Senior Laboratory Automation Scientist

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine•Spring House, PA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Laboratory Automation Scientist owns scientific automation readiness for one or more integrated workcells. The role translates complex biological, biochemical, analytical, and screening workflows into executable automated sequences that preserve sample identity, scientific intent, data context, and downstream decision value. The Senior Scientist will lead design, integration, qualification, optimization, and lifecycle support of integrated laboratory automation workcells for discovery and analytical workflows, with explicit responsibility for scientific operability, handoffs, method robustness, data provenance, exception recovery, user adoption and workflow readiness. This role is complementary to the Senior Automation and Robotics Engineer. The scientist owns the workflow, method, sample logic, data context, and user adoption; the engineer owns the physical system, machine behavior, robot motion, safety, serviceability, and engineering acceptance.

Requirements

A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Analytical Sciences, Laboratory Automation, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field is required.
Bachelor’s degree with 6+ years, Master’s degree with 4+ years, PhD with 2+ years of relevant experience in laboratory automation, scientific automation, analytical automation, or workcell integration.
Demonstrated understanding of laboratory workflows, sample handling, plate/tube formats, assay execution, consumable preparation, run documentation, and data capture.
Hands-on or practical experience with automated liquid handlers or integrated laboratory automation equipment appropriate to the level of the role.
Ability to translate scientific workflows into executable automated methods, worklists, run states, exception pathways, and user-facing procedures.
Working knowledge of sample identity, labware identity, reagent identity, consumable state, barcode traceability, metadata capture, and downstream data requirements.
Ability to collaborate with scientists, automation engineers, IT, data science, AI, EHS, facilities, vendors, and laboratory operations.
Experience developing and implementing automated laboratory workflows or high-throughput methods.
Experience with inter-workcell handoffs, method qualification, user training, exception recovery, technical documentation, and lifecycle support.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree is preferred.
Experience with ELN, LIMS, GDB, data lakes, request tracking, APIs, scripting, device drivers, scheduling logic, biosafety, contamination control, simulation, digital twin methods, FAIR data, or structured metadata.
Experience with biologics discovery, protein production/purification, NGS, biophysics, cell-based assays, screening, analytical development, or protein characterization workflows.
Experience with orchestration software such as Biosero Green Button Go, Cellario, Momentum, or equivalent systems.

Responsibilities

Leading translation of scientific workflows into process maps, sample flows, consumable flows, method logic, instrument sequences, metadata needs, analytical outputs, data handoffs, and scientific decision points.
Designing and deploying integrated workcells combining liquid handlers, plate handling devices, washers, centrifuges, incubators, readers, storage systems, barcode readers, labelers, analytical instruments, and orchestration software.
Defining method transfer strategy from manual to automated execution, including pipetting approach, tolerance assumptions, deck layout, consumable selection, reagent stability, timing constraints, controls, and acceptance criteria.
Leading UAT design for nominal workflows, edge cases, sample exceptions, data handoffs, intervention paths, recovery cases, and user acceptance.
Owning upstream and downstream handoff requirements for assigned workcells, including labware compatibility, sample format, timing constraints, temperature or sterility constraints, storage conditions, queue logic, and data handoff expectations.
Defining sample, labware, consumable, reagent, waste, intermediate product, and run state requirements for assigned workcells.
Partnering with IT, data science, AI, and laboratory informatics teams to define metadata, sample lineage, experimental provenance, data integrity checks, file transfer expectations, and model-ready outputs.
Supporting integration control documentation between workflows, workcells, orchestration layers, ELN, LIMS, GDB, data platforms, analytical systems, and vendor software.
Designing recovery logic for failed runs, interrupted workflows, missing samples, failed transfers, sample rescue, plate quarantine, rerouting, pause/resume situations, and manual interventions.
Leading troubleshooting and root cause analysis for complex issues spanning method performance, liquid handling, consumables, assay response, scheduling, sample tracking, metadata, data capture, and user behavior.
Supporting vendor selection, Tier 1 and Tier 2 coordination, FAT, SAT, UAT, risk assessments, readiness reviews, hypercare planning, training, and lifecycle support.
Driving continuous improvement based on run metrics, failure mode analysis, user feedback, scientific output quality, throughput, hands-on time, and data completeness.
Support technology evaluations, proof-of-concept studies, workflow readiness assessments, user demonstrations, and vendor evaluations for future automation capabilities.
Contribute to laboratory automation standards, workflow templates, data handoff expectations, training materials, and playbooks.
Support audit, inspection, or quality documentation requests where automated scientific workflows intersect with regulated or quality driven environments.
Participate in lessons learned and continuous improvement activities to improve future automation delivery and adoption.