Senior Lab Automation Engineer

Alamar Biosciences•Fremont, CA

18h•$160,000 - $180,000

About The Position

At Alamar, we are passionate about enabling our customers to make scientific discoveries that translate into clinical outcomes and benefit patients. Our team is growing quickly as we develop innovative approaches to measure critical protein biomarkers from liquid samples that can enable the earliest possible detection of disease. We believe the next frontier in biology is enabled by measuring proteins at higher sensitivity in highly multiplexed assays at the push of a button, which is something only Alamar can do. As we build our team, we seek collaborative, driven, intellectually curious people committed to solving complex challenges. Our culture rewards accountability and cross functional teamwork because we believe this enables the kind of breakthrough thinking that will accelerate our mission. At Alamar Biosciences, we are building a next-generation proteomics platform to enable ultra-sensitive detection of disease at its earliest stages. Our fully automated, high-throughput systems integrate complex assay chemistry, robotics, and data workflows to unlock new frontiers in biomarker discovery and diagnostics. We are seeking a Senior Lab Automation Engineer who thrives in hands-on environments, takes ownership of complex systems, and can bridge biology, engineering, and software. This role is central to developing, scaling, and sustaining automated workflows across both R&D and production environments.

Requirements

MS (or higher) in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Bioengineering, or related) with 5+ years of relevant experience, or equivalent practical experience
Strong hands-on experience with liquid handling automation platforms (Hamilton STAR preferred; Tecan, Opentrons, or similar also relevant)
Deep experience in automation programming (e.g., Hamilton Venus/HSL, Python, C#, or equivalent)
Proven ability to debug complex systems spanning fluidics, robotics, software, and assay chemistry
Experience developing or supporting high-throughput automated workflows in biotech or diagnostics settings
Strong technical documentation skills (experimental design, data analysis, SOPs, validation documentation)

Nice To Haves

Experience integrating multi-instrument systems (robotics, readers, thermal modules, storage systems)
Familiarity with design controls, V&V, and regulated environments (e.g., CLIA, CAP, ISO 13485, or FDA)
Experience with assay automation (NGS, PCR/qPCR, proteomics, or similar)
Exposure to data pipelines, LIMS, or instrument software integration
Experience scaling workflows from R&D to manufacturing or clinical environments

Responsibilities

Own automation systems end-to-end: from concept and requirements through integration, validation, deployment, and lifecycle support
Design, develop, and optimize automated workflows on liquid handling platforms (e.g., Hamilton, Tecan, Opentrons) and integrated instrument systems
Translate assay requirements into robust, scalable automation protocols with high reliability and throughput
Drive debugging and root-cause analysis across hardware, software, and assay interactions—not just symptom-level fixes
Integrate automation platforms with peripheral devices (thermal cyclers, shakers, readers, storage systems, robotics, etc.)
Develop and maintain automation code (e.g., Hamilton Venus/HSL, Python, or similar) with an emphasis on modularity, maintainability, and traceability
Lead or contribute to verification & validation (V&V) activities, including protocol qualification, performance characterization, and failure analysis
Partner cross-functionally with assay development, mechanical/electrical engineering, manufacturing, and software teams to deliver cohesive system solutions
Improve system performance through process optimization, error reduction, and throughput scaling
Create clear, audit-ready documentation (SOPs, work instructions, validation protocols, troubleshooting guides)