Lead Automation Engineer, Autonomous Lab Science & Technology

into executable laboratory processes and scalable physical automation platforms. The individual in this role would own how scientific

are technically realized through robotics, instrumentation, instrument-control software, execution-layer interfaces, and integrated laboratory systems. You also partner with Lab Operations from design through operational acceptance so new capabilities are engineered for autonomous, reliable, and supportable routine use.

• ◆Physical Platform Architecture: Own the end-to-end architecture of the physical execution platform, from instruments and robotic work cells to integrated, increasingly unattended laboratory systems. Serve as the technical design authority for robotics, scientific instrumentation, instrument-control software, execution-layer interfaces, and reusable platform patterns.
• ◆Scientific Workflow Translation & Execution Design: Partner with Science & Technology Project Leaders and scientific SMEs to convert defined scientific

and acceptance criteria into automatable unit operations, equipment requirements, sample and material flows, execution sequences, control points, and exception states. Identify technical constraints and recommend workflow adaptations required for robust automated execution.

• ✓AI-to-Execution & Data Interfaces: Partner with CS CoE to define the boundary between digital orchestration and physical execution: how digitally specified experiments become machine-executable actions and how instrument outputs, system state, sample identity, metadata, and execution context return to downstream systems. Own the physical-platform interface and device

while CS CoE owns the corresponding higher-level AI, informatics, and orchestration capabilities.

• ✓Build, Commission & Technical Verification: Lead technical selection, integration, commissioning, and verification of robotics, liquid handlers, scientific instruments, schedulers, and control layers. Demonstrate that new platforms satisfy defined technical and scientific

before they progress to operational acceptance.

• ✓Autonomy, Operability & Operational Handoff: Engineer the capabilities required for unattended execution, including state awareness, observability, exception detection, automated recovery, safe-stop behavior, and appropriate human escalation. Design for maintainability and serviceability, jointly define operational-readiness criteria with Lab Operations, and support formal acceptance into routine operations. After acceptance, remain the technical design authority for material architecture changes, new capabilities, and systemic technical limitations; Lab Operations owns routine execution, monitoring, maintenance, incident response, and established recovery procedures.
• ✓Technical Leadership & Reuse: Lead complex technical problem solving, architecture and design reviews, and the development of reusable engineering standards. Mentor engineers and direct contractors, vendors, and system integrators while communicating technical tradeoffs clearly across science, software, automation, facilities, and operations.

through commissioning, technical verification, and scientific acceptance.

• ✓Reusable Engineering Standards: Common patterns for instrument and robotic integration, execution state, data capture, observability, error handling, recovery, and deployment across the organization.
• ✓Operational Readiness & Transfer: Joint readiness criteria and handoff packages that enable Lab Operations to formally accept new systems into reliable routine use, with clear post-deployment ownership for operations versus engineering changes.

• ✓Education & Experience: Bachelor's or advanced degree in engineering, computer science, life sciences, or a related discipline, with significant experience in laboratory automation and systems integration.
• ✓Automation & Systems Expertise: Deep experience designing, programming, integrating, and deploying laboratory automation platforms such as Hamilton, Tecan, Agilent, HighRes, Opentrons, robotic arms, schedulers, or comparable technologies.
• ✓Software & Integration Fluency: Strong Python and API-integration skills, with experience connecting instruments to schedulers, databases, message brokers, LIMS/ELN, or other scientific software systems.
• ✓End-to-End Delivery: Demonstrated ownership of greenfield automation platforms from architecture and vendor selection through commis