Experienced Automation and Robotics Engineer

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine•Spring House, PA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Experienced Automation and Robotics Engineer provides hands-on engineering expertise for integrated discovery workcells, connecting instruments, robots, sensors, transfer mechanisms, guarding, utilities, and basic control interfaces so scientific workflows can run reliably in automated form. The engineer designs, configures, tests, troubleshoots, and improves physical automation and robotics components, with responsibility for physical feasibility, robot motion, equipment integration, controls handshakes, safety behavior, serviceability, layout constraints, and technical vendor follow-up. At this level, the engineer owns defined physical integration packages and contributes to interface definitions, FAT/SAT execution, safety and serviceability reviews, and remediation of physical, mechanical, and controls-related failure modes. The role supports the development of integrated, reliable, AI-native discovery laboratory systems by connecting scientific intent with robust physical execution, reproducible data, model feedback, and scalable operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Robotics, Mechatronic, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, with 3+ years of relevant automation, robotics, controls, or equipment-integration experience; alternatively, a Master’s degree with 2+ years or a PhD with 1+ year of relevant experience.
Demonstrated understanding of robotics, automation, electromechanical systems, controls hardware, sensors, actuators, and instrumentation appropriate to the role.
Ability to work with laboratory automation scientists to translate scientific workflow constraints into safe, maintainable, physically executable machinery, interfaces, and workcell layouts.
Working knowledge of technical documentation, drawings, equipment lists, interface notes, FAT/SAT/UAT records, FMEA inputs, punch lists, and change summaries.
Strong troubleshooting discipline across mechanical, electrical, robotic, control, safety, communication, and instrument-interface issues.
Awareness of EHS, biosafety, contamination control, service access, guard/interlock concepts, and operational-readiness expectations in a research laboratory or regulated environment.
Ability to contribute independently to physical interface design, integration testing, troubleshooting, documentation, and vendor follow-up.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree.
Experience with PLCs, robot controllers, AMRs, cobots, machine vision, industrial networks, OPC UA, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, safety PLCs, or device drivers.
Experience with simulation, CAD, digital twin, throughput modeling, robot-path modeling, or layout-planning tools.
Experience supporting outsourced technical projects and vendor deliverables such as URS, FDS, SDS, FAT, SAT, FMEA, risk assessments, and punch-list closure.

Responsibilities

Contribute to the design and deployment of robotic workcells, transfer stations, labware nests, custom fixtures, grippers, guards, sensors, actuators, label and barcode presentation points, and automated peripherals.
Support robot reach studies, equipment layouts, service-envelope reviews, deck-access assessments, operator intervention points, and physical interface testing between instruments and workcells.
Support integration among orchestration software, device drivers, robot controllers, PLCs or safety controllers, sensors, instrument PCs, and IT/OT infrastructure.
Author or contribute to URS, FDS, SDS review comments, interface control notes, FMEA inputs, FAT/SAT protocols, safety test scripts, commissioning records, and punch-list documentation.
Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, robotic, control, sensor, barcode, utility, and device-communication issues with laboratory automation scientists, vendors, IT/OT, and operations.
Support root-cause analysis for equipment faults, transfer failures, safety trips, barcode or sensor issues, lost labware position, service-access problems, and physical workflow interruptions.
Recommend and implement improvements to reliability, maintainability, serviceability, physical workflow robustness, and recovery from machine-side exceptions.
Support development of recovery instructions for physical jams, robot faults, device alarms, and safe restart after operator or maintenance intervention.
Contribute to layout, throughput, traffic, robot-path, and service-access simulation to identify bottlenecks, facility constraints, and unsafe or impractical designs before installation.
Support vendor FAT/SAT activities involving physical, control, safety, and recovery behavior.
Work with Tier 1 and Tier 2 vendors to clarify assumptions, interfaces, installation readiness, utility needs, access constraints, and remediation actions.
Collaborate with EHS, facilities, laboratory operations, and lab automation scientists to incorporate safety, biosafety, waste handling, serviceability, and contamination-control expectations into system design.
Support technology evaluations, proof-of-concept studies, design reviews, and vendor demonstrations for future automation and robotics capabilities.
Contribute to engineering standards, interface templates, safety-review practices, maintenance guidelines, and technical playbooks.
Support audit, inspection, or quality-documentation requests where automated systems intersect with regulated or quality-driven workflows.
Participate in lessons learned and continuous-improvement activities to improve future automation delivery.
Travel may be required for vendor assessments, FAT/SAT activities, site visits, system builds, workshops, training, technology scouting, or cross-site deployment support.