Engineer I, Research Operations, (1st shift)

Lilasciences; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Lila Sciences is seeking an Engineer I to support mammalian cell-based workflows in an on-site role with either a 7:00 AM–3:00 PM or 9:00 AM–5:00 PM shift. You will merge hands-on cell culture with automation to produce materials for downstream applications and ensure high-quality, traceable results.

You will maintain cell cultures, operate automated handlers and transfection instruments, and collaborate with scientists to improve SOPs and workflows in a fast-paced, high-throughput environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Bioengineering, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant laboratory experience.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant Co-Op and industry laboratory experience.
• Hands-on mammalian cell culture experience with aseptic technique, routine maintenance, passaging, cell counting, and viability assessment.
• Experience with mammalian cell transfection methods, including chemical transfection, electroporation, or related delivery technologies.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow SOPs and technical instructions while maintaining accurate, complete, and traceable documentation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including recognizing deviations, performing initial troubleshooting, and escalating appropriately.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and execute reliably in a fast-paced, high-throughput laboratory environment.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to provide clear status updates and work effectively across teams.
• Ability to work on-site during first shift, with scheduled hours of either 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM or 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM based on operational needs.

Responsibilities

• Execute high-throughput automated and manual workflows, including electroporation, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) dosing, and chemical transfection.
• Maintain and passage mammalian cell lines and primary cells using aseptic technique, including cell counting and viability assessment.
• Prepare workflow materials and operate automated liquid handlers, electroporation instruments, and related laboratory equipment.
• Perform downstream characterization using flow cytometry, plate reader-based assays, or imaging-based methods.
• Monitor cell health, workflow performance, and quality-control results; troubleshoot issues and elevate as needed.
• Maintain traceable records, provide clear handoffs, and partner with scientists and engineers to improve SOPs and workflows.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Laboratory automation

Flow cytometry

SOPs & documentation

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Biology/BIotech/ Biochem/Cell Biology/Bioengineering

Tools

Automated liquid handlers

Electroporation instruments

Lonza Nucleofector platforms

Job description

Your Impact at LILA

Lila Sciences’ Research Operations team executes the high-throughput laboratory workflows that power our scientific platform. We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Engineer I to support mammalian cell-based workflows, including electroporation, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) dosing, and chemical transfection. This is an on-site, first-shift role, with scheduled hours of either 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM or 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM based on operational needs.

In this role, you will combine hands-on cell culture with laboratory automation to deliver consistent, high-quality materials for downstream applications. You will maintain mammalian cell cultures, operate automated liquid handlers and specialized instruments, monitor cell health and quality-control results, troubleshoot issues, and perform downstream characterization. You will partner with scientists and engineers to improve workflow reliability, scalability, and traceability.

What You'll Be Building

• Execute high-throughput automated and manual workflows, including electroporation, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) dosing, and chemical transfection.
• Maintain and passage mammalian cell lines and primary cells using aseptic technique, including cell counting and viability assessment.
• Prepare workflow materials and operate automated liquid handlers, electroporation instruments, and related laboratory equipment.
• Perform downstream characterization using flow cytometry, plate reader-based assays, or imaging-based methods.
• Monitor cell health, workflow performance, and quality-control results; troubleshoot issues and elevate as needed.
• Maintain traceable records, provide clear handoffs, and partner with scientists and engineers to improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) and workflows.

What You'll Need to Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Bioengineering, or a related scientific or engineering field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant laboratory experience.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant Co-Op and industry laboratory experience.
• Hands-on mammalian cell culture experience, including aseptic technique, routine maintenance, passaging, cell counting, and viability assessment.
• Experience with mammalian cell transfection methods, including chemical transfection, electroporation, or related delivery technologies.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow SOPs and technical instructions while maintaining accurate, complete, and traceable documentation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including recognizing deviations, performing initial troubleshooting, and escalating appropriately.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and execute reliably in a fast-paced, high-throughput laboratory environment.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to provide clear status updates and work effectively across teams.
• Ability to work on-site during first shift, with scheduled hours of either 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM or 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM based on operational needs.

Bonus Points For

• Experience operating electroporation platforms, such as the Lonza Nucleofector or similar systems.
• Experience with LNP dosing or LNP-mediated delivery to mammalian cells.
• Experience handling primary human cells, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), T cells, or stem cells.
• Hands-on experience with flow cytometry, including sample preparation, instrument operation, or data analysis.
• Experience with plate reader-based or imaging-based cellular assays.
• Experience operating automated liquid handlers and associated software.
• Experience working in a high-throughput screening or production-oriented laboratory environment.

Compensation

We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.

U.S. Benefits.

Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.

International Benefits.

Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.

Expected Base Salary Range

$75,600 — $100,800 USD

About LILA

Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.

LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai.

Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.

We’re All In

Lila Sciences iscommitted to equal employment opportunityregardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.

A Note to Agencies

Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.