Lab Robotics Engineer

Plasmidsaurus 

📍 San Francisco, United States 🇺🇸

full-time
mid-level
Posted —

Key Skills

PythonRaspberry PiAnsibleDockerOpenCV

Industry

RoboticsBiotechnology

Job Description

About Plasmidsaurus

Plasmidsaurus is on a mission to accelerate new cures and promote a healthier planet by unlocking a new level of productivity for scientists. Our sequencing services are used daily by thousands of innovators, including Nobel laureates, Fortune 100 pharma, and over 70,000 scientists.

We began by revolutionizing plasmid sequencing, making it exponentially cheaper and faster, with innovative sequencing technologies and a global network of laboratories that turn samples into answers in hours, not weeks.

Now we are expanding that same disruptive model across all of genomics. With the launch of our new RNA-seq service, we are taking a bold step toward our vision to sequence everything, providing scientists everywhere with faster, simpler, and more affordable access to the data that powers discovery.

Every team member at Plasmidsaurus plays a crucial role in driving the future of biotech research. Together, we are building the world’s most efficient sequencing engine that operates overnight, scales globally, and helps scientists make breakthroughs faster than ever before.

As a Lab Robotics Engineer at Plasmidsaurus, you will play a crucial role in automating and optimizing our sample processing pipeline. You'll be directly responsible for developing, deploying, and maintaining automation processes across our global network of labs.

Your responsibilities will span:

  • Writing production-quality Python code to control our robotic platforms, integrating with various lab instruments

  • Designing robotic systems using various hardware components and embedded systems, including Raspberry Pis, Arduinos, and custom-designed electronic & mechanical parts

  • Collaborating with our world-class scientists to productionize new lab protocols, leveraging your expertise in automation to scale and refine these processes

  • Building and managing a fleet of robots and monitoring systems to proactively identify and address issues with robots in the field

Culture

You are someone who:

  • Enjoys high agency and high ownership work

  • Is curious about learning from other people’s expertise in scientific/biological domains

  • Is excited to make an impact on the scientific community, enabling the next generation of medicines, biotechnology, and even plant-based-meats!

  • Can lead projects from idea to production independently

  • Is a life-long learner

  • Is excited to work in a tight-knit fast-paced environment with a motivated team

  • Values clear communication and helping others learn new skills

Qualifications
  • BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Biology, or relevant work experience

  • 3+ years of experience programming in Python (web frameworks like Flask/Django a plus!)

  • Familiarity with molecular biology protocols with 1+ yrs lab experience

  • 1+ years of experience automating, optimizing and scaling lab procedures using liquid handling systems (OpenTrons, Hamilton, etc.) and lab robotics

  • Experience with orchestration and deploying software to multiple devices in the field (e.g. Docker, Ansible)

  • Experience with cloud platforms and infrastructure-as-code (e.g., AWS, Terraform)

  • Experience writing software for Raspberry Pi

  • Experience with building & maintaining QA, telemetry, and monitoring systems to ensure device stability

  • Experience working with Linux servers

  • Experience with 3D printing (e.g., Fusion 360) and basic CAD modeling

  • Some experience with simple computer vision (e.g., OpenCV)

  • (Preferred) Some experience with C# and .NET frameworks for scripting automation equipment

  • (Preferred) interest in learning about biotechnology and DNA sequence analysis

Why Plasmidsaurus?
  • IMPACT: Your work will directly contribute to accelerating biotech research. This research is one of humanity’s most powerful tools for stopping climate change and developing novel therapies.

  • INNOVATION: Work on the cutting edge of biotech and software, introducing indispensable tools to top-tier researchers.

  • COMMUNITY: Join a passionate, resourceful team that values close, interactive relationships with our customers and each other.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't perfectly align with the job description as we seek out diverse and creative perspectives. Team members who love to learn and collaborate in an inclusive environment will thrive with us. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you need additional accommodations to feel comfortable during your interview process, please let us know at [email protected].