Automation Engineer, Platform Biology — Scale Workcells

Flagship Pioneering

Cambridge (MA)

On-site

USD 108,000 - 171,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Annual incentive program

Retirement benefits

Other benefits

Job summary

Vesalius Therapeutics in Cambridge, MA is hiring a Senior Automation Engineer to scale the automated biology platform, bridging biology, robotics, software, and data systems. You will develop high-throughput protocols, integrate instruments, and build robust workflows using Python, C#, and platform APIs.

Collaborate with scientists, automation operators, IT, and data science to ensure data is reliable and reproducible.

Qualifications

Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, engineering, bioengineering, automation, robotics, biomedical engineering, computational biology, or related field.
Early career experience in laboratory automation, scientific software, robotics, biotech automation, or a related environment.
Experience with biological workflows such as mammalian cell culture, cell-based assays, high-content imaging, high-throughput screening, NGS, or iPSC systems is strongly preferred.
Hands-on experience with automated liquid handlers, robotic systems, integrated workcells, laboratory scheduling software, or instrument-control methods.
Experience developing and troubleshooting automated biological workflows, liquid-handling methods, instrument workflows, software tools, or systems integrations.
Ability to troubleshoot across software, hardware, liquid handling, instrument communication, data, and sample-tracking workflows.
Programming experience in Python and/or C#, or comparable languages, with familiarity with Git/version control, testing, debugging, and code documentation.
Strong communication and documentation skills with the ability to work effectively across scientific, automation, IT, and data teams.

Responsibilities

Develop and optimize high-throughput automated protocols that translate biological workflows from the bench to integrated workcells.
Partner with scientific teams to design automation solutions that balance biological fidelity, throughput, cost, reliability, and lead time.
Collaborate with scientists and automation operators on workflow execution, troubleshooting, training, and continuous improvement.
Develop and maintain automation scripts, scheduling workflows, error handling, monitoring, and instrument-control methods using tools such as Python, C#, JSON, platform APIs, and vendor-specific languages.
Validate automated workflows against benchtop methods, assessing precision, accuracy, reproducibility, and data quality.
Build integrations between automation platforms, instruments, LIMS/ELN, imaging systems, databases, and downstream data pipelines, including structured metadata capture and data handoff.
Integrate and troubleshoot new instruments and workcell components, including instrument interfaces or drivers where needed.
Apply sound software engineering practices including version control, testing, debugging, modular design, and documentation.
Program liquid-handling and robotic workflows across platforms such as Hamilton STAR, Dynamic Devices Lynx, HighRes Biosolutions/Cellario, and similar systems.
Develop barcode to workflow mapping to enable batch and sample tracking.
Create and maintain SOPs, method documentation, validation reports, troubleshooting guides, and other technical documentation.