Senior Associate Bioengineer/Bioengineer, Automation & Systems Testing.

The role

You will work at the intersection of immunoassay biology, engineering systems, and automated workflows on the SPEAR S.W.I.F.T. platform. You will design and execute experiments, integrate and troubleshoot complex subsystems, and develop automated workflows.

What you will do

• Integrate hardware, software, reagent, and consumable subsystems into automated workflows.
• Troubleshoot complex cross-domain issues across assay chemistry, liquid handling, thermal control, optical detection, software, or consumables.
• Apply structured problem-solving methods like FMEA, Ishikawa, 5-why, and DOE.
• Lead root cause investigations for in-house and field failures.
• Support engineering change order implementation and design iteration feedback loops.
• Design and execute experiments to characterize and optimize assay and instrument performance.
• Perform assay-level testing for reproducibility, robustness, sensitivity, and specificity.
• Conduct engineering-level testing of liquid handling, thermal uniformity, and optical calibration.
• Develop and refine automated assay workflows on the SPEAR S.W.I.F.T. platform.
• Write and maintain scripts for instrument control and workflow orchestration.

Required qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Exceptional Bachelor’s candidates with strong industry experience will be considered.
• 3–5 years of experience in systems integration, test engineering, validation, or applied R&D involving immunoassays, nucleic acid assays, or integrated life science platforms.
• Industry experience in IVD, diagnostics, or life science instrumentation is required.
• Demonstrated track record of independently driving technical work.
• Strong foundation in biological assay workflows and engineering subsystems.
• Hands-on experience with automated platforms (Hamilton, Tecan, Formulatrix, Roche, Bio-Rad, or similar).
• Python proficiency required.
• Experience with experiment design (DOE), statistical analysis (SPC, Gage R&R), and data visualization.
• Understanding of regulated design controls (ISO 13485, FDA QSR, IEC 62304) and validation documentation practices.

Nice to have

• Prior experience with FAST-type liquid handlers and/or qPCR instruments
• C#, MATLAB, or similar programming/scripting proficiency

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Meaningful stock ownership
• Comprehensive benefits

About the company

Spear Bio, founded in 2021, is a well-funded and rapidly growing biotech start-up headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts. The company uses proprietary SPEAR technology to provide scalable, ultrasensitive solutions for early disease diagnosis and monitoring.