Robotic Operations Engineer

AstraZeneca•Los Angeles, CA

1d•$138,771 - $208,157•Onsite

About The Position

Are you ready to own the uptime of advanced robotic systems that keep vital materials moving and accelerate the delivery of medicines to patients? This onsite role at our Tarzana facility places you at the center of automated manufacturing technologies, where your decisions and hands-on expertise directly influence throughput, reliability, and patient impact. You will be the operational lead for a sophisticated robotic system, coordinating daily workflows, collaborating with engineers and partners, and stepping in decisively when issues arise. In a setting where seconds matter, you will coordinate, triage faults, and drive continuous improvements that translate technical excellence into tangible business value. Can you picture yourself keeping a high-availability robotic cell performing at its peak day after day?

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field.
Minimum of 8+ years of professional experience in robotic engineering, system integration, robotics operations, automation support, or a similar hands-on technical role.
Experience with robotic systems, automated manufacturing systems, or laboratory automation platforms.
Understanding of Python, including the ability to read existing code and write basic scripts to support testing, validation, automation, and solving activities.
Familiarity with AWS deployments, cloud-based production environments, and fixing cloud-connected hardware systems.
Experience working in GxP, regulated, or other highly controlled operational environments.
Experience using monitoring, logging, or data visualization tools such as Grafana, Tableau, or similar platforms to trace performance and reliability trends.
Strong mechanical and electromechanical solving skills, with the ability to diagnose system issues and differentiate between hardware, software, and integration-related root causes.
Demonstrated ability to support and operate sophisticated technical systems in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage schedules, coordinate functional activities, and prioritize multiple tasks effectively.
Strong written and verbal skills, with ability to communicate clearly across technical teams, operational interested parties, and external partners.
Ability to work multi-functionally with engineering, product, and operations teams to support system uptime, issue resolution, and ongoing improvements.
Exposure to root cause analysis, issue tracking systems, and structured problem-solving methodologies in operational or engineering settings.
Experience supporting on-site live system recovery, and technical coordination between remote and local teams.
Comfort working in startup-style or quickly evolving operational environments where flexibility, ownership, and initiative are essential.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ROS, PLCs, or industrial control systems integrated with robotic cells.
Background in biopharma manufacturing or laboratory environments involving biosafety practices.
Proficiency with additional scripting or automation tools beyond Python (e.g., Bash, PowerShell).
Familiarity with MES, LIMS, or digital manufacturing systems and their integration with automation.
Hands-on exposure to edge computing, IoT gateways, or AWS IoT services for connected equipment.
Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
Experience configuring dashboards and alerts in Grafana or building custom data pipelines for operational telemetry.
Practical understanding of cybersecurity in operational technology environments.

Responsibilities

System Uptime Leadership: Own day-to-day performance of the Tarzana robotic system with a singular focus on reliability, availability, and safety to protect production commitments and patient timelines.
Operational Planning and Scheduling: Build and handle daily run plans, align resources, and coordinate testing and maintenance windows so robotic capacity is used efficiently and predictably.
Real-time Triage and Recovery: Respond rapidly to system interruptions, perform safe recovery and restart procedures, and apply mechanical and technical judgment to restore operations with minimal downtime.
Resolve and Root Cause: Diagnose operational issues across hardware, software, and integration boundaries; partner with engineering to identify root causes and prevent recurrence.
Data and Documentation Details: Maintain structured logs, dashboards, and issue trackers; surface performance trends and communicate clear, actionable insights to collaborators.
Python-enabled Testing and Validation: Use basic Python scripting to implement tests, validate fixes, automate checks, and enhance diagnostic depth for faster resolution.
Multi-functional Coordination: Collaborate daily with engineering, product, and on-site collaborators; translate operational needs into clear priorities and ensure smooth handoffs between teams.
Compliance and Safety: Operate within governed, highly controlled environments; uphold GxP expectations and safety protocols while implementing interventions and maintenance.
Continuous Improvement and Scaling: Convert on-the-floor findings into process improvements, SOP updates, and system enhancements that raise uptime and throughput over time.