Senior Software Engineer (Laser Systems)

Location: Darmstadt, Germany; hybrid

Company

hirify.global is developing laser-driven inertial fusion technology to deliver clean, sustainable power at commercial scale, backed by a $240M Series A and operating across Germany and the US.

What you will do

• Act as the primary software partner for the Laser team and coordinate software activities across laser projects.
• Provide technical leadership through planning, architecture, technology selection, risk identification, technical alignment, and coordination with physicists, engineers, and systems-integration partners.
• Define and build a greenfield laser-software platform, including system interfaces, user-facing applications, calibration tools, dashboards, and operational HMIs.
• Integrate software with laser devices, diagnostic systems, cameras, and experimental equipment for data acquisition, monitoring, control, and visualization.
• Develop data-processing pipelines and storage solutions for experimental, diagnostic, camera, and operational data.
• Improve reliability and maintainability through automated tests, documentation, debugging, code reviews, knowledge sharing, and mentoring.

Requirements

• Experienced software engineer comfortable solving complex, ambiguous problems and building systems from the ground up.
• Ability to combine technical leadership, project coordination, architecture, technology decisions, and hands-on implementation.
• Strong ownership of software quality, reliability, testability, and long-term maintainability.
• Clear communication with software specialists, laser physicists, experimental experts, and systems-integration partners.
• Experience debugging and testing complex software and making design and technology-selection decisions in evolving environments.
• Interest in understanding software interactions with hardware, cameras, diagnostics, and experimental systems.
• Commitment to constructive feedback, knowledge sharing, mentoring, technical leadership, and project ownership; formal people management is not initially required.

Nice to have

• Strong programming experience in C++, Python, or comparable languages.
• Experience designing, implementing, testing, debugging, and maintaining complex software systems.
• Knowledge of software architecture, code reviews, automated testing, technical documentation, and engineering best practices.
• Experience with greenfield development, platform or architecture definition, and technology choices under evolving requirements.
• Experience with automated calibration, control-adjacent software, laboratory systems, automation, or physical-device interfaces.
• Experience with HMIs, dashboards, technical-equipment operation, camera integration, image processing, diagnostic data, or experimental data pipelines.
• Experience with high-volume, time-series, experimental, or operational data storage.
• Experience with software-hardware integration and networked interfaces such as TCP/IP, REST APIs, webhooks, DDS, SCADA, or comparable technologies.
• Familiarity with control systems or optics and previous mentoring or technical-design leadership experience.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in an early, growing company focused on clean energy, scientific discovery, and innovative technology.
• Collaborate in an international environment with scientists, engineers, and technical professionals.
• Receive a competitive salary, stock options, 30 vacation days per year, and a private pension contribution of 20% plus loyalty incentives.
• Receive a laptop and peripherals, office snacks and drinks, and access to the Darmstadt canteen.
• Participate in company events and use NAVIT mobility support and Wellhub fitness and wellness services across Europe.