Automation Engineer – Process Chemistry Lab

Job Title: Automation Engineer – Process Chemistry Lab

Location: Onsite Cambridge, MA Duration: Long-term (Possible extension) Work Authorization: Open to all visa types Relocation: Candidates must relocate at their own expense Education: Minimum Bachelor’s degree required (PhD acceptable with 2+ years of relevant experience)

Position Summary:

We are seeking a skilled Automation Engineer with a strong foundation in engineering and programming to support and drive automation efforts in our Process Chemistry and Engineering team. This role will focus on developing automated systems, integrating lab instruments, optimizing current infrastructure, and collaborating with scientists to improve lab efficiency and safety. The successful candidate will lead efforts to build a self-automated lab by designing and executing scalable automation strategies.

Key Responsibilities:

Collaborate with process chemists, engineers, and high-throughput experimentation teams to understand lab workflows and translate them into automated solutions.

Design, develop, and deploy automated laboratory systems, including robotics, digital workflows, and software integration.

Support the development and deployment of custom software applications to automate lab operations and streamline communication between instruments and data platforms.

Evaluate and implement automation platforms and robotics systems suited for chemical and analytical workflows.

Integrate high-throughput tools (e.g., liquid handlers, solid dispensers, and analytical instruments) for experimental workflows.

Assist in building digital twins for batch and continuous processes, aligned with Quality by Design (QbD) principles.

Contribute to the implementation of Model Predictive Control (MPC) systems for real-time performance optimization.

Provide technical troubleshooting and routine maintenance of automated systems to ensure reliable performance.

Deliver concise technical presentations and document findings in electronic lab notebooks (eLNB) and technical reports.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Biomedical), Computer Science , or a related technical discipline.

Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in programming and developing automated laboratory systems .

Hands-on experience in laboratory automation and robotics integration.

Programming skills in C# , Python , LabVIEW , or similar languages.

Proficient in MS Office Suite .

Experience working in chemistry labs and understanding lab safety protocols .

Demonstrated experience in collaborating with scientists and translating research needs into technical solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing and deploying automation from concept to implementation.

• Industry background in biotech , pharmaceuticals , or related chemistry/engineering fields.

• Familiarity with laboratory analytical instruments and systems.

• Exposure to Multivariate Analysis (MVA) , chemometrics , and statistical modeling.

• Knowledge of small molecule process development and continuous process scale-up.

• Ability to work across disciplines and propose innovative approaches to scientific challenges.