Senior Software Architect

About the role

PHI is the world’s leading supplier of ultra-high vacuum surface analysis instrumentation. Our XPS, AES, and SIMS systems enable scientists and engineers worldwide to analyze materials and develop next-generation technologies across industries including microelectronics, nanotechnology, catalysis, biomaterials, and pharmaceuticals. PHI develops sophisticated software that controls complex scientific instruments, orchestrates automated experiments, acquires scientific data, and enables advanced analysis workflows. Our engineers collaborate closely with scientists and multidisciplinary engineering teams to translate analytical workflows into reliable software systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide the long-term architecture and evolution of PHI’s instrument software platform
• Design and implement robust object-oriented software systems for instrument control, automation, and data analysis
• Define and improve API architecture that enables modular, extensible, and maintainable software systems
• Identify opportunities to improve system architecture, scalability, reliability, and maintainability
• Contribute to the modernization and evolution of existing software platforms
• Work with scientists and engineers to translate analytical procedures into reliable automation workflows
• Improve the user experience of complex instrumentation software
• Mentor software engineers and provide architectural guidance across the development team
• Lead design discussions and participate in architecture and code reviews
• Collaborate with engineering teams in the United States and Japan

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 8+ years of professional software development experience
• Strong expertise in object-oriented software design and architecture
• Experience designing modular systems and API-based architectures
• Experience developing complex software systems involving automation, workflow management, or hardware integration
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross-disciplinary teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing software for scientific instruments, laboratory systems, or industrial equipment
• Experience designing automation frameworks or workflow-driven systems
• Experience integrating software with hardware control systems or data acquisition systems
• Experience improving user experience for complex technical applications
• Experience or vision for modernizing or evolving large legacy software systems