---
title: 'Senior Software Test Engineer at Element Biosciences'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-test-engineer-element-biosciences-san-diego-209ckp1421p4'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-19'
---

# Senior Software Test Engineer at Element Biosciences

- **Company:** Element Biosciences
- **Location:** San Diego, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-10-13
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-19
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences/jobs/6221722004

## Job description

At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Software Test Engineer to help ensure the quality, reliability, and usability of software across Element’s sequencing ecosystem. In this hands-on role, you will independently own verification of complex features and workflows spanning instrument software, firmware, hardware, cloud services, and data-analysis interfaces. You will partner with cross-functional teams to translate requirements, user needs, and product risks into clear test strategies and objective evidence. The ideal candidate is passionate about building robust tools for scientists and brings a strong background in software and systems testing, integration troubleshooting, and regulated product development. This role will report to the Senior Manager, Software Test Engineering and is expected to be a San Diego based, daily on-site role.

If you possess the following and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to explore this role.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

- Independently design, document, and execute verification activities for complex software features and end-to-end workflows used with Element sequencing instruments
- Translate user needs, product requirements, system architecture, and risk controls into traceable test strategies, plans, cases, protocols, and reports
- Perform hands-on functional, integration, regression, and exploratory testing across instrument software, firmware, hardware, cloud services, and data-analysis interfaces
- Configure and maintain representative test environments, including control of software, firmware, hardware, and test-data configurations
- Isolate and troubleshoot defects using logs, command-line tools, database queries, and reproducible test evidence; clearly communicate severity, impact, and risk
- Collaborate with software, systems, hardware, assay, chemistry, product, UX, and quality partners to evaluate coverage, resolve integration issues, and improve the end-user experience
- Create accurate, review-ready test documentation in accordance with Element’s software development lifecycle and applicable design-control processes
- Identify high-value automation opportunities and contribute to maintainable automated tests and supporting tools as products and interfaces mature
- Communicate test status, quality risks, and recommendations to project leads and stakeholders, and share technical knowledge with less-experienced team members

Education and Experience:

- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, bioengineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- Typically 3–5 years of hands-on software or systems test experience; experience with life-science, medical-device, or laboratory-instrumentation products is strongly preferred
- Demonstrated ability to derive test coverage from requirements and user stories and to produce clear, traceable test plans, cases, protocols, defect reports, and test reports
- Experience testing interfaces among software, embedded systems, firmware, hardware, cloud services, and data-analysis applications
- Proficiency with Linux and command-line tools, log analysis, and SQL or NoSQL databases; scripting or test-automation experience (for example, Python or TypeScript) is preferred
- Experience working within a regulated software development lifecycle and quality system; working knowledge of FDA 21 CFR Part 820, IEC 62304, and ISO 13485 is preferred
- Understanding of product risk management and root-cause analysis; familiarity with ISO 14971 is preferred.
- Knowledge of DNA sequencing workflows or genomics applications is preferred
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to manage priorities and work effectively across disciplines

Physical Requirements:

- Ability to perform computer-based work and remain in a stationary position for extended periods, with or without reasonable accommodation
- Ability to move between office and laboratory work areas and operate benchtop laboratory instrumentation, with or without reasonable accommodation
- Ability to follow laboratory safety procedures and use required personal protective equipment

Location:

- San Diego (on-site)

Travel:

- No anticipated travel

Job Type:

- Full-time / Exempt

Base Compensation Pay Range:

- $118,000 - $144,000

In addition to the base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, a discretionary annual bonus, no-cost health insurance plans, a 401(k) with company match, and flexible paid time off.

Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience.

We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.

## About Element Biosciences

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Element Biosciences develops affordable, high-quality DNA sequencing and multiomics platforms to democratize access to advanced biological analysis.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series E)
- **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Three scientists (names not publicly listed in detail, but described as industry veterans)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Genomics, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Multiomics
- Target customers: Research laboratories (academic, government, and biopharma), clinical researchers, and diagnostic developers (B2B, primarily research and clinical segments)
- Mission or purpose statement: “To empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity, and open the world of biology to new possibilities.” [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about)

## Products & Services
- **[AVITI™ System]**: A benchtop DNA sequencing system that delivers high-quality, affordable sequencing (the company announced a $200 genome). Uses proprietary Avidity™ chemistry.
- **[AVITI24™]**: A 5D multiomics system launched in April 2024 that provides subcellular spatial co-detection of RNA, protein, and morphology on a single integrated platform, with no library prep required. Powered by ABC Sequencing.
- **[VITARI™]**: A new platform/product line announced for scaling without the premium price (details emerging).
- **Reagent & Consumables**: Proprietary reagents with a price guarantee for the lifetime of the AVITI system.
- **Loop Genomics Acquisition**: Integrated long-read sequencing capabilities via the 2022 acquisition of Loop Genomics.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company). Total known funding exceeds $553M across multiple rounds.
- **Key Metric (Total Funding)**: $277M in Series D (led by Wellington Management), $276M in Series C, plus Series A & B from Foresite Capital and Venrock. An upsized Series E was announced in 2026 to accelerate global growth. [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Wellington Management, Foresite Capital, Venrock. Global distribution partners signed in 2023. Nearly 30 unique patents.
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Customer base spanning 40+ countries.
    - Technology used in 400+ publications.
    - Achieved ISO 13485 certification (June 2026), establishing a quality foundation for diagnostic applications.
    - Opened new headquarters at the Alexandria Tech Center in San Diego.
    - Upsized Series E financing in 2026 to expand genomic, multiomic, and clinical research solutions.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Cost Disruption**: The company’s core differentiator is making high-quality sequencing affordable (e.g., the $200 genome) and accessible to labs of all sizes, challenging incumbents like Illumina.
- **Integrated Multiomics**: The AVITI24 platform is a first-of-its-kind 5D system that combines sequencing with spatial protein and RNA detection in a single workflow, eliminating the need for library prep.
- **Reagent Price Guarantee**: A lifetime reagent price guarantee on the AVITI system provides cost predictability for customers.
- **Founding Team & IP**: Founded by industry veterans with deep domain expertise, supported by a strong patent portfolio (30 patents).

## Strategic Focus
- **Global Commercial Expansion**: Scaling sales and support infrastructure across 40+ countries, with specific focus on APJ and EMEA regions (as seen in job postings for Field Applications Scientists and Territory Managers in those regions).
- **Clinical & Diagnostic Entry**: Leveraging ISO 13485 certification to move into regulated diagnostic applications.
- **Ecosystem Expansion**: Building out the AVITI24 multiomics platform and the VITARI scaling platform to capture a broader share of the multiomics and clinical research markets.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring across R&D, Commercial, Operations, and Quality functions to support rapid growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Values**: The company emphasizes five core values: “We Disrupt the Norm,” “We Lead with Respect,” “We Overcome Challenges with Grit,” “We Own Our Success and Failures,” and “We Embrace Authenticity.” They describe a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration.
- **Compensation & Benefits**:
    - 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage.
    - Premier mental health care (Spring Health partnership).
    - $10,000 fertility benefit.
    - Paid parental leave.
    - 401(k) match and stock options.
    - Paid flexible time off (FTO) for both exempt and non-exempt employees.
    - Free access to local Alexandria EXOS gyms.
    - Pet insurance and identity theft protection.
- **Work Model**: Roles range from onsite (San Diego HQ) to fully remote (APJ, Canada, France). The company has a paid, 10-week onsite summer internship program with a 4.86/5 intern satisfaction rating.
- **Growth Opportunity**: Joining a fast-growing, well-funded private company at a pivotal moment of commercial scaling and product expansion, with a mission-driven focus on accelerating science.

## Sources
1. [elementbiosciences.com](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/)
2. [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about)
3. [elementbiosciences.com/careers](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/careers)
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences)
5. [elementbiosciences.com/careers/openings](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/careers/openings)

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