdom

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Tech Stack

LinuxPythonRTOSTCP/IP

About the role

  • **Your Role:**
  • At EIT we are seeking an experienced and detailed orientated** Instrumentation Software Engineer** to help shape the future of diagnostic technology within our applied sequencing team.
  • In this role, you’ll design and develop control software, firmware, and embedded applications that bring laboratory instrumentation to life, enabling real-time coordination of pumps, valves, sensors, and actuators within a cutting-edge point-of-care metagenomic sequencing platform.
  • As the first Instrumentation Software Engineer on the team, you’ll act as a subject matter expert, adapting to the evolving needs of a dynamic R&D programme.
  • You’ll work closely with electrical instrumentation engineers, microfluidic scientists, and data engineers to transform system requirements into intelligent, automated instruments capable of precise fluidic manipulation, heating, cooling, and telemetric data collection.
  • This is a hands-on R&D role for an engineer who loves bridging hardware and software, writing code that makes physical systems move, think, and measure.
  • **Key Responsibilities:**
  • - Design, implement, and maintain control software, firmware, and automation systems for in-house laboratory instruments.
  • - Integrate hardware and software, ensuring seamless communication between electrical, mechanical, fluidic, and computational subsystems.
  • - Develop and test embedded control logic for pumps, valves, sensors, and actuators used in microfluidic and diagnostic instrumentation.
  • - Implement and maintain device communication protocols (e.g., serial, I²C, SPI, Modbus, CAN, TCP/IP) for hardware integration.
  • - Develop telemetry and data logging systems to capture and visualise real-time operational data.
  • - Collaborate with the Electrical Instrumentation Engineer to ensure software and hardware systems operate cohesively.
  • - Test, validate, and debug software and firmware on prototype instruments to ensure reliability and accuracy.
  • - Write clear documentation, including inline comments, user manuals, and design notes to support maintainability and reproducibility.
  • - Conduct code reviews, write unit tests, and participate in CI/CD workflows to maintain high-quality, traceable software.
  • - Support integration testing and verification within the full instrument stack, from benchtop setups to deployed prototypes.

Requirements

  • **Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience:**
  • - Degree or equivalent experience in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, or a related discipline.
  • - Proven experience developing software for instrumentation, automation, or data acquisition systems.
  • - Practical experience testing software–hardware stacks, including benchtop and deployed systems.
  • - Experience developing in embedded or Linux-based environments integrating real-world I/O and instrumentation hardware.
  • - Proficiency in Python, C, or C++ (experience with other embedded or control languages also welcome).
  • - Familiarity with sensors, actuators, and control interfaces, including analogue and digital I/O.
  • - Strong debugging and problem-solving skills, particularly for hardware–software interaction and timing issues.
  • - Commitment to maintainable, reliable, and well-documented code, with version control (e.g., Git).
  • **Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:**
  • - Experience in multidisciplinary R&D environments, particularly laboratory automation or diagnostic instrumentation.
  • - Familiarity with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence).
  • - Experience with validation and verification processes for production-level or regulated software.
  • - Ability to analyse system performance, optimise control loops, and identify design bottlenecks.
  • - Familiarity with embedded computing systems, real-time operating systems (RTOS), or microcontroller platforms.
  • - Understanding of networked instruments, telemetry, or data streaming architectures.
  • **Key Attributes:**
  • - Hands-on engineer who enjoys connecting hardware and software to solve complex technical challenges.
  • - Collaborative and communicative, able to work effectively across engineering and scientific teams.
  • - Analytical and methodical, approaching problem-solving with structure and rigour.
  • - Detail-focused and conscientious, with high standards for code quality and documentation.
  • - Adaptable and proactive, thriving in a dynamic, experimental R&D environment.
  • - Strong time management, balancing concurrent software tasks within multidisciplinary projects.
Benefits
  • **We offer the following benefits:**
  • - Enhanced holiday pay
  • - Pension
  • - Life Assurance
  • - Income Protection
  • - Private Medical Insurance
  • - Hospital Cash Plan
  • - Therapy Services
  • - Perk Box
  • - Electrical Car Scheme
  • **Working Together – What It Involves:**
  • - You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. In certain cases, we can consider sponsorship, and this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
  • - You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford (or be willing to relocate).

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard skills
control softwarefirmwareembedded applicationsembedded control logicPythonCC++device communication protocolstelemetrydata logging
Soft skills
problem-solvingcollaborativecommunicativeanalyticalmethodicaldetail-focusedconscientiousadaptableproactivetime management
Certifications
degree in Software Engineeringdegree in Computer Sciencedegree in Electrical Engineeringdegree in Electronic Engineering