Scientist/Engineer (m/f/d) in Automated Biology

Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics; Dresden; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

TVöD Bund salary band

31 days annual leave

Public pension (VBL)

Public transport ticket (VVO)

Work-life balance support

Career development network

Job summary

Max Planck Society seeks a researcher to translate biological protocols into automated, reproducible workflows for MPI‑CBG teams. You will blend hands-on biology, robotics, and software development to take projects from feasibility to validated, routine systems.

The role involves defining goals with groups, planning milestones, integrating instruments, and delivering maintainable software, with opportunities to contribute to publications and training.

Qualifications

• PhD in biology, biotechnology, bioengineering, automation engineering, robotics, or related field preferred; MSc/MEng or Diplom-Ingenieur also welcome.
• Strong practical understanding of biological experiments and experience developing, adapting, or validating laboratory protocols.
• Strong programming skills, preferably Python, with ability to develop reliable scientific software.
• Experience planning and implementing scientific/technical development projects, including testing and troubleshooting.
• Excellent English communication skills and collaboration across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Define scientific goals, constraints, requirements, and success criteria with research groups.
• Plan and manage projects, assess feasibility, set milestones, and communicate progress and resource needs.
• Develop and refine automated experimental methods from sample prep to data acquisition.
• Integrate laboratory instruments and robotics for reliable operation across procedures.
• Develop, test, and maintain instrument control and data-processing software with version control.

Job description

The newly established Automated Biology Facility develops automated experimental workflows for the institute’s research groups and core facilities. Combining experimental biology with laboratory robotics, software development, and data acquisition, we transform biological protocols into robust, reproducible systems. Our projects range from routine liquid handling to complex experimental pipelines, integrating existing laboratory instruments and developing custom devices for tasks such as sample preparation, dissection, and quantitative imaging. We aim to generate well-characterised quantitative datasets and link automated experiments with physical models, enabling closed-loop workflows in which measurements inform models and model predictions guide subsequent experiments.

Your role

Within this framework, you will translate biological protocols into reliable, reproducible automated workflows for research groups across MPI-CBG. Combining hands-on laboratory work, robotics, and software development, you will take projects from initial feasibility assessment to validated systems ready for routine use. Your tasks will include:

• Working with research groups to define scientific goals, biological constraints, technical requirements, and criteria for success.
• Independently planning and managing projects, assessing feasibility, setting milestones, and communicating progress and resource needs.
• Developing and refining automated experimental methods, from sample preparation and liquid handling to experimental execution and data acquisition.
• Integrating laboratory instruments and robotic systems for reliable operation across experimental procedures.
• Developing, testing, and maintaining software for instrument control, experimental processes, and data processing, using version control and well-documented code.
• Validating and benchmarking new methods with biological controls, assessing sample quality, reproducibility, throughput, and robustness.
• Maintaining and improving established systems through troubleshooting, calibration, cleaning, servicing, and recovery after interruptions.
• Documenting protocols, equipment configurations, and experimental data, including metadata and execution logs, and training colleagues to use validated methods.
• Contributing to the presentation and publication of developed methods and results.

Your profile

• Preferably PhD degree in biology, biotechnology, bioengineering, automation engineering, robotics, or a related field. Candidates with a Master’s degree (MSc/MEng), or Diplom-Ingenieur qualification are also welcome to apply.
• Strong practical understanding of biological experiments and experience developing, adapting, or validating laboratory protocols.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python, with the ability to develop reliable and maintainable scientific software.
• Experience planning and implementing scientific or technical development projects, including systematic testing and troubleshooting.
• Excellent English communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines.
• Experience with liquid-handling platforms, laboratory robotics, instrument integration, or automated experimental workflows is advantageous.
• Familiarity with experimental data and metadata systems, or an interest in physical modelling, AI-assisted experimental design, and closed-loop experimentation, would be a plus.

Our offer

• An opportunity to help establish a new scientific facility at the interface of experimental biology, robotics, and software engineering.
• A full-time position, with an initial 2-year contract and the possibility of an extension for up to three additional years.
• Salary and benefits in accordance with the German public-sector collective agreement (TVöD Bund), up to EG13.
• Public-sector benefits including 31 days of annual leave, full social coverage, and supplementary pension (VBL).
• A discounted public-transport job ticket (VVO) and excellent transport connections.
• Support for work-life balance, including assistance with family and childcare matters.
• A broad network for career development and training through the Max Planck Society.

The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, and other components of identity.

• The Max Planck Society specifically aims to increase the proportion of women in the areas in which they are underrepresented. We therefore explicitly invite women to apply.
• The Max Planck Society is further committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.
• The Max Planck Society supports the compatibility of family and career and is certified according to the "berufundfamilie" ("job and family") audit.
• When you submit a job application to MPI-CBG, you are transmitting personal data. Please refer to our privacy notice for information on how we collect and process personal data in accordance with Art. 13 of the Datenschutz-Grundverordnung. By submitting your application you confirm that you have taken note of the information in our privacy notice.