Staff Systems Engineer - Pleasanton, CA

Summary:  

Calyxo is seeking a Staff Systems Engineer to architect, validate, and own the system-level behavior of a complex medical device ecosystem throughout the entire product development lifecycle.  

You will define and own the end-to-end system architecture, translate user and business needs into robust system and subsystem requirements, validate architectural decisions through prototyping and bench testing, and proactively de‑risk critical technical challenges. This role carries direct accountability for system-level requirements ownership and verification. 

The ideal candidate combines hands-on medical device experience, strong systems thinking, and the technical leadership expected of a staff-level engineer operating across hardware, software, disposables, and clinical use environments. 

In This Role, You Will: 

System Architecture: 

• Architect systems with a strong focus on technical and patient risk mitigation. 

• Establish and control system interfaces, including fluidic, mechanical, electrical, and software-control boundaries. 

• Drive architectural trade studies using bench testing, prototyping, and simulation to validate design decisions. 

• Ensure architectural robustness across intended use, misuse, fault conditions, and edge cases. 

Requirements Ownership & Decomposition: 

• Own creation, maintenance, and verification of system-level requirements, with particular emphasis on performance, safety, and reliability. 

• Decompose user, clinical, and business needs into clear, testable system and subsystem requirements. 

• Ensure complete traceability from user needs through requirements, risks, mitigation, and verification. 

• Write requirements that are technically precise, non-prescriptive, and verification-ready. 

Risk Reduction & Technical Validation: 

• Lead identification and mitigation of system-level risks. 

• Own or significantly contribute to system-level dFMEAs, ensuring strong linkage between requirements, risk controls, and verification activities. 

• Define and support system-level verification strategies, ensuring requirements are objectively testable and clinically relevant. 

• Actively de-risk novel or critical aspects of the system through early experimentation and focused learning cycles. 

Cross-Functional Technical Leadership: 

• Serve as the systems subject-matter expert across mechanical, electrical, firmware, software, clinical, quality, and product teams. 

• Lead architecture reviews, requirements reviews, and system-level design discussions. 

• Work closely with other technical leads (mechanical, electrical, and SW) to ensure a fully functional system. 

• Provide clear technical direction and interface control to external development partners, ensuring alignment with Calyxo’s system architecture and verification strategy. 

• Mentor engineers on systems thinking, requirement quality, and architectural rigor. 

Who You Will Report To: 

•  Systems and Test Senior Manager 

Requirements: 

Education & Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field; Master’s or PhD strongly preferred. 

• 12+ years of experience in medical device development, with significant ownership of system architecture. 

• Strong hands-on experience with both: 

• Single-use disposable systems. 

• Capital equipment incorporating pumps, sensors, and closed-loop control. 

Technical Expertise: 

• Experience architecting systems that integrate hardware, disposables, and software. 

• Proven ownership of system-level requirements and verification. 

• Proficiency with Jama (or equivalent), dFMEAs, fault-tree analysis, and requirements traceability. 

• Strong working knowledge of relevant medical device standards (e.g., ISO 14971, IEC 62304, IEC 60601 family). 

• Track record of writing high-quality, testable requirements that scale across complex systems. 

Leadership & Communication: 

• Staff-level technical judgment and decision-making capability. 

• Ability to lead through influence and technical authority rather than direct reporting lines. 

• Clear, concise technical communicator across disciplines and experience levels. 

• Comfortable operating in ambiguity, making informed trade-offs, and driving alignment. 

Work Conditions: 

• Location: Pleasanton, CA (on-site presence expected 4–5 days per week). 

• Travel: Minimal (<10%). 

What We Offer: 

At Calyxo, you will be part of a knowledgeable, high-achieving, experienced and fun team.  You will work in a diverse work environment with experienced, proven leaders and have an opportunity to shape our company culture.  You will experience constant learning and dynamic challenges to help you grow and be the best version of yourself.   

We also offer an attractive compensation package, which includes: 

• A competitive base salary range of $195,000 - $205,000 and variable incentive plan. 

• Stock options – ownership and a stake in growing a mission-driven company. 

• Employee benefits package that includes 401(k), healthcare insurance and paid vacation.