Research Assistant I - College of Engineering - Biomedical Engineering

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university. The Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department at CMU's College of Engineering focuses on integrating engineering principles with biomedical sciences to address pressing medical and biological issues, creating impactful technologies and therapies. The Engineered Morphogenesis Group, part of the BME Department, develops next-generation theragnostic technologies and treatments for genetic and environmentally induced pathologies, researching the interplay between stem cells and (patho)physiology through the engineering of organoids for biorobotic and pharmaceutical applications. This role is for a Laboratory Automation Engineer (Part-Time / Intern, 20 hours/week anticipated) to help devise, trial, and test new automated workflows in CMU’s Biological & Chemical Innovation Cloud Lab (Cloud Lab) to support increased throughput in cell and organoid culture. The work will be highly interdisciplinary, combining robotics and tissue engineering to deliver a robust and reproducible culture platform capable of facilitating high-volume testing of environmental pollution exposure, viral and bacterial infection, and therapeutic screening. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy problem-solving and hands-on experimentation, have strong attention to detail, and value developing technologies with tangible real-world applications.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a MS degree in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field (Outstanding recent BS graduates will also be considered)
• Proficiency in constructing machine learning models for describing and predicting experimental outcomes
• Ability to work onsite in Pittsburgh, PA
• Successful Background check

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience in laboratory automation for life sciences is highly desirable
• Prior experience with cell and tissue culture is desirable but not required

Responsibilities

• Learn the fundamentals of cell and organoid culture, achieving proficiency as monitored by supervisors
• Become familiar with existing experimental workflows
• Learn and use automation technologies available in the Cloud Lab, including both hardware and software systems
• Integrate automation technologies into existing workflows with an emphasis on throughput and reproducibility
• Synthesize and analyze data generated from automated experiments to inform iterative workflow improvement
• Work closely with cell culture teams to develop and integrate automated workflows
• Regularly participate in and present during group meetings, covering project overviews, results, and future goals

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, commensurate with experience
• Opportunity to work at the forefront of biomedical innovation, integrating robotics and automation
• Extensive collaboration with biomedical engineers, scientists, and engineers at the CMU Cloud Lab
• Hands-on access to emerging technologies in cell and tissue culture and laboratory automation
• Opportunity for publishing and presenting research
• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous retirement savings program with employer contributions
• Tuition benefits
• Ample paid time off and observed holidays
• Life and accidental death and disability insurance
• Free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass
• Access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs
• Fitness center access

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees