Automation Engineer I/II, Sustaining Engineering & Lab Operations

Lila Sciences • Cambridge, MA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Lila Sciences is hiring Automation Engineers to support the AI Science Factory (AISF), an automated platform used in drug discovery, bioengineering, and advanced materials. The role sits within Sustaining Engineering & Lab Operations (SELO), a multidisciplinary group responsible for operating and improving the platform. Engineers operate and recover workcells during their shift while developing changes that improve reliability, throughput, and recoverability. They work with automation, mechanical, and controls engineers, as well as Research Operations scientists, to investigate issues and implement lasting fixes.

The position is full-time and on-site in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is shift-based, with permanent weekday assignments available for either first shift (7:00 AM–3:00 PM) or second shift (2:00–10:00 PM). The shifts overlap for one hour for structured handoffs. Improvement work must be planned around live production: engineers coordinate downtime with Research Operations, schedule work into approved windows, and verify changes before returning systems to service.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Materials Science, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• At least 1 year of hands-on experience with lab automation, lab instrumentation, or production operations in a life sciences or physical sciences environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot electromechanical equipment and software systems independently and determine when to escalate.
• Strong written communication skills for documenting issues and providing clear shift handoffs.
• Ability to work effectively across disciplines with mechanical, controls, and software engineers and scientific teams.
• Comfort working in a live production environment where scientists depend on the systems being maintained.
• Availability to work either the listed first- or second-shift weekday schedule on site in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with liquid handlers, plate-based workflows, automated storage, or high-throughput screening instrumentation.
• Familiarity with lab scheduling or workflow orchestration software such as Cellario, Overlord, Green Button Go, or similar.
• Scripting or light programming ability in Python, C#, or similar languages for log analysis, diagnostics, or tooling.
• Familiarity with scientific processes and constraints such as sample stability, timing windows, reagent handling, and the significance of deviations.
• Exposure to robotic integration platforms or multi-instrument workcell environments.
• Experience executing preventive maintenance programs or coordinating vendor service relationships.
• Background in multi-shift or continuous operations where structured handoffs are part of the workflow.
• Experience with continuous improvement practices, including measuring a system, making a change, and confirming the change held.

Responsibilities

• Operate AISF workcells during the assigned shift, triage instrument faults, software errors, and run failures, recover stalled runs, and determine what can be resolved immediately versus carried across the handoff.
• Identify reliability, throughput, and recoverability problems; propose, implement, and verify improvements to systems and workflows.
• Plan maintenance and improvement work around live production by coordinating downtime with Research Operations, scheduling work in approved windows, and confirming changes before returning systems to service.
• Collaborate with SELO mechanical and controls engineers to resolve issues involving hardware, controls, integration, and software, using operational evidence to identify root causes.
• Perform preventive maintenance and calibrations on schedule, and coordinate vendor service, parts, and spares for issues within the role's scope.
• Coordinate with on-shift Research Operations scientists to prioritize competing recovery needs while accounting for active experiments and their scientific constraints.
• Extend runbooks, recovery playbooks, and diagnostic tooling to help engineers resolve recurring problems more quickly.
• Document shift events, decisions, and open issues, and conduct structured handoffs at shift overlap.
• Report recurring failure patterns and process gaps to SELO so underlying causes and process weaknesses can be addressed.

Benefits

• Competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time U.S. employees.
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance.
• Flexible time off and generous company-wide holidays.
• Paid parental leave.
• Educational assistance program.
• Commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office-based employees.
• Company-subsidized lunch program.
• Regionally tailored comprehensive benefits for full-time employees outside the U.S.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level