Software Engineering Lead

Job Type: Full time, Exempt

Work Location: Hybrid — Raleigh, North Carolina. This role requires practical commuting distance to the Raleigh office and typically works onsite 1–3 days per week, with flexibility based on project and hardware-testing needs.

Travel: 10% of the time

Compensation: $115,000-$130,000 annually + equity. What you'll cultivate as a Software Engineering Lead: Take primary engineering ownership of the Mobile GroundOwl (GO) application following a structured handoff. Maintain a stable, high-quality field application by diagnosing issues, implementing targeted enhancements, managing dependencies, supporting releases, and collaborating with backend engineers on APIs and integrations. Improve the reliability and maintainability of Mobile GroundOwl through automated testing, observability, documentation, and support tooling. Help ensure dependable operation in low- and no-connectivity field environments where offline data capture, data integrity, synchronization, and recovery are critical. Design and develop lab automation systems that integrate application software, firmware, sensors, motors, actuators, microcontrollers or single-board computers, and custom electronics. Develop control logic, data-acquisition software, calibration routines, diagnostics, safety interlocks, and operator interfaces. Contribute software across EarthOptics products and platforms, including customer-facing applications, backend services, integrations, device software, and internal engineering tools. Collaborate with product managers, engineers, lab teams, hardware teams, and operational teams to turn real-world problems into practical, maintainable solutions. Apply strong engineering practices across prototypes and production systems, including thoughtful design, code review, automated testing, observability, security, and documentation. Use AI-assisted development tools thoughtfully to accelerate implementation, debugging, testing, research, and documentation while retaining responsibility for correctness, security, safety, and code quality. Within your first 60–120 days, you'll be expected to: Complete a structured handoff and establish clear engineering ownership of the Mobile GroundOwl application. Develop a strong understanding of Mobile GroundOwl's field workflows and reliability needs, including crash rates, failed synchronization, support escalations, and low-connectivity operation. Diagnose and address priority field issues while strengthening testing, observability, documentation, and support practices. Begin contributing to lab automation initiatives, progressing from problem definition and prototyping toward reliable systems that laboratory users can operate and maintain confidently. Are you our soil-mate? You'll bloom in this role if you have experience in: A bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field—or equivalent practical experience.2+ years of professional software engineering experience, or equivalent experience through internships, co-ops, research, or substantial shipped projects. We care more about demonstrated ownership and learning speed than a precise year count. Maintaining or shipping a production mobile application. React Native and TypeScript/JavaScript experience is strongly preferred. Strong Python development and comfort working in C/C++ or another language used for embedded, automation, or systems development. Working hands-on with sensors, motors, motor drivers, actuators, microcontrollers, data acquisition, and basic electronics troubleshooting. Rapid prototyping: defining a problem, building a solution, testing it with real hardware, diagnosing failures, and iterating. Git, code review, automated testing, and dependable software release practices. Using AI coding assistants effectively while independently validating generated output and maintaining high standards for quality, correctness, security, and safety. Communicating clearly, documenting your work, operating independently, and collaborating effectively across software, hardware, lab, product, and operations teams. Aside from "the green", we can offer you: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance - 90% funded by EarthOptics for benefit-eligible employees and 55% for dependents Company-paid LTD, STD, and Life Insurance Meaningful equity option grants 401k Plan + Employer Match up to 4%17 days of paid time off, plus 11 additional company holidays Parental Leave Professional Development Stipend + access to learning platforms Candidate Referral Program Above and Beyond Bonus Program Flexible Schedule & Hybrid/Remote Work Environment Regular opportunities to give feedback on our benefits offerings Inclusion and Diversity at EarthOptics: At EarthOptics, we embrace diversity and equality, and stand against any form of discrimination or harassment. We base all hiring and promotion decisions on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, veteran status, or disability. We are deeply committed to welcoming and including every qualified individual. As a part of this commitment, we ensure that persons with disabilities have access to reasonable accommodations. If you require assistance during the job application or interview process, need support to perform essential job functions, or seek other benefits and privileges of employment, please reach out to us at accommodations@earthoptics.com.