Associate Principal Scientist, Laboratory Automation Engineer

MSD•Rahway, NJ

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Associate Principal Scientist, Laboratory Automation Engineer in Digital Technologies Lab Automation Location: Rahway, NJ Digital is the multiplier that will allow Development Sciences and Clinical Supply (DSCS) to deliver better experiments faster, efficient filing and launch, more robust supply chains and higher-confidence decisions across the portfolio. The DSCS Digital Technologies organization is responsible for the invention and application of new data-rich tools to support scientists across process development, drug product development and analytical development within DSCS at our company. We aspire to embed data-intense technologies into the fabric of DSCS culture. The tools that we develop are as diverse as the team developing them, and in this Associate Principal Scientist role, the chosen candidate will leverage their laboratory robotics and automation skills to enable our development efforts across our company's small molecule, biologics, and vaccines portfolio. In this role, we are seeking a motivated Laboratory Automation Engineer, located in Rahway, NJ as part of Digital Technologies Lab Automation. The candidate will focus on designing, implementing, and optimizing automated laboratory systems to accelerate development timelines while ensuring operational excellence and regulatory compliance. This role will work collaboratively with drug product, drug substance, analytical, automation scientists/engineers, and cross-functional teams to build innovative capabilities in laboratory automation. The candidate will contribute toward operational excellence of existing automation platforms while also developing next-generation automated solutions to support current and future DSCS development initiatives.

Requirements

A Ph.D. in Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field with at least 3 years of relevant experience
A M.S. in Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field with at least 5 years of relevant experience
A B.S. in in Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field with at least 7 years of relevant experience
Experience in a lab-based setting, working with lab automation and equipment integration
Proficient in designing, validating, optimizing, and operating robotic liquid handlers, robotic workcells, and other automation platforms
Experience with scripting/programming in one or more of the following: Python, C#, VBA, JavaScript, R, following accepted best practices (version control, design patterns, clean code)
Experience with one or more commercial lab automation platforms, specifically front-end software, such as: Tecan, Biomek, Formulatrix or Hamilton liquid handlers
Experience in integrating laboratory instruments with custom or commercial software solutions
Understanding of (bio)pharmaceutical process research and development, drug product development, and/ or analytical development
Demonstrated ability to work in an entrepreneurial and independent manner while being a team player
Collaboration and communication skills with the ability to navigate conversations with technicians and vendors
Experience leading technical projects with cross-functional teams

Nice To Haves

Experience with Benchling, Signals, or other commercial laboratory notebook software
Experience with ThermoFisher Momentum, Biosero Green Button Go, or HighRes Cellario robotic scheduling software
Deep knowledge about laboratory automation software, firmware, hardware, and their integration into end-to-end solutions
Ability to recognize, prototype, and deploy innovative technologies in laboratory automation
Understanding of data science and AI/ML concepts and their application to laboratory automation
Wet lab experience in (bio)pharmaceutical drug substance, drug product, and analytical research and development

Responsibilities

Design, develop, optimize, and operate robotic liquid handlers, robotic workcells, and other automation platforms for biopharmaceutical research applications – which can span liquid handling software development and potentially include device integration and/or hardware design and implementation
Work alongside research scientists to understand their experimental needs and translate them into automated solutions deployed across programs and modalities
Create lab automation solutions integrating mechanical, electrical, and software components for specialized research applications
Collaborate with teams of scientists in automation, data science, modeling, and other physical and digital automation disciplines
Effectively manage complex automation projects from conception through completion with diverse stakeholders
Innovate existing automated workflows and platforms to achieve improved performance, accessibility, maintainability, and reliability
Integrate robotic systems with existing laboratory equipment and data capture systems.
Provide technical support, troubleshooting, and training to laboratory personnel
Maintain detailed documentation of system configurations, procedures, and modifications