Prototyping Engineer, Automation & Hardware

BIOSPHERE; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation (salary + equ

Unlimited paid vacation & sick leave

Comprehensive health insurance

Paid family leave

Gym membership at Pacific Pipe Climbin

Job summary

Biopsphere is seeking a Prototyping Engineer in Oakland to build and modify prototypes and test rigs for bioreactor technology. You’ll wire control panels, program PLCs or microcontrollers, and help run experiments from benchtop setups to pilot reactors.

You’ll learn how industrial fermentation equipment is designed, built and operated, collaborating with engineers in a hands-on R&D environment. Safety and practical problem-solving are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience building physical prototypes or test rigs.
• Ability to wire and troubleshoot basic electrical and control systems.
• Some machining or fabrication experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with bioreactors, lab equipment or fermentation tech.
• Safety-conscious around electricity, pressure and chemicals.
• Engineering degree or hands-on equivalent in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

• Build and modify prototypes, test rigs and bioreactor systems.
• Wire and program small control systems: PLCs and microcontrollers.
• Run experiments and maintain clean data records.
• Troubleshoot equipment and perform repairs.
• Document wiring diagrams, parts lists and procedures.
• Assist with commissioning and keep lab/pilot systems running.

Skills

Prototype building

Wiring & troubleshooting

Machining / fabrication

Lab equipment exposure

Safety mindset around systems

Hands-on engineering

Education

Bachelor's or higher in mechanical, electrical, chemical, biological engineering, mechatronics or equivalent hands-on experience

Tools

PLC programming

Arduino

Raspberry Pi

CODESYS

Siemens

SCADA

Ignition

Job description

Prototyping Engineer, Automation & Hardware

Oakland, CA

About the Role

We’re looking for someone early in their career who likes making physical systems work. You’ll build, wire and modify the prototypes and test rigs our R&D team uses to develop new bioreactor technology, from benchtop setups to pilot reactors. One day that’s wiring a control panel; the next it’s plumbing a skid or chasing down why a sensor drifts. You’ll work alongside our engineers and learn how industrial fermentation equipment is designed, built and run.

Responsibilities

• Build and modify prototypes, test rigs and bioreactor systems: mechanical assembly, sanitary fittings and tubing, pumps, valves, heaters and gas lines.
• Wire and program small control systems: PLCs and microcontrollers, motor drivers, sensors (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, pressure, flow) and mass flow controllers.
• Run experiments, keep clean data and build records.
• Troubleshoot equipment and fix it.
• Document what you build: wiring diagrams, parts lists and procedures.
• Help commission new equipment, and keep our lab and pilot systems running.

Qualifications

• Have built physical things that work, at school, at a job or on your own.
• Can wire and troubleshoot basic electrical and control systems, and have programmed a PLC, an Arduino, a Raspberry Pi or similar.
• Are handy with tools, and ideally have done some machining or fabrication.
• Have worked around bioreactors, fermenters or other lab or process equipment, in a lab, a brewery, a food or biotech plant, or similar.
• Take safety seriously around electricity, pressure, steam, compressed gases and chemicals.
• Have a degree in mechanical, electrical, chemical or biological engineering, mechatronics, or equivalent hands‑on experience.
• You don’t need all of these. If you’ve built real things and want to learn bioprocess hardware, apply.

Preferred Skills

• Industrial automation: CODESYS, Siemens, or SCADA and HMI tools such as Ignition
• Sanitary process hardware: tri-clamp fittings, diaphragm valves, cleaning in place
• Building or running fermentation or cell culture equipment

At Biosphere, our goal is to empower talented individuals who are driven by the desire to work on tackling society's biggest challenges. To that end, we take pride in striving to be an equal opportunity employer with a healthy work culture, creating an environment where high performers can thrive. We currently offer the following benefits:

• Competitive compensation through a mix of salary and equity.
• Unlimited paid vacation and sick/leave days + public holidays.
• Comprehensive health insurance for employees and their dependents, including dental and vision.
• Paid family leave.
• Membership at Pacific Pipe Climbing gym next door.

Biosphere is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.