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Sr Staff Engineer Instrument Architecture

In-Office, Milpitas, Santa Clara County, CA

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Job ID
R-549999
Category
Engineering
Location
Milpitas, California

Build an engineering career where innovation, ownership and impact move healthcare forward

At BD, Engineering and R&D professionals design, develop and improve the technologies that shape how healthcare is delivered worldwide. You'll apply scientific thinking, technical expertise and creative problem-solving to turn complex challenges into solutions that matter.

Whether you specialize in mechanical, electrical, process, systems, software or research engineering, BD offers the scale, resources and freedom to innovate – with clear expectations, accountability for outcomes and opportunities to grow your career alongside industry-leading technology.

And as one of the world's largest medical technology companies, you'll shape solutions that reach across global healthcare systems and improve lives at scale.

As a result of the combination of the BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions business with Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), by applying to this role, you will be applying for a position with Waters. Waters is a global leader in life sciences, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, Waters’ innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across biology, chemistry, and physics. Waters collaborates with analytical laboratories around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, assure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combatting growing antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, Waters’ passionate team of approximately 16,000 colleagues partner with customers to turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.

We are the people who give possibilities purpose

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it’s no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us—from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year—to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Senior Staff Engineer works closely with Marketing, HW, SW, Reagents and Verification & Validation to lead complex life science products through every stage of the development.  Understand customer needs and workflows, systems architecture and analysis, and how the different sub-systems will fit and interact to meet the desired customer function and experience. The Senior Staff Engineer is responsible for the definition and management of requirements, definition of product architecture, guiding characterization of prototype systems, and successful Verification and Validation.

The Senior Staff Engineer takes responsibility of systems definition and its documentation. This includes ultimate responsibility of system requirements and definition of systems architectures, device drivers, interfaces and communication protocols. The Senior Staff Engineer works with the engineering staff to develop and execute experimental protocols followed by the analysis and reporting of results.  The Senior Staff Engineer also participates in the integration of systems components. Additionally, the Senior Staff Engineer supports system level engineering verification efforts and supports the planning of validation test activities. The expectation is to leverage experience as well as best practices, and methods to determine root cause of complex issues. The Sr. Staff engineer is expected to help grow the capabilities of the team through their example setting and mentorship to teammates.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Define System Architecture: Author comprehensive system-level specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and functional block diagrams.

  • Manage Subsystem Interactions: Map and optimize the optical, fluidic, electronic, mechanical, and software interfaces to prevent performance bottlenecks.

  • Architect System Control & Real-Time Coordination: Architect System Control design, Design state machines, control loops, and timing sequences that orchestrate real-time hardware interactions across fluidic, optical, and electronic modules.

  • Design End-to-End Data Flow Architecture: Map high-bandwidth data pathways from raw analog detector signals through digitization, FPGA-based processing, firmware buffers, and high speed transport layers up to the software application layer.

  • Lead Sub-Systems Budget Allocation: Define and manage system-level budgets for optical power, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), fluidic timing, and electrical power consumption.

  • Conduct Performance Modeling: Build mathematical models to simulate system throughput, carryover, fluorophore spillover, and sensitivity.

  • Drive Trade-off Decisions: Balance competing requirements between resolution speed, laser power, mechanical footprint, and manufacturing cost.

  • Own the end-to-end requirements lifecycle including user needs, system requirements, derived requirements, traceability, verification planning, and change management for a program.

  • Be primary stakeholder in Design and Technical Reviews to practice sound decision making across the program

  • Work effectively and collaboratively in a cross functional team and with external partners to identify, communicate, and mitigate program needs at each product lifecycle.

Education, Knowledge and Experience:

  • System Control & Embedded Logic: Deep understanding of real-time operating systems (RTOS), deterministic control loops, hardware-software handshakes, state machine design, and communication protocols (e.g., RS232, USB, TCP/IP, CAN bus, SPI, I2C).

  • Data Pipeline Architecture: Expert knowledge of high-throughput data processing architectures, including DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfers, FIFO buffering strategies, and high-speed bus interfaces (PCIe, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet).

  • Fluidic Dynamics: Understanding of hydrodynamic focusing, laminar flow, microfluidics, acoustic focusing, and high-pressure sample delivery loops.

  • Precision Optics: Solid understanding of multi-laser excitation paths, beam shaping, dichroic filter design, and light collection geometry (forward/side scatter).

  • High-Speed Electronics & Detectors: Practical knowledge of Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs), Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs), Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs), and FPGA-based digital signal processing (DSP).

  • Biophysics & Reagents: Understanding of fluorophore excitation/emission profiles, antibody staining dynamics, and biological assay requirements.

  • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline, e.g. Physics, Biomedical, Electronics, Computer Engineering or Mechanical engineering. Master’s degree or PhD preferred.

  • Minimum of 12 years of experience in systems engineering, product development, or product design.

  • Experience in design control in a regulated environment.

  • Familiarity with regulations and compliance testing is desired

Physical Demands:

  • Role involves hands-on assembly, integration and rework of complex hardware instruments including fluid handling, optics, motion control, electronics and cabling.

Work Environment:

  • Hybrid position.  Will require on-site and in lab work a minimum of 4 days/week.

At BD, we prioritize on-site collaboration because we believe it fosters creativity, innovation, and effective problem-solving, which are essential in the fast-paced healthcare industry. For most roles, we require a minimum of 4 days of in-office presence per week to maintain our culture of excellence and ensure smooth operations, while also recognizing the importance of flexibility and work-life balance

For certain roles at BD, employment is contingent upon the Company’s receipt of sufficient proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In some locations, testing for COVID-19 may be available and/or required. Consistent with BD’s Workplace Accommodations Policy, requests for accommodation will be considered pursuant to applicable law.

#CLIO

Why Join Us?

To find purpose in the possibilities, we need people who can see the bigger picture, who understand the human story that underpins everything we do. We welcome people with the imagination and drive to help us reinvent the future of healthcare. At BD, you’ll discover a culture in which you can learn, grow and thrive.

We believe that when people connect in person, we learn faster, collaborate more deeply, and build a stronger culture. Join us and enjoy a culture where face-to-face collaboration supports your learning, your progress, and your success.

To learn more about BD visit https://bd.com/careers.

Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Required Skills

Optional Skills

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Primary Work Location

USA CA - Milpitas 155

Additional Locations

Work Shift

At BD, we reward, support and develop our associates through our comprehensive Total Rewards program. We are committed to attracting and retaining high quality talent by providing reward and recognition opportunities that promote a performance-based culture, as well as a competitive package of compensation and benefits programs. You can learn more on our career site under "Our Commitment to You."

Our salary or hourly rate ranges reward associates fairly and competitively. We regularly review these ranges and factors, such as location, contribute to the range displayed.

Our pay is based on the role and the necessary skills and education to perform it successfully. The salary or hourly rate offered is determined by the role's specific requirements, including any applicable step rate pay system at the work location. Salary or hourly pay ranges are influenced by labor laws and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) requirements applicable to the work location which may also affect the workplace arrangement of the role.

Salary Range Information

$168,600.00 - $269,800.00 USD Annual
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Success Profile

What sets successful Engineering and R&D professionals apart? You're likely to thrive if you are:

  • Analytical
  • Collaborative
  • Curious
  • Detail-oriented
  • Inventive
  • Problem-solver

Ready for your next challenge?

This is an environment for engineers who want to think boldly and execute with precision. You'll have the opportunity to influence design decisions, contribute across the full product lifecycle and see how your work moves from concept to real-world impact – backed by the scale of a global MedTech leader.

Hear from one of our BD Innovators about how BD uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning to power decisions that improve patient outcomes and expand access to care. This is where your work drives real-time impact across the globe.

Hear from Our Associates

  • "BD is a big, global company so don't be afraid to connect with and reach out to others. There is so much to learn here, and the company does an amazing job of helping people develop and grow. I'd also offer to become like a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as you can and put your Career Blueprint to work for you. I really love my job and am so grateful to work at BD."

  • "I think we have something like more than 30 different countries represented by those working within the Research Centre Ireland, which is impressive and one of my favourite things about BD. I work with electrical, mechanical engineers, scientists and so many others – it's wonderful to see and hear so many different perspectives during the day."

  • "I continue to be amazed at how we keep innovating in the Med Tech space. We constantly evaluate how to bring even more solutions to healthcare professionals, how to increase the efficiency of our technologies, all while keeping the patient impact in mind. Not only have I found meaningful work at BD, but a place where I feel I can thrive."

  • "During my interview, I learned how much of an impact our infusion solutions have across the world and I was impressed because whether it's analgesics, cancer treatments, anesthesia or other treatments, the likelihood of someone within your own family using our product is high. Contributing to the creation of products that have the ability to make such a big impact in healthcare is a great feeling. I love my role at BD."

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