Lead Robotic Automation Engineer

HighRes•Beverly, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

HighRes is seeking a Lead Robotic Automation Engineer to join our Lab Automation engineering team at our headquarters in Beverly, Massachusetts. This role combines technical project ownership with people leadership to deliver complex laboratory automation solutions at the highest standard. Reporting to the Associate Director of Automation Engineering, you will own the full delivery lifecycle of customer-facing capital projects, lead a team of 2 to 6 automation engineers, and drive the continuous improvement initiatives that shape how HighRes operates. This is the right role for a technically experienced engineer who is ready to lead. You will manage complex, multi-resource projects from internal kickoff through customer acceptance, develop engineers through direct coaching and structured feedback, and identify and fix the systemic gaps that slow teams down. The ideal candidate brings deep lab automation experience, strong customer-facing skills, and the ownership mindset to hold accountability across project delivery, team performance, and process quality.

Requirements

4+ years of experience in lab automation, deployment engineering, robotics, or a closely related technical field
Experience working with laboratory automation platforms such as HighRes Biosolutions, Thermo Fisher, Hamilton, Beckman Coulter, Tecan, or similar
Demonstrated experience owning projects end-to-end: managing timelines, driving milestones, and handling customer or stakeholder communication
Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting collaborative and articulated robotic arms (e.g., SCARA, Kuka, Denso, Universal Robots, or similar)
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to manage customer expectations and translate technical issues for non-technical audiences
Experience providing structured feedback and supporting the development of junior engineers
Working knowledge of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, serial communications)
Mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills across robotic and laboratory automation hardware, including cable management, pneumatics, and basic electronics
Ability to travel up to 20% annually to customer sites domestically with opportunity for international travel
Current driver's license and valid passport

Nice To Haves

Prior experience managing direct reports in a technical or engineering environment
Exposure to GxP environments or validation protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ, FAT/SAT) in pharmaceutical or regulated laboratory settings
Background in process improvement, operational standardization, or driving organizational change
Experience with laboratory automation scheduling software (e.g., Cellario, Momentum, SAMI, or equivalent middleware platforms)
Experience with scripting, driver development, or device integration for laboratory automation systems
Familiarity with firmware-level device configuration and troubleshooting

Responsibilities

Own the full delivery lifecycle of customer capital projects from internal kickoff through SAT signoff at the customer site
Serve as the primary technical point of contact for the customer throughout project execution, managing expectations, communicating status, and resolving issues
Coordinate and oversee complex, multi-resource projects, ensuring engineers have the direction, resources, and support they need to execute
Guide engineers through Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs), providing hands-on technical oversight and ensuring systems meet customer specifications and applicable regulatory requirements
Identify risks early and drive the team to resolution, not just escalation
Collaborate with Project Management, System Design Engineering, and Manufacturing Operations to ensure clean handovers and fast problem resolution
Deploy to customer sites to oversee and support large or complex project installations, up to 20% travel
Identify systemic gaps in commissioning and deployment processes and own initiatives to close them
Drive measurable improvements in quality, consistency, and efficiency across the engineering organization
Document and standardize best practices, ensuring they are adopted and sustained, not just written down
Bring cross-functional partners into improvement initiatives and drive alignment through implementation
Measure the impact of process changes and iterate based on outcomes
Set and maintain technical quality standards for your team's work across active projects
Review system configurations and commissioning outputs for correctness and consistency
Mentor engineers on best practices, systematic debugging, and customer-facing professionalism
Serve as the escalation point for complex technical issues; escalate further with context and a recommended path forward, not just the problem
Build and maintain tools or scripts that reduce manual work and improve team efficiency
Lead a team of 2–6 automation engineers, providing clear direction, regular feedback, and active development
Run weekly 1:1s focused on performance, growth, and unblocking your direct reports
Build individual development plans for each direct report and provide specific, timely feedback on both technical and professional growth
Write performance reviews grounded in outcomes and demonstrated behaviors
Participate actively in hiring decisions and the onboarding of new team members