Software Engineer, Embedded Software Engineer

ZAP Surgical Systems is a pioneering surgical robotics company based in San Carlos, CA. Our flagship product, the ZAP-X, utilizes a revolutionary gyroscopic motion platform and a self-shielded design, disrupting conventional radiosurgery and enabling advanced care in new clinical settings. At ZAP, innovation happens at the intersection of diverse disciplines. You’ll join a collaborative, mission‑driven team committed to developing the most advanced stereotactic radiosurgery product in the world.

We are seeking a Senior C#/C++ Software Engineer to develop the next‑generation Treatment Delivery application for the ZAP‑X radiosurgery system. This position is a hands‑on technical role for an individual who excels in high‑stakes environments. You will implement core components of safety‑critical C#/C++ applications which interface with real‑time control systems, orchestrate treatment delivery, and ensure deterministic performance and fault tolerance. You will also collaborate with clinical, service, and hardware engineers to understand and document requirements.

Your experience in regulated domains such as medical devices, automotive, or aerospace will help us deliver precise, reliable, and life‑saving treatments to patients with brain tumors, metastatic cancers, and functional diseases.

• Design and implement C# and C++ modules for treatment delivery user interface, hardware control, and system coordination.
• Design and implement unit tests and integration tests.
• Integrate with Beckhoff PLCs via ADS protocol for command and telemetry exchange.
• Collaborate with clinical and service engineers to understand user needs and investigate discrepancies in system behavior.
• Apply agile methodologies to manage development cycles, bug fixes, and feature rollouts. Collaboratively break‑down work items into manageable pieces.
• Optimize system performance for low‑latency, high‑reliability execution across multiple threads and processes.
• Document software architecture, communication protocols, and safety logic to meet medical device regulatory standards.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or Engineering.

• At least 10 years in software development, including at least 5 years in real‑time or safety‑critical systems.
• Proven track record of developing complex applications in regulated domains (e.g., medical, automotive, aerospace).
• Strong proficiency in modern C++ (C++17 or later), including multithreading, memory management, and performance optimization.
• Experience with C#, .NET, WPF, TCP/IP, and Python in multi‑language systems.
• Familiarity with deterministic programming and fault‑tolerant system design.
• Experience with inter‑process communication and hardware interfaces (e.g., ADS, Serial TCP/IP).
• Proficiency in debugging tools (e.g., Visual Studio, Valgrind, GDB) and performance profilers.

• Knowledge of safety standards (e.g., IEC
  61508, ISO
  14971) and risk management practices.
• Experience developing software that drives treatment plans or controls radiotherapy/diagnostic medical devices.
• Operates effectively in a regulated environment with design control and testing.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for cross‑functional collaboration.

• Mid‑Senior level

• Full‑time

• Medical Equipment Manufacturing
• Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing