Senior Algorithm & Machine Control Scientist

Full Job Description

The Company

Halo Industries has invented a technology to replace a decades-old semiconductor material slicing process that wastes billions of dollars annually. 

Halo’s laser-based technology eliminates this waste, delivering improvements in both material cost and performance, while enabling manufacturing advancements in a diverse set of high-growth applications markets, including the automotive, grid infrastructure, telecommunications and power electronics sectors.  

Halo originally spun out of Stanford University in 2014, acquiring a significant A round of VC funding in 2020 following the successful demonstration of the company’s precision material slicing equipment.

Halo is now planning its volume manufacturing operations and building a passionate team to meet its next milestone of deploying the company’s first fully integrated production line.

Halo Industries is well-funded, engaged with strategic customers, and staged to achieve rapid operational, revenue, and valuation growth.   

The Opportunity

The evolution of Halo’s technology and equipment, growing from an R&D focus to a production manufacturing environment, has triggered the need for an experienced candidate who can lead the design, development, and deployment of the company’s key production line equipment control.

Job Description

Take ownership of an advanced Python machine control framework

Develop and maintain software applications for equipment communication and integration into factory systems

Define control standards to be implemented uniformly across the production line

Evaluate and select industrial controller hardware (e.g. PC, PLC, embedded microcontroller)

Write high level device drivers for robotics, motion control, lasers, and data acquisition

Integrate custom and off-the-shelf device drivers into reliable, robust operator controllable state machines

Develop multiple graphical user interfaces tailored for R&D and operations purposes

Perform thorough testing and debugging from the system level down to the component level

Maintain thorough documentation and version control

Work closely with mechanical, electrical, system, and NPI engineers

Requirements

Preferred Education & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science or a related technical field with 10+ years of applicable experience

Candidates with advanced degrees may qualify for a given position with fewer years of experience.

What We’re Looking For

Expert level Python programmer with machine control experience

Command of basic concepts and advanced features of Python

Knowledge of best practices for implementing high-reliability production line instrument control systems

Experience with different hardware communication protocols (e.g. Modbus, TCP/IP, serial, ASCII, USB)

Working knowledge of servos, motors, sensors, actuators, I/O devices, and relays

Experience with source control (preferably Git)

Product and process development experience leading to an ability to understand the desired system behaviors

Outstanding detail-oriented analytical, creative, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think critically to diagnose issues and optimize complex processes

Ability to work self-sufficiently with minimal oversight

Excellent communication skills and the ability to lead and work effectively within an interdisciplinary team

Desire to play a ground-floor leadership role in a high-growth environment

Bonus

Graphical User Interfaces with Qt

Experience using asynchronous I/O for concurrency

Experience with C# and .NET

Semiconductor manufacturing experience

Experience with Human Machine Interaction systems

Expertise in mechatronics/automation design (motor sizing, actuator design, sensor selection, etc.)

Past startup experience and insights/lessons learned on effectively scaling from R&D to production

Benefits

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)

Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)

Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)

Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)

Stock Option Plan