The Staff Software Development Engineer is a senior technical role responsible for leading the design, development, and delivery of large-scale, complex software systems. This position serves as a technical expert within the engineering organization, providing direction on architecture, best practices, and long-term technical strategy. The Staff Engineer partners with cross-functional stakeholders to align technical solutions with business goals while mentoring and guiding engineering teams to elevate overall capability and performance.

This role is based in Menlo Park, California, and will move to Sunnyvale, California in Fall 2026 OR possibly Durham NC. It offers a flexible work arrangement, with the ability to work from GRAIL's office or from home. Our current flexible work arrangement policy requires that a minimum of 60%, or 24 hours, of your total work week be on-site. Your specific schedule, determined in collaboration with your manager, will align with team and business needs and could exceed the 60% requirement for the site. At our Menlo Park campus, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the key days where we encourage on-site presence to engage in events and on-site activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design, development, testing, and deployment of highly complex and scalable software solutions.
• Define and enforce software architecture principles, coding standards, and technical best practices across teams.
• Serve as a technical authority and provide guidance on complex system design, integrations, and platform-level decisions.
• Collaborate with product management and business stakeholders to shape technical strategy and translate requirements into solutions.
• Mentor, coach, and provide technical leadership to engineers at all levels, fostering growth and skill development.
• Conduct deep technical reviews of designs and implementations to ensure quality, performance, and maintainability.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement new tools, frameworks, and technologies to improve efficiency and system capability.
• Troubleshoot and resolve the most challenging technical issues across multiple domains and systems.
• Contribute to roadmap planning and long-term platform evolution strategies.
• Promote a culture of engineering excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Adaptability and Growth Expectation

As our organization continues to evolve and grow, this role may require flexibility in responsibilities and duties. Employees should expect that their role may expand, shift, or be modified to meet changing business needs, strategic priorities, and organizational objectives.

This may include:

• Taking on additional responsibilities.
• Participating in cross functional projects and initiatives.
• Adapting to new technologies, processes, or methodologies.
• Supporting other departments or teams during periods of high demand.
• Contributing to special projects or temporary assignments as needed.

These job duties are a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company's discretion.

Required Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field; Master's or PhD preferred.
• 8-12 years of relevant software development experience with a proven record of technical leadership.
• Advanced proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks (e.g., Java, Python, C#, C++, JavaScript/TypeScript).
• Deep understanding of software architecture, distributed systems, and cloud-based environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering complex, high-scale, and mission-critical systems.
• Strong background in databases, system integration, security, and API development.
• Proficiency with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and agile development methodologies.
• Demonstrated level of knowledge regarding applicable regulatory standards commensurate with the position's complexity and scope, contributing to organizational regulatory compliance. Minimal applicable standards for this position include:
  
  • Cybersecurity principles, tools, and control frameworks (e.g. ISO 27001, NIST, SOC 2, HIPAA)
  • Operations within the regulated medical device environment (e.g. IVDD, IVDR, FDA 21 CFR 800 series, FDA 21 CFR Part 11)

Essential Skills

• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills with ability to handle ambiguous, high-impact technical challenges.
• Strong leadership and influence skills, able to drive alignment across teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with ability to convey technical strategies to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven mentoring and coaching ability to develop talent within the engineering organization.
• Strategic thinking with a balance between long-term vision and short-term delivery.
• High adaptability, embracing evolving technologies and innovative approaches.

Working Conditions

• Standard office or hybrid work environment depending on company policy.
• Frequent use of advanced software development tools, cloud-based systems, and collaboration platforms.
• May require extended hours during major project deadlines, production incidents, or strategic initiatives.
• Operates with significant independence and responsibility; expected to provide leadership on complex technical and organizational decisions.

The expected, full-time, annual base pay scale for this position is $169k-224k in the bay area.

This role may be eligible for other forms of compensation, including an annual bonus and/or incentives, subject to the terms of the applicable plans and Company discretion. This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the range that the Company reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire; the actual compensation offered may vary depending on factors such as the candidate's qualifications. Employees in this role are also eligible for GRAIL's comprehensive and competitive benefits package, offered in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. This package currently includes flexible time-off or vacation; a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; medical, dental, and vision coverage; and carefully selected mindfulness programs.