Senior Automation Engineer, Platform Biology

The role

You will help scale an automated biology platform by focusing on programming, data handling, systems integration, and workflow automation. You will partner with scientists, automation operators, IT, and data science teams to translate biological workflows into automated workcells.

What you will do

• Implement Benchling as a data platform including entity schemas, Postgres warehouse, Insights, API, and integrations.
• Establish end to end sample tracking and chain of custody.
• Deliver analysis-ready data to the data team with structured metadata and documented schemas.
• Design, ship and operate REST APIs and internal web applications.
• Build integrations between automation platforms, instruments, LIMS/ELN, imaging systems, databases and data pipelines.
• Build tools for scientists such as search interfaces, pull lists, and capacity dashboards.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies like inventory reconciliation issues.
• Apply software engineering practices including version control, testing, debugging, and modular design.
• Partner across scientific, automation, IT and data teams.
• Anticipate future data and integration needs.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, engineering, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, computational biology or a related field, or a life science degree with a demonstrated programmi
• 4+ years building software, tooling or data infrastructure in a laboratory or R&D setting.
• Experience as the person accountable for a system other people depended on daily.
• Strong Python and SQL.
• Deep hands-on experience with a LIMS or ELN and its API.
• Experience shipping and operating a web application including a REST API and front-end.
• Experience with how data moves through a laboratory.
• Comfort with owning a domain independently.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Nice to have

• Benchling: entity schemas, the warehouse, Insights, the developer platform, webhooks or apps.
• Parsing instrument output into structured results tied to a sample.
• Cloud infrastructure such as AWS, event-driven integrations, or data pipelines.
• Working alongside automated liquid handlers, integrated workcells or laboratory scheduling software.
• Mammalian cell culture at the bench, especially iPSC systems, and aseptic technique.
• Prior experience working in an automation-heavy laboratory environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot across software, hardware, instrument communication, data and sample-tracking workflows.
• Mentoring, or growing a small team.
• A regulated or GxP-adjacent environment or writing validation and verification documentation.

Benefits

• healthcare coverage
• annual incentive program
• retirement benefits
• a broad range of other benefits

About the company

Vesalius Therapeutics is pioneering a new platform to generate breakthrough treatments for common diseases. It was founded in 2019 by Flagship Pioneering.