Automation Engineer I/II - Discovery Oncology

100 Eli Lilly and Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 72,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Pension

Vacation benefits

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Well-being benefits

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in New York City is seeking an Automation Engineer I/II to build, operate, and maintain automated lab systems. You will work with senior engineers, automation scientists, and bench scientists to ensure reliable throughput and support new workflows.

You will grow under the Sr Advisor Lab Automation Engineer, advancing toward more senior automation work while contributing to calibration, maintenance, and script development in a hands-on wet-lab environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field or equivalent experience.
• 1–2 years in laboratory automation or related hands-on role.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain lab automation equipment to support daily throughput.
• Troubleshoot instrument and integration-level errors; escalate root-cause issues.
• Support installation, calibration, and preventive maintenance of automated workcells and liquid handlers.
• Write and modify basic automation scripts/protocols under guidance (Python, C#, Fluent Control, Cellario).
• Document SOPs, error logs, and maintenance records for reproducibility and audit-readiness.
• Collaborate with scientists to translate workflow requirements into automation steps.
• Monitor system performance and identify reliability or throughput improvements.
• Provide day-to-day technical support to bench scientists using automated systems.

Skills

Good communicator

Detail-oriented

Documentation

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Python

VBA

C#

SolidWorks

Inventor

Cellario

Momentum

GBG

Job description

Summary

We're looking for an Automation Engineer I/II to help build, operate, and maintain the automated systems that power our laboratory workflows. You'll work alongside a senior Lab Automation Engineer, Automation Scientist, and bench scientists to keep systems running reliably and to support the rollout of new automated workflows — with the senior Lab Automation Engineer serving as your primary technical mentor as you grow into a more senior automation role. This role reports to the AVP-Automation, Discovery Oncology and will be on-site in NYC.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain lab automation equipment (liquid handlers, plate readers, robotic workcells, etc) to support daily experimental throughput
• Assist in troubleshooting instrument and integration-level errors; **escalate** complex root‑cause issues to the team
• Support installation, calibration, and preventive maintenance of automated workcells and liquid handlers
• Write and modify basic automation scripts/protocols (e.g., in Python, C#, Fluent Control, or Cellario) under guidance
• Document SOPs, error logs, and maintenance records to support reproducibility and audit-readiness
• Partner with lab scientists and automation scientists to understand workflow requirements and translate them into automation-friendly steps
• Monitor system performance and flag opportunities for reliability or throughput improvements
• Provide day-to-day technical support to bench scientists using automated systems
• Take on increasing ownership of small technical projects under the Sr Advisor Lab Automation Engineer’s mentorship, as a growth path toward more senior automation engineering work

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, or related technical field (or equivalent experience)
• 1–2 years of experience with laboratory automation, robotics, or a related hands‑on technical role (internships count)
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis. Vaccine Company will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with liquid handling platforms (e.g., Hamilton, Agilent, Tecan, Beckman Coulter/Labcyte)
• Basic scripting ability (Python, VBA, C# or similar)
• Strong attention to detail and good documentation habits
• Comfortable working hands‑on in a wet lab environment; some roles require standing/lifting up to 25 lbs
• Good communicator, eager to learn from senior team members
• Experience using AI to write code or create simple UIs
• Experience executing scientific experiments in the lab
• Familiarity with lab scheduling software (Cellario, Momentum, GBG, etc)
• Coursework or experience with CAD (SolidWorks, Inventor)
• Familiarity with PLCs, safety circuits, or basic controls

Additional Information

The appointed candidate will work on‑site, full‑time, in New York, NY. Lillyis dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.

The anticipated wage for this position is $72,000 - $189,200 Full‑time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance).

• Eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k)
• Pension
• Vacation benefits
• Eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits
• Flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts)
• Life insurance and death benefits
• Specific time off and leave of absence benefits
• Well‑being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities)

Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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At Lilly we strive to ensure our employees are part of a team that cares about them and our shared purpose of making life better for those around the world. How do we do this? We continue to look for ways to include, innovate, accelerate and deliver while maintaining integrity, excellence and respect for people. We hope that you seek to join us on our journey as we create medicine and deliver improved outcomes for patients across the globe!

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