Senior Automation Scientist

Parallel Bio • San Francisco, CA

37d

About The Position

At Parallel Bio, we are leveraging the human immune system to unlock safer, more effective drugs. We believe immunotherapies are the future of medicine, but their discovery is hindered by outdated models that fail to capture the complexity of the human immune system.
Our platform overcomes these challenges by combining best-in-class human immune organoids with massive scale and advanced computational methods, including AI and machine learning. This allows us to generate unprecedented, population-scale insights into human health and disease.
We can rapidly discover new drugs that we know will work in patients from the start and understand how they will perform across an entire population—something not possible with today's technology. This knowledge will allow us to engineer therapies that will work for as many people as possible, ensuring a safe and effective cure for everyone.
We are a fast-paced, venture-backed company at a pivotal moment of growth. Join us on our journey as we create new tools to push the boundaries of what is possible.

We are hiring an Automation Scientist who uniquely bridges the gap between high-level immunology and advanced robotics. At Parallel Bio, automation is not just a tool for efficiency; it is the essential delivery mechanism for our science. We need an automation scientist who understands that a T-cell behaves differently in a 384-well plate than in a vial, and who has the technical skill to develop protocols that handle that complexity.
This is a foundational, hands-on role where you will be expected to be a technically-creative builder, fluent in the biological nuances of primary human cells and the mechanical "stack" of automation. Reporting to the Director of Product Management, Automation, you will ensure our hardware produces the high-fidelity biological data required to power our AI engine.

Requirements

• Educational Foundation: A MS/PhD or equivalent experience in Immunology, Bioengineering, or a related field. Most importantly, you must possess a rigorous scientific understanding of the human immune system and live cell handling.
• Experience in a fast-paced environment (Biotech or Startup) where you were responsible for both the high-level design and the day-to-day operation of the robots.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to manage competing priorities. You are a builder who thrives on creating systems where none exist.
• Strong wet-lab background with demonstrated experience in cell handling
• Hands-on experience developing and iterating protocols on liquid handling automation platforms (not just operating), and integrated peripherals.
• Practical understanding of automation techniques and limitations (pipetting physics, dead volume, calibration, consumables constraints, deck/layout tradeoffs, timing/throughput constraints, common error modes)
• Demonstrated ability to translate bench protocols to automation while preserving scientific intent
• Strong experimental rigor, documentation habits, and comfort working in iterative build-test-debug cycles
• Clear communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with scientists and engineers

Responsibilities

• Scientific Translation: You will translate manual bench-top organoid protocols into automated SOPs for seeding, culturing, media changes, and complex stimulations.
• Automated Analytics: Own the automation of high-dimensional immune assays. You will lead the transition of analytical workflows including, flow cytometry staining, multiplexed functional readouts, and single-cell RNA-seq preparation onto automated platforms, ensuring biological integrity is maintained across thousands of samples.
• Automated Process Optimization: Design, implement, and iterate protocols on liquid handling systems; tune pipetting parameters and process steps to preserve cell health and assay integrity.
• Validation & Biological Fidelity: Drive enhancements to automation platforms to improve data accuracy and increase throughput. You will be responsible for validating that the "automated organoid" is biologically equivalent (or superior) to the manual model, specifically managing variables like shear stress and evaporation.
• Vendor & Infrastructure Management: Cultivate relationships with external vendors to provision and customize components for Parallel Bio’s unique organoid needs.

What This Job Offers

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