Principal Software Engineer
Principal Software Engineer at Halo Industries to design and maintain machine control systems for semiconductor manufacturing tools, using C# and industrial protocols like SECS/GEM and EtherCAT.
- Compensation
- $200K–$220K / yr
- Location
- Santa Clara, California, United States
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Principal
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 20+ years
- Category
- Software engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
- 20+ years of relevant experience in machine control, automation, or industrial software development
- Hands-on experience with industrial communication protocols (e.g., Modbus, TCP/IP, serial interfaces)
- Experience developing software in C# for hardware control and UI applications
- Experience with Industrial automation hardware
- Understanding of motion control concepts, including PID loop control and state machine design
Nice to have
- Experience in semiconductor equipment or similar industrial environments
- Exposure to wafer handling robots or semiconductor devices
- Strong problem-solving and debugging skills in complex electromechanical systems
- Experience in Python
- Experience with SECS/GEM and factory automation systems
- Experience with machine vision or camera systems
- Familiarity with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- Background in mechatronics or automation systems
Full description
The Company
Halo Industries has invented a technology to replace a decades-old semiconductor material wire saw slicing process that wastes billions of dollars annually in high-value materials.
Halo’s laser-based technology eliminates this waste from the silicon carbide (SiC) substrate manufacturing process, delivering improvements in both material cost and performance, while enabling accelerated growth for a diverse set of high-growth application markets, including the electric vehicle, grid infrastructure, industrial HVAC and other high-voltage power electronics sectors.
Halo originally spun out of Stanford University in 2014, acquiring a significant series A round of VC funding in 2020 following the successful demonstration of the company’s precision material slicing equipment. Having recently closed on an $80M+ B round of VC funding, Halo is driving the fast-scale growth of the company’s team and manufacturing operations.
Halo Industries is well-funded, deeply engaged with multiple strategic customers, and staged to achieve rapid operational, revenue, and valuation growth.
The Opportunity
As Halo transitions from R&D to high-volume manufacturing, we are seeking a Principal Machine Control Software Engineer to support the development, integration, and maintenance of equipment control systems for our semiconductor production tools.
This role will focus on hands-on software development and system integration, working closely with cross-functional engineering teams. The engineer will report to a senior member of the machine control team and contribute to building reliable, scalable automation systems.
Responsibilities
- Lead the design, development, and lifecycle management of advanced machine control software for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, ensuring scalability, reliability, and performance in high-precision environments.
- Architect and oversee implementation of industrial communication frameworks, including SECS/GEM, TCP/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus, Ethernet/IP, and RS232/RS485, establishing robust and extensible interfaces across complex systems.
- Drive development of high-performance software solutions in C# (including WPF), defining standards for graphical user interfaces, device communication layers, and real-time system monitoring.
- Own the integration strategy for hardware subsystems such as robotics, motion control systems, lasers, and data acquisition devices, ensuring seamless coordination between software and physical components.
- Define and guide the development of operator control systems, automation logic, and state machines for sophisticated equipment, emphasizing maintainability, fault tolerance, and operational efficiency.
- Lead system-level debugging, testing, and validation efforts, establishing best practices and mentoring engineers in root cause analysis and issue resolution across hardware-software boundaries.