Automation Engineer

Capable Labs • San Francisco, CA

6d

About The Position

Capable Labs is seeking a hands-on Automation Engineer to build systems that automate drug-development workflows, including peptide synthesis, fluid handling, laboratory instrumentation, and sample tracking. The engineer will work directly with chemists, biologists, and other engineers to convert manual processes into reliable automated systems, taking hardware from concept through prototype, testing, and iteration. The role involves building, integrating, troubleshooting, and improving equipment used by scientists every day.

Capable describes itself as an early-stage, mission-driven team in San Francisco that values speed, rigor, ownership, and follow-through. Team members have opportunities to take on increasing responsibility and work closely with people making scientific and company-defining decisions. Compensation includes a posted salary range and generous equity options, with compensation dependent on skills, experience, and expected impact. The company offers a fast, transparent, personal hiring process, including an in-person work trial in San Francisco.

Requirements

• Hands-on experience building, integrating, testing, or maintaining automation systems, laboratory instruments, robotics, fluidic devices, or other electromechanical hardware.
• Practical strength in some combination of mechanical systems, electronics, fluidics, sensing, controls, or instrument integration.
• A systematic approach to troubleshooting problems spanning hardware, controls, and process conditions.
• Ability to take ownership of a subsystem, communicate engineering tradeoffs, and work closely with scientists and other engineers.
• Background in mechanical, electrical, chemical, biomedical, or bioengineering, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Curiosity and willingness to learn across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Design and build electromechanical and fluidic systems for automated synthesis, liquid handling, and laboratory workflows.
• Select and integrate pumps, valves, tubing, reactors, sensors, heaters, motors, and controllers.
• Develop controls for sequencing, flow, pressure, temperature, mixing, sensing, and fault detection and recovery.
• Connect instruments, analytical systems, sample tracking, and quality-control workflows into reliable automated processes.
• Build and debug prototypes, identify causes of failures, and use test results to make practical improvements.
• Work with scientists to improve throughput and reproducibility while maintaining purity, yield, and sample quality.
• Write clear test procedures, define acceptance criteria, and document system performance and operation.

Benefits

• Generous equity options.
• $500+ monthly wellness budget for training, supplements, coaching, recovery, or other tools.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage options, with the company covering 100% of the base policy.
• Access to HSA, FSA, and 401K plans.
• Healthy dinners with the team provided daily.
• Visa sponsorship where appropriate, including O-1, H-1B, J-1, TN, and other employment-based pathways.
• Referral thank-you bonus if a referred candidate joins Capable.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed