Senior Automation Engineer, High-Throughput Screening

U175 (FCRS = US175) Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 94,000 - 174,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc. in Cambridge, MA is seeking a Senior Automation Engineer I to design, develop, implement, and maintain laboratory robotics supporting exploratory biology in an automated setting.

The role is hands-on and includes troubleshooting electrical and mechanical parts, protocol development, liquid handling, and OS validation for scalable high-throughput screening and automated cell culture.

Qualifications

• BS in mechanical, electrical or bioengineering required.
• 3+ years experience servicing and implementing automated systems.
• Experience designing and deploying automated laboratory workflows in life sciences or clinical labs.
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communications between scientific staff, customers, stakeholders and vendors.
• CAD experience (SolidWorks) and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Act as a primary support engineer for laboratory automation and instrumentation in Cambridge, MA.
• Set up, operate, and maintain high throughput screening systems.
• Collaborate with scientists to adapt biological assays from bench to automated assays.
• Act as project manager for automation projects of various scales.
• Work with multi-disciplinary groups to implement efficient, cost-effective solutions.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Electrical engineering

Bioengineering

Automation systems

Troubleshooting

CAD (SolidWorks)

MS Office

Project management

Robotics

Communication skills

Education

BS in mechanical, electrical or bioengineering

Tools

Biosero Orchestrator

Green Button Go

Cellario RoboCell

HighRes BioSolutions platforms

Beckman Echo

GNF Director

LIMS integration

C# basics

Job description

Job Description Summary

This role is responsible for designing, developing, implementing and maintaining laboratory robotics which support exploratory biology in an automated fashion. The work is hands-on and requires a broad range of engineering disciplines including project management, troubleshooting electrical and mechanical parts, developing protocols, liquid handling, and providing operating system validation/verification. The team's focus is to design, build, maintain, and improve large and small automated systems for high throughput screening and automated cell culture.

Job Description Internal Job Title: Senior Automation Engineer I Position Location: Cambridge, MA onsite This role is responsible for designing, developing, implementing and maintaining laboratory robotics which support exploratory biology in an automated fashion. The work is hands-on and requires a broad range of engineering disciplines including project management, troubleshooting electrical and mechanical parts, developing protocols, liquid handling, and providing operating system validation/verification. The team's focus is to design, build, maintain, and improve large and small automated systems for high throughput screening and automated cell culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a primary support engineer for laboratory automation and instrumentation within DSc in Cambridge, MA.
• Responsible for the setup, operation, and maintenance of state-of-the-art high throughput screening (HTS) systems.
• Working with scientists to adapt biological assays from the bench to fully automated assays using high throughput screening systems.
• Knowledge of Biosero Orchestrator and Green Button Go scheduling software is highly desirable.
• Act as project manager for small- and large-scale automation projects.
• The successful candidate will manage, plan, develop, and execute laboratory automation projects from start-up to completion.
• Work effectively with multi-disciplinary groups and individuals to implement solutions that reflect operational efficiencies in terms of throughput, delivery, costs, as well as health, safety and environmental considerations.
• Establish, monitor, and maintain a stable and productive automation environment through QC and preventative maintenance.
• Assist in the development of SOP’s, maintenance manuals, start-up procedures, and provide training to new users of equipment.
• Must be self-motivated with the ability to multitask and effectively manage timelines.
• Must be able to work independently and in team situations.

Essential Requirements

• B.S. in mechanical, electrical or bioengineering, or similar engineering discipline.
• 3+ years experience servicing and implementing automated systems.
• Experience designing, building and deploying automated laboratory workflows in life sciences or clinical laboratories.
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communications skills required to interact effectively between scientific staff, customers, key stakeholders, and vendors.
• Strong computer skills including MS Office and CAD (preferably SolidWorks).
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.

Desirable Requirements

• In addition to the experience above, the ideal candidate would have familiarity with the following systems and associated software: Biosero Orchestrator / Green Button Go robotic platforms, HighRes BioSolutions (Staubli/Denso/Precise) / Cellario robotic platforms, CellTrio RoboCell, Beckman Echo, GNF Director robotic platforms, and a wide range of laboratory benchtop equipment.
• Basic understanding of C# or equivalent programming language.
• Interest in the evaluation, integration, and optimization of AI models and orchestration frameworks.
• Familiarity with data analysis platforms like Genedata Screener, Spotfire and AI agents.
• Experience working with engineers and scientists to develop new automated platforms.
• Create innovative solutions to support complex biological assays at scale.
• Experience integrating automated systems to LIMS and other scientific data systems, either in-house or commercially available, to support reliable data capture, transfer, traceability, and downstream analysis.

Salary

The salary for this position is expected to range between $93,800 and $174,200 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

Salary Range $93,800.00 - $174,200.00

Benefits

• US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits.
• In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

Skills Desired

• Data Analysis
• Problem Solving
• Structural Biology

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EEO Statement

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Salary Range $93,800.00 - $174,200.00

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