Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer

Natera; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off

Fertility care benefits

Employee referral program

Job summary

Natera is seeking a Senior Automation Engineer to join the Platform group. You will join a tight-knit team of scientists and engineers to develop a scalable, robust clinical genomics assay platform and translate manual workflows into fully automated workcells.

You will collaborate with internal software teams, interface with external vendors, and help shape the architecture for automated laboratory systems used in clinical care.

Qualifications

• BA/BS or MS in engineering or similar field.
• 5+ years of full-time automation and systems development experience in life sciences.
• Track record of delivering complex automation projects in production.
• Experience with molecular screening or diagnostic products is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and build systems that integrate software, automation, and biology into a scalable clinical genomics platform.
• Collaborate with assay prototypes to optimize chemistry and hardware.
• Work with internal software teams to integrate LIMS with automation software.
• Interface with external vendors to design custom hardware and software.
• Lay the foundation for fully automated laboratory systems at Natera.
• Write documentation and SOPs and train engineers on hardware/software maintenance.

Skills

Automation systems

Software integration

Robotics in biology

Communication

Project management

Education

BSc/BEng in engineering

MS in engineering or similar field

Tools

Hamilton

Beckman

Tecan

LIMS

Job description

The Senior Automation Engineer within the Platform group will join a tight-knit and cross-functional team of scientists and engineers who are tasked with developing a scalable and robust platform upon which the next generation of Natera clinical assays will be based. They will contribute to the design and development of fully hands-off automated systems and workcells, aid in translating manual molecular biology assays to liquid handling systems, and work to integrate a variety of in-house and off-the-shelf software systems. We are looking for a candidate who is passionate about the application of robotics to biology, believes that laboratory automation is more than just the walk-up application of liquid handlers, and most of all is excited about being at the forefront of clinical testing and having their work used in the clinical care of millions of patients.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, develop, and build systems that integrate software, automation, and biology into a robust and scalable clinical genomics assay platform.
• Work with scientists at the assay prototype stage to ensure that chemistry and laboratory hardware are optimally designed.
• Work closely with internal software development teams to ensure the seamless integration of LIMS with automation software
• Interface with external vendors to design custom hardware solutions and integrate external software.
• Lay the foundation and architecture for fully-automated laboratory systems at Natera.
• Write documentation and SOPs, and train engineers on the development, maintenance, troubleshooting of hardware and software systems.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS or MS in engineering or similar field.
• 5 or more years of full-time experience in automation and systems development for the life science industry.
• Demonstrated track record of shipping complex automation projects in production.
• History of development and/or verification and validation for a molecular screening or diagnostic product a plus.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to integrate a variety of instruments, such as liquid handlers, plate readers, and plate-handling robotics.
• Software development experience, or minimally familiar with software development practices.
• Excellent communication, organizational, record-keeping, planning, attention to detail and time management skills.
• Comfortable working with a variety of internal teams, and managing relationships with external contractors.
• Experience in programming and operating liquid handlers- Hamilton, Beckman, Tecan, etc.
• Experience working with LIMS systems is a plus.
• Strong project management skills, organizational skills, and written and verbal communication skills.

Compensation & Total Rewards

This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the base pay we reasonably expect to offer at the time of hire. Final compensation will vary based on experience, qualifications, and skills considerations.

This positionis also eligible for additional compensation and benefits throughNatera’s robust Total Rewards program, including:

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off and company holidays

Additional wellness and work-life benefits

Compensation Range

$125,900 - $157,400 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @ natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Natera’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A \"disabled veteran\" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A \"recently separated veteran\" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An \"active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran\" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An \"Armed forces service medal veteran\" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or