Software Engineer - C++ Windows Developer

<p><strong>Job Title: </strong><strong style="color:rgb(8,7,7);">Senior</strong><strong> Windows Systems Engineer</strong><p><strong>Job Description</strong><p>We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Windows Systems Engineer to design, build, and maintain the core Windows software that powers our mammography display stations. This role focuses on native Windows development at the system level, involving Windows desktop applications and background services that operate close to the operating system and hardware. This is a critical position in a regulated medical environment, emphasizing Windows OS behavior, long-running services, multithreading, memory management, inter-process communication, and system reliability.<p><strong>Responsibilities</strong></p><ul><li>Develop and maintain native Windows desktop applications and Windows services written in C++.</li><li>Build background services that start with the system and manage critical workstation behavior.</li><li>Work directly with Windows APIs to handle processes, threads, synchronization, file system access, and OS lifecycle events.</li><li>Design and maintain multi-process architectures, including secure inter-process communication (IPC).</li><li>Ensure software behaves correctly across Windows state changes such as login/logout, lock/unlock, restarts, and remote sessions.</li><li>Debug and improve stability, performance, and reliability, addressing issues like crashes, hangs, and memory problems.</li><li>Operate in a driver- and hardware-adjacent environment from user-mode code, without writing drivers.</li><li>Collaborate with adjacent teams working in C# and, where applicable, .NET-based components.</li></ul><p><strong>Essential Skills</strong></p><ul><li>3+ years of professional experience developing native Windows software in C++.</li><li>Experience building and owning Windows desktop applications and/or Windows services in production.</li><li>Direct experience working with Windows APIs and OS-level behavior, beyond high-level frameworks.</li><li>Hands-on experience with multithreaded C++ applications and concurrency challenges.</li><li>Strong understanding of C++ memory management, including ownership, lifetimes, RAII, and smart pointers.</li><li>Experience debugging crashes, memory leaks, hangs, or performance issues in production systems.</li><li>Experience working with multi-process systems and at least one Windows IPC mechanism.</li><li>Comfort operating in system-level or OS-adjacent Windows applications that must run reliably over long periods.</li><li>Understanding of Windows execution contexts, including user vs. service operation and permission constraints.</li></ul><p><strong>Additional Skills & Qualifications</strong></p><ul><li>Experience with Windows Services running under service accounts.</li><li>Familiarity with hardware- or driver-adjacent Windows applications (user-mode interaction).</li><li>Exposure to environments with mixed C++ and .NET components.</li><li>Experience in medical systems, imaging workstations, or other regulated/mission-critical software.</li><li>Experience with Windows diagnostics tools such as logging, crash dumps, and system diagnostics.</li><li>Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field.</li><li>Experience with Windows 10/11.</li></ul><p><strong>Work Environment</strong><p>The work environment consists of a small team of 8-10 members based in Portland. The position offers the opportunity to train under an experienced engineer who is retiring, providing a wealth of knowledge and the chance to take ownership of the product. The company values employee appreciation and maintains a supportive and collaborative workplace culture.</p><strong>Job Type & Location</strong><p>This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Beaverton, OR.</p><strong>Pay and Benefits</strong><p>The pay range for this position is $48.08 - $62.50/hr.<p>Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Medical, dental & vision <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Short and long-term disability <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Health Spending Account (HSA) <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Transportation benefits <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Employee Assistance Program <br /><span style="margin-left:10px;">• </span> Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)</p><strong>Workplace Type</strong><p>This is a hybrid position in Beaverton,OR.</p><strong>Application Deadline</strong><p>This position is anticipated to close on May 18, 2026.</p><h2>Diversity, Equity & Inclusion</h2> <p>At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:</p> <ul><li>Hiring diverse talent</li> <li>Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection</li> <li>Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes</li> <li>Ensuring growth opportunities for our people</li> </ul> <p>Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.</p> <h2>About Actalent</h2> <p>Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.</p> <p>Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at <a href="https://www.actalentservices.com">actalentservices.com</a>.</p>

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...