Software Engineer - Early Career - C++ & Systems

## About the job Job Title: Software Engineer (Early Career) – C++ & Systems Location: On-Site (San Leandro, CA) Job Type: Full-Time ## Role Overview SirenOpt is seeking a Software Engineer to help build and maintain the real-time data pipeline behind our sensing platform: acquiring data from multiple sensors, processing and storing it on Linux-based systems, and delivering it to the applications our customers rely on. You will work primarily in modern C++ and Python, with mentorship from senior engineers, and you will be hands-on with real hardware in our lab to test and validate what you build. This is a role for someone who wants to grow into a well-rounded systems engineer by shipping production software end to end, from a first design discussion to a feature running at a customer site. ## What You'll Do - Develop and maintain software components in modern C++ (C++17/20) for Linux-based systems, with guidance from senior engineers. - Implement features, fix bugs, and write unit and integration tests across the data pipeline, from sensor acquisition through processing and storage to the services that deliver results to applications. - Write and maintain Python scripts for automation, testing, and data analysis. - Read, and where needed modify, existing code written in other languages across the codebase. - Use AI coding tools such as Claude Code and GitHub Copilot to accelerate development, and verify their output through testing, profiling, and code review. - Run the system on real hardware in the lab to test and validate changes, including setting up sensors and collecting data. - Participate in code reviews, both receiving and giving feedback, and follow team conventions for code quality. - Help diagnose and debug issues across software and hardware boundaries, working with firmware and hardware engineers. - Measure and improve performance of existing code under the direction of senior engineers. - Document work so that others on the team can build on it. ## What We're Looking For - Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field; recent graduates welcome. - 0–2 years of professional software development experience; internships, co-ops, research, and substantial personal or open-source projects count. - Solid foundation in C++, including memory management, references and pointers, the standard library, and basic object-oriented and generic programming. - Strong ability to read, understand, and write Python, including working within existing Python codebases used for automation, testing, and data analysis. - Ability to pick up new programming languages quickly; the codebase spans several languages and requires reading and occasionally modifying code outside of C++ and Python. - Understanding of core computer science fundamentals: data structures, algorithms, operating systems, and concurrency basics. - Comfort with the everyday toolchain: Linux command line, build tools such as CMake, a debugger, and Git-based workflows including branches, pull requests, and code review. - Hands-on experience using AI coding tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or Cursor as part of a real development workflow, and the judgment to review and test their output. - Comfort working hands-on with lab and test equipment, including setting up sensors, running the system on real hardware, and collecting data for testing and validation. - Clear written and verbal communication, and the ability to work well with teammates across disciplines. ## Nice to Have - Experience with Qt, gRPC, or Protocol Buffers. - Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing. - Experience with profiling and debugging tools such as perf, Valgrind, GDB, or sanitizers. - Familiarity with hardware communication interfaces such as Ethernet, USB, or Serial. - Contributions to open-source projects. ## What You'll Learn You will work on a real-time sensing platform that is already running at some of the largest manufacturers in the world, on a small team where your code reaches customers quickly. - How a high-throughput, multi-sensor data pipeline is built end to end, from acquisition through processing and storage, and kept reliable in production. - Modern C++ and Linux systems engineering, with regular code review and mentorship from senior engineers. - How software, firmware, and hardware teams work together to ship a physical product. - How to use AI coding tools effectively and responsibly in a professional engineering workflow. - A clear path to grow into a mid-level engineer with ownership of your own components. ## Compensation Base Pay Range: $120,000 - $160,000 USD. Equity and salary compensation depends on experience.