Senior Scientist, Systems Integration

Quantum-Si is seeking a Senior Systems Integration Scientist to drive integration, characterization, and troubleshooting for Proteus, our next-generation single-molecule protein sequencing platform. This role investigates performance issues across samples, reagents, surface chemistry, consumables, fluidics, instrumentation, and sequencing workflows. The successful candidate will use hands-on experimentation, statistical design, root-cause analysis, and system-level thinking to improve product performance, reproducibility, robustness, and customer readiness. 

As part of our team, your core responsibilities will be:   

Scientific Systems Integration and Characterization: 

• Design and execute system-level studies to identify critical parameters, interaction effects, operating ranges, and sources of variability across samples, reagents, surface chemistry, consumables, materials, fluidics, instrument conditions, and sequencing workflows. 

Surface Chemistry and Material Interface Characterization:  

• Investigate surface and material interactions affecting sample loading, biomolecule immobilization, reagent activity, background, signal quality, and sequencing performance. 

• Partner with Surface Chemistry and Consumables teams to characterize material compatibility, adsorption, contamination, surface variability, and manufacturing or environmental effects and translate findings into product improvements. 

Reagent and Sample Stability 

• Design and execute on-board, off-board, accelerated, and stress studies to characterize sample and reagent stability under customer-relevant storage and operating conditions. 

• Identify degradation mechanisms and establish scientifically supported storage, handling, hold-time, and operating recommendations while differentiating sample, reagent, consumable, chip, surface, and instrument effects. 

Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis: 

• Design statistically rigorous experiments, including multifactor DOE, with appropriate controls and acceptance criteria to identify critical variables, interaction effects, failure thresholds, and optimal operating conditions. 

• Analyze complex experimental and sequencing datasets using JMP, Python, R, MATLAB, or equivalent tools and clearly communicate performance trends, variability, scientific risk, conclusions, and recommendations. 

Cross-Functional Scientific Leadership:    

• Lead cross-functional investigations with Surface Chemistry, Reagent Development, Applications, Consumables, Engineering, Software, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, and Customer Success, translating system-level observations into focused studies, integration strategies, and evidence-based conclusions. 

Test Method and Protocol Development:  

• Develop reproducible experimental protocols, characterization plans, test methods, controls, acceptance criteria, analysis methods, and troubleshooting workflows that support rigorous investigations and defensible technical conclusions. 

System Verification, Validation, and Reliability:  

• Design and execute V&V, characterization, robustness, reliability, and regression studies demonstrating that integrated sample, reagent, consumable, surface, and workflow performance meets system requirements.  

• Investigate deviations, outliers, and emerging performance trends and contribute scientific evidence to risk assessments, failure-mode analyses, mitigations, and product decisions. 

Customer-Relevant Workflow Evaluation: 

• Evaluate sequencing performance under customer-relevant samples, workflows, environmental conditions, timing, and operator interactions. Investigate field issues involving sample quality, reagent handling, consumables, surface chemistry, environmental exposure, or integrated workflows, and translate findings into practical product and troubleshooting recommendations. 

Technical Documentation and Communication 

• Author experimental plans, protocols, technical reports, investigation summaries, risk assessments, and scientifically justified recommendations with appropriate technical rigor and traceability.