Sequencing Platform Engineer

Details for the position are as follows:

• 12-month contract to start with the possibility of extension or conversion depending on performance and business needs
• Rate: $40-75 an hour – rate is dependent on years of experience and education level
• Location:
  
  Santa Clara, CA 95050 – 100% onsite
• Hours:
  
  M-F / 8AM-5PM

We are seeking a passionate and hands‑on Systems Engineer to join the Systems Development Group supporting next‑generation sequencing (NGS) products. This role is a key contributor across feasibility, development, system integration, verification, and customer support for end‑to‑end NGS solutions. The ideal candidate thrives in a multidisciplinary environment, enjoys solving complex technical problems, and maintains detailed documentation throughout all phases of research and development in alignment with regulatory and quality standards.

• Become a subject‑matter expert in the operation of the Single Molecule Sequencing platform
• Design, execute, and analyze wet‑lab experiments related to sample preparation, library preparation, and sequencing
• Support system integration and testing activities; verify system performance using simulations, tests, and measurements
• Develop, execute, and document verification and validation test cases, ensuring comprehensive coverage of product requirements
• Assist with hardware development by testing and evaluating instrument subcomponents
• Troubleshoot instrument failures and identify root causes, seeking specialized support when needed
• Analyze experimental data, derive conclusions, and clearly document findings
• Write SOPs, protocols, and technical reports for internal and cross‑functional teams
• Provide customer support by monitoring sequencing runs, documenting defects, and following established escalation paths
• Support reagent QC and system configurations used by customers

• B.S., M.S., or PhD in science, chemistry, or engineering
• 1–5 years of relevant experience (depending on educational background)
• Hands‑on laboratory experience required
• Experience with PCR required
• DNA sequencing experience required
• Familiarity with MATLAB, Git, Python, or similar tools for data analysis or automation

• 3+ years of hands‑on NGS experience, including sample preparation, extraction, library prep, and sequencing
• Strong understanding of DNA and molecular biology
• Experience with PCR, laboratory automation, and a wide range of lab instrumentation
• Proven troubleshooting experience in wet‑bench NGS workflows
• Knowledge of the full NGS workflow, including nucleic acid chemistry and primer design
• Experience with statistical tools (e.g., Python, JMP), regression analysis, ANOVA, Design of Experiments (DOE), and statistical process control
• Exposure to prototype instruments, semiconductor‑based sensing devices, microfluidic devices, or surface chemistry is a plus