Senior Lab Automation Engineer — Hamilton STAR Expert

TWIST BIOSCIENCE; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 169,000; Full time

Job summary

Twist Bioscience is seeking a Sr Automation Engineer to join the onsite Automation team in South San Francisco, CA. You will deploy automated solutions to the back-end of Twist operations, focusing on liquid handling and integration with LIMS to support high‑throughput genomic workflows.

You’ll lead validation projects, maintain production systems, and collaborate with Operations, R&D, and Quality to release robust automated workflows in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of relevant industry experience in laboratory automation.
• 5+ years hands-on experience operating and programming robotic liquid handlers, with demonstrated expertise in Hamilton Robotics.
• Proven track record translating manual assays from bench to stand-alone workstations or fully integrated platforms.
• Hands-on experience with sample tracking software, writing software requirements, and developing interfaces with LIMS.
• Strong scientific computation, data analysis, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and maintain automated liquid handling methods supporting high-throughput workflows across Twist's synthetic biology and genomics product lines
• Provide hands-on support for liquid handlers, bulk dispensers, analytical instrumentation, sequencers, and integrated automation systems
• Lead validation projects, author technical documentation, and maintain existing production systems.
• Collaborate within cross-functional teams to optimize existing processes, gather requirements for new processes, and integrate hardware with Twist LIMS
• Evaluate instrument manufacturers' native software and automation offerings, communicate integration needs, and build in-house solutions when needed
• Ensure work complies with regulatory and ISO 13485 quality standards

Skills

Laboratory automation

Robotic liquid handling

LIMS interfaces

Data analysis

Software requirements

Education

Bachelor/Master in Engineering or Life Sciences

Tools

Hamilton Robotics

LIMS

Job description

Twist Bioscience is seeking a Sr Automation Engineer to join the onsite Automation team in South San Francisco, CA. You will deploy automated solutions to the back-end of Twist operations, focusing on liquid handling and integration with LIMS to support high‑throughput genomic workflows.

You’ll lead validation projects, maintain production systems, and collaborate with Operations, R&D, and Quality to release robust automated workflows in a fast-paced environment.