Senior Software Engineer

Fairchild Imaging, headquartered in San Jose, California is a specialty image sensor design and manufacturing company with deep experience in developing leading edge performance CMOS image sensors. Our portfolio of image sensors can be found in many high-performance imaging applications like space exploration, medical x-ray, sciences, quantum computing, machine vision, low light, and 360 situational awareness.

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Software Engineer to join our imaging systems team. This role focuses on developing and maintaining performance-critical Windows-based software that interfaces directly with advanced imaging hardware. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in C/C++, Windows internals, and low-level register programming, and is comfortable working close to hardware in a complex, multidisciplinary environment.

You will collaborate closely with firmware, FPGA, hardware, and systems engineers to deliver robust, high-performance camera control and data acquisition solutions used in imaging camera systems in various demanding applications such as medical, industrial, scientific, and defense.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, debug, and maintain Windows-based software for imaging camera systems.
• Implement and optimize C/C++ applications using Microsoft Visual Studio.
• Develop and maintain MFC-based GUIs and supporting application frameworks.
• Work directly with the Win32 SDK for system-level functionality, threading, memory management, and performance optimization.
• Perform register-level programming to control and configure imaging hardware.
• Interface with camera electronics, sensors, and FPGA/firmware through low-level APIs.
• Diagnose and resolve complex software–hardware interaction issues.
• Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and technical decision-making.
• Contribute to software documentation, design specifications, and test plans.
• Support bring-up, validation, and debugging of new camera platforms.

Required Qualifications (Must Have)

• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++.
• Extensive experience using Microsoft Visual Studio as a primary development environment.
• Solid hands-on experience with Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC).
• In-depth knowledge of the Win32 SDK and Windows application internals.
• Demonstrated experience with register-level programming and low-level hardware control.
• Strong debugging skills across software, driver, and hardware boundaries.
• Ability to work independently and take technical ownership of complex systems.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience with device driver development or driver-level interactions.
• Exposure to microcode or firmware-related development.
• Experience with .NET programming (C# or related technologies).
• Proficiency in scripting languages, such as Python and/or Matlab, for automation, testing, or tooling.
• Background in imaging systems, cameras, sensors, or data acquisition platforms.
• Familiarity with FPGA-based systems and hardware bring-up environments.

Soft Skills & Attributes

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfortable working in cross-functional teams with hardware, firmware, and systems engineers.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a focus on software reliability and performance.
• Ability to mentor junior engineers and influence technical direction.

Why Join Us

• Work on cutting-edge imaging technology with real-world impact.
• High level of technical ownership and influence on system architecture.
• Collaborative, engineering-driven culture.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.

Fairchild Imaging provides our employees with a range in benefits offerings that includes:

• 9/80 Schedule - You get every other Friday off
• Medical, Dental and Vision coverage with multiple plan offerings
• Health Savings