Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer

Corteva Agriscience; Johnston (IA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Health benefits from day one

PTO and well‑being pay

Parental leave

Retirement savings plan

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Vylor seeks an experienced Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer to design, implement, and optimize automated lab workflows accelerating research across the organization.

You will lead cross-functional teams, translate scientific needs into scalable automation, and drive standardization across platforms while collaborating with external vendors and internal researchers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Engineering, Life Sciences, CS, or related field.
• 7+ years translating scientific needs into automated workflows.
• Proven senior technical lead with cross‑functional collaboration.
• Strong understanding of biotech lab processes including genotyping and gene editing.
• Extensive experience with Tecan FluentControl and Hamilton VENUS for liquid handling.
• Experience with Dynamic Devices Lynx and Agilent Bravo.
• Programming in HSL, C++, Python, or Visual Basic.
• Ability to integrate multiple instruments and scheduling software.
• Hands-on troubleshooting and system optimization expertise.
• Excellent communication to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• US work authorization.

Responsibilities

• Translate scientific needs into scalable automated workflows.
• Lead automation projects from requirements through deployment.
• Develop and optimize liquid handler methods across platforms.
• Serve as escalation point for failures; lead root-cause analysis.
• Partner with engineering to design and integrate automated work cells.
• Collaborate with vendors to evaluate and integrate new technologies.
• Standardize automation, software, and scientific solutions across labs.
• Train personnel on automated workflows and safety procedures.

Skills

Automation leadership

Lab automation

Data-driven optimization

Cross-functional collaboration

Genotyping workflows

Liquid handling

Python

C++

LIMS integration

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Engineering, Life Sciences, CS

Tools

Tecan FluentControl

Hamilton VENUS

Dynamic Devices Lynx

Agilent Bravo

LIMS concepts

Job description

Join Vylor-Powering the Future of Agriculture

At Vylor, we’re advancing agriculture through breakthrough science combining elite germplasm, cutting-edge biotech, and next-generation expertise in gene editing and molecular breeding. Our portfolio includes trusted industry brands like Pioneer®, Brevant®, and Hoegemeyer®, delivering performance farmers rely on.

Join us to help scale innovation globally and shape what’s next in crop science.

In our mission to scale innovation globally and shape what’s next in crop science Vylor is seeking an experienced Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer who can help drive the design, implementation, and optimization of automated laboratory workflows to accelerate research across the organization.

The successful candidate will serve as a technical leader, translating scientific needs into scalable automated workflows, integrating emerging technologies, collaborating with scientists and engineers, driving process improvements, and ensuring robust documentation and knowledge transfer across the Vylor research organization.

Responsibilities – What You’ll Do:

• Work directly with researchers to understand current-state laboratory processes, map workflow and material flow, identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, and develop data-driven automation strategies.

• Lead automation projects from requirements definition through deployment, managing scope, schedules, resources, risks, and stakeholder alignment to deliver robust automated workflows for manual laboratory processes.

• Operate as a technical leader in the development, validation and optimization of liquid handler methods across multiple platforms (Tecan, Hamilton, Dynamic Devices, etc.) defining key parameters such as deck layouts, liquid classes, labware, tip strategies, data management, and error handling.

• Serve as a senior escalation point for method failures, instrument faults, and liquid‑handling performance issues, leading root‑cause analysis and implementing timely, effective corrective solutions.

• Partner with engineering team members to design, build, and integrate fully automated work cells combining liquid handlers, robotics, peripheral instrumentation, custom equipment, and scheduling software.

• Collaborate with external vendors to identify, evaluate, and integrate emerging technologies into Vylor processes, with potential emphasis on large scale, high throughput, droplet‑based technologies.

• Collaborate with research groups throughout the company to drive standardization across automation, software, and scientific solutions.

• Train laboratory personnel on automated workflows, instrument operation, and safety procedures.

Qualifications – What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Engineering, Life Sciences, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.

• 7+ years of experience translating scientific needs into robust, reproducible, and scalable automated workflows.

• Demonstrated ability to operate as a senior technical lead while effectively building strong partnerships, fostering cross‑functional collaboration, and driving strategic impact across key deliverables.

• Strong understanding of typical biotechnology lab processes including genotyping, plant transformation, tissue culture, gene editing, analytical biology, and related workflows.

• Extensive experience developing and deploying automated workflows using Tecan FluentControl and Hamilton VENUS platforms, including liquid class optimization, custom scripting, device integration, worklist generation, sample tracking, and LIMS connectivity.

• Experience with other liquid handling platforms (i.e. Dynamic Devices Lynx, Agilent Bravo, etc.) is a plus but not required.

• Experience with microfluidic based systems is a plus but not required.

• Proficiency in programming languages such as HSL, C++, Python, Visual Basic, or similar languages.

• Experience integrating multiple instruments and robotics into automated work cells, including the use of scheduling software to coordinate and execute complex workflows.

• Demonstrated hands‑on expertise in diagnosing and resolving laboratory automation equipment failures through direct operation, troubleshooting, testing, component replacement, and system optimization.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both scientific and non‑technical audiences.

• Ability to manage and advance multiple projects concurrently within an interdisciplinary research environment.

• High level of initiative, creativity, and willingness to learn along with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.

• Must have the right to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Benefits – How We’ll Support You:

• Numerous development opportunities offered to build your skills

• Be part of a company with a higher purpose and contribute to making the world a better place

• Health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment

• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well‑being pay per year, plus paid holidays

• Excellent parental leave which includes a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father

• Future planning with our competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program

• Learn more about our total rewards package here - Vylor Benefits (https://hrportal.ehr.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=joPuo3NxhtM%3d&portalid=423)

• Check out life at Vylor! https://www.linkedin.com/company/vylorgenetics/

We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team.

Vylor is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to embracing our differences to enrich lives, advance innovation, and boost company performance. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, pregnancy related conditions (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), disability or any other protected status in accordance with federal, state, or local laws.

Corteva Agriscience is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to boldly embracing the power of inclusion, diversity, and equity to enrich the lives of our employees and strengthen the performance of our company, while advancing equity in agriculture. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. Discrimination, harassment and retaliation are inconsistent with our values and will not be tolerated. If you require a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit: Accessibility Page for Contact Information

For US Applicants: See the 'Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law' poster. To all recruitment agencies: Corteva does not accept unsolicited third party resumes and is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.