Lead Software Engineer
Semrock Optical Filters, IDEX Life Science Optics, West Henrietta, NY
Position Overview
IDEX Life Science Optics is seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer to lead the development and evolution of software systems that support engineering, commercial, manufacturing, operations, and product delivery.
This role combines software architecture, scientific computing, data systems, and hardware integration in a highly technical environment. Working closely with engineers, scientists, and manufacturing teams, the successful candidate will develop software that enables the design, production, testing, and delivery of advanced optical products.
This position is intended for a senior technical individual contributor with the potential to grow into a Principal Engineer role responsible for long-term software architecture and technical direction. While each developer often owns specific applications or platforms, success requires thinking beyond any single system. The ideal candidate will help evolve a cohesive software ecosystem, ensuring applications integrate effectively, leverage shared components and data, and provide a consistent experience across the organization.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary technical owner for several software applications or platforms while contributing to the architecture and evolution of our software ecosystem.
- Lead the architecture, design, development, and support of critical engineering, manufacturing, and business software systems.
- Modernize legacy applications and workflows into scalable, maintainable, and extensible software platforms.
- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to translate business and technical needs into effective software solutions.
- Design software that integrates with shared databases, enterprise data flows, manufacturing systems, and workstation-connected hardware.
- Partner with fellow software engineers to promote common standards, reusable components, integrated data models, and a consistent user experience.
- Promote software engineering best practices, including source control, testing, documentation, maintainability, and code quality.
- Troubleshoot complex software, database, integration, and hardware-interfa
- ce issues.
- Leverage AI-assisted development tools to improve engineering productivity, software quality, and solution effectiveness.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
- 10+ years of professional software development experience.
- Demonstrated success designing and delivering complex software systems.
- Strong software architecture, design, and problem-solving skills.
- Experience leading technical projects and influencing engineering direction.
- Ability to effectively utilize modern AI development tools and workflows.
Technical Experience
Experience designing, developing, and supporting software systems using:
- C# and the Microsoft .NET ecosystem, including both .NET Framework and modern .NET platforms
- Desktop application technologies, including WinForms
- Microsoft SQL Server and relational database architectures
- Python for scientific, engineering, automation, or data-driven applications
Demonstrated expertise in:
- Software architecture, design patterns, and maintainable system design
- Integration of software with databases, instrumentation, manufacturing systems, cameras, motion control, and other hardware
- Source control, testing, documentation, and modern software engineering practices
- Troubleshooting complex software, data, and system integration problems
Preferred Experience
- Manufacturing, scientific, engineering, or industrial software environments.
- Software integration with instrumentation, laboratory equipment, automated production equipment, PLCs, robotics, or embedded systems.
- Optical, photonics, physical science, or engineering applications for modeling or optimization.
- Manufacturing automation, machine vision, robotics, FANUC systems, or related industrial technologies.
- High-performance computing (HPC), GPU-accelerated computing (e.g., CUDA), scientific computing, computational modeling, machine learning, computer vision, custom AI/ML model development, or data-intensive engineering applications.
- Modernization of legacy software applications, databases, and spreadsheet-driven workflows.
What We're Looking For
The ideal candidate is a strong engineer who enjoys understanding the science, engineering, and business processes behind the software systems they build. They are equally comfortable discussing software architecture, troubleshooting a hardware interface, designing a database schema, or collaborating with engineers developing new products.
Most importantly, they are motivated to build software platforms that will support IDEX Life Science Optics’ and Semrock's growth for years to come and have the potential to develop into a Principal Engineer and technical leader across the organization.
Total Rewards
The compensation range for this position is $112,700.00 - $169,100.00, depending on experience. This position may be eligible for performance based bonus plan.
Benefits Package
Our comprehensive U.S. benefit offerings include: Health benefits, 401(k) retirement savings program with company match, PTO, and more. More information on our benefits and rewards can be found on our career page:
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
Artificial intelligence is not used to screen, assess or select applicants.
