Software Engineer, Instrument Automation

At icspi, we are building the future of nanoscale imaging.

We’ve revolutionized atomic force microscopy (AFM) by miniaturizing it by a factor of 1,000,000x compared to traditional systems: integrating all the components of an AFM onto a single CMOS-MEMS chip, called microAFM.

Our desktop instruments, powered by microAFM, have reset the expectations for nanoscale imaging and are used by scientists and engineers in over 40 countries to drive R&D and manufacturing in academia and industry.

Now we are using our technology to solve throughput-resolution gaps in the semiconductor industry: catching nanoscale defects to enable new processes and prolong Moore’s Law.

Today, scanning a wafer with AFM would take about 70 years. By using thousands of microAFMs in parallel, we can scan a wafer in a matter of hours.

To get an idea of what AFM is in one minute, watch this YouTube short that features one of our instruments and technology: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xKlqsv4nCao

About the role

As Software Engineer, Instrument Automation at icspi, you will own our automation software and control systems to enable entirely new nanoscale imaging technology.

We're looking for someone who starts by automating our R&D protocols and grows into owning the design of our automation software stack. Our MEMS-based instruments use multi-axis positioning and sense at the ~10s of picometer level (for comparison, a silicon atomic is 200 pm across).

You will work closely with our engineering team across disciplines (mechanical, electrical, and applications) to create scalable software architectures that interface directly with physical hardware, automating R&D characterization pipelines, and scaling from single- to massively multi-channel systems.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who has practical expertise in hardware-software interfaces and image processing.

What you'll do

• Develop a reusable, modular software framework that scales from single-channel to multi-channel systems
• Design and execute end-to-end automation of R&D pipelines, including calibration
• Translate scientific protocols into robust data processing scripts, automate data collection
• Build image processing workflows to enable feature finding, target alignment, and scan data visualization
• Work with mechanical, electrical and application engineers on bring-up of new systems
• Create internal user interfaces and backend systems to clean, track, store, and pipeline high-volume instrumentation data.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in engineering (software, systems, electrical, mechatronics, nanotechnology)
• 3+ years of experience building software that interfaces directly with physical hardware
• Strong scripting and programming skills (e.g., Python and C/C++)
• Hands-on experience with data, signal and image processing
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex issues effectively across hardware and software

Nice to have

• Experience building internal tools or front-end user interfaces for engineering or data visualization
• Experience with computer vision (e.g., OpenCV)
• Familiarity with precision motion systems, multi-axis stages
• Experience with firmware (C++)