Senior Software Engineer, Autonomous Lab

Ginkgo BioworksBoston, MassachusettsAutomation Software

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Opens the official Ginkgo Bioworks careers page

Salary

Not listed

Job type

Full-time

Posted

17 Jun 2026

Status

Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

Ginkgo Bioworks Inc. is hiring a Senior Software Engineer for the Autonomous Lab software organization in Boston, Massachusetts. This full-time role involves building the Catalyst platform, which powers automated lab products through hardware drivers, data APIs, and AI-enabled workflows, making it ideal for experienced developers with a background in complex systems.

Role Overview

As a Senior Software Engineer for the Autonomous Lab at Ginkgo Bioworks, the successful candidate will work on-site in the Boston office Monday through Friday. This position spans multiple teams within the Automation Software organization, including Agent Interfaces, Solutions Engineering, Orchestrator, Data Management, and Ops & Infra. Following a phone screen, the company will match the candidate with the team that aligns best with their background and professional preferences. Relocation assistance is available for individuals needing to relocate to meet the on-site requirement.

Key Responsibilities

Independently design, scope, and deliver large, complex software features from start to finish.

Own software components across their entire lifecycle, covering design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance.

Collaborate closely with scientists, operators, and engineering peers to build reliable software solutions.

Develop and maintain thorough automated tests, ensuring high standards for system reliability and observability.

Mentor junior engineers, contribute to technical documentation, and participate actively in design reviews.

Apply strong engineering judgment and utilize AI tools to accelerate development while ensuring production readiness.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

At least 5 years of professional software development experience demonstrating ownership of complex features or systems.

Strong proficiency in Python, alongside relevant language experience for specific teams.

Proven experience designing and operating production software such as APIs, services, or distributed systems with real uptime expectations.

Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration capabilities across technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without visa sponsorship.

Nice to Have

Familiarity with robotics, laboratory automation, or scientific instrumentation.

Experience building agentic systems, tool-use frameworks, or LLM-backed applications.

Background in optimization, scheduling, or operations research.

Experience with hardware communication protocols or driver development.

Relational database skills, specifically with PostgreSQL, schema design, and query performance.

Knowledge of cloud infrastructure, Kubernetes, and CI/CD release engineering.

Experience deploying software in customer environments or on-prem locations.

Familiarity with event-streaming systems or data warehousing tools.

Skills and Tools

Python

AWS, GCP, Azure

Kubernetes

React and TypeScript

LLMs and LangChain

Kafka and Snowflake

Salary and Benefits

The base salary range for this position is $134,300.00 to $189,900.00, with final compensation depending on experience and expertise. Comprehensive benefits include company stock awards, medical, dental, and vision coverage, health spending accounts, and a 401(k) program with an employer contribution. Additional perks comprise unlimited Paid Time Off, a full-week winter shutdown, eight paid holidays, and leave of absence policies.

About the Company

Ginkgo Bioworks Inc. focuses on making biology easier to engineer by constructing, editing, and redesigning the living world. The organization addresses global challenges in areas such as health, energy, food, and materials through its in-house automated foundry designed for building new organisms.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit an application on the official company careers page.

Skills and tech stack

Python AWS GCP Azure Kubernetes React TypeScript LLM LangChain Kafka Snowflake

Questions candidates ask

Is this position remote?

No, this position requires working on-site Monday through Friday at the Ginkgo Bioworks office in Boston, Massachusetts. Relocation assistance is available if needed.

What is the salary range for the Senior Software Engineer role?

The base salary range is $134,300.00 to $189,900.00, determined by the candidate's skills, expertise, and experience.

What level of experience is required?

Candidates must have at least 5 years of experience in a software development role with demonstrated ownership of complex systems or features.

Does Ginkgo Bioworks offer visa sponsorship for this role?

No, applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis, and the company is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of H-1B visas.

What technical skills are primarily needed?

Strong proficiency in Python is required, along with experience in tools and technologies such as AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes, React, TypeScript, Kafka, and Snowflake depending on the assigned team.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official Ginkgo Bioworks careers page.

Apply on company site