Automation Scientist for AI-Driven Electron Diffraction

Caltech; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement savings plans

Generous paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Caltech is hiring an Automation Scientist to design scientific logic behind ELECTRA's automated experiments, from electron microscopy to remote testing.

You will translate experimental logic into protocols and machine-readable specs, set acceptance criteria, and help onboard users on-site and remotely.

Qualifications include a Ph.D. in a related field with 1 year of related experience (or a Master’s with 3 years), and experience automating lab workflows.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in related field with 1 year of experience or Master’s with 3 years.
• Hands-on experience with a structural characterization method.
• Experience automating laboratory workflows or running high-throughput experimentation.
• Proficiency in coding and data processing.
• Strong collaboration and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and validate automated and semi-autonomous electron microscopy workflows.
• Express experimental logic as protocols and machine-readable specs; set acceptance criteria.
• Analyze and curate datasets to inform workflow design and AI-driven experiments.
• Collaborate to translate logic into instrument-control routines and user interfaces.
• Provide expert technical support to onboarded users on-site and remotely.

Skills

Coding and data processing

Automation of lab workflows

Collaboration and written comms

High-throughput experimentation

Crystallography pipelines

Education

Ph.D. in chemistry, materials science, structural biology, chemical engineering, physics, or related field

1 year of related experience (or Master’s + 3 years)

Tools

XDS

DIALS

CCP4

PHENIX

SHELX

Job description

Caltech is hiring an Automation Scientist to design scientific logic behind ELECTRA's automated experiments, from electron microscopy to remote testing.

You will translate experimental logic into protocols and machine-readable specs, set acceptance criteria, and help onboard users on-site and remotely.

Qualifications include a Ph.D. in a related field with 1 year of related experience (or a Master’s with 3 years), and experience automating lab workflows.