Automation Engineer

Cytokinetics is a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, building on its over 25 years of pioneering scientific innovations in muscle biology, and advancing a pipeline of potential new medicines for patients suffering from diseases of cardiac muscle dysfunction.

At Cytokinetics, each team member plays an integral part in advancing our mission to improve the lives of patients. We are seeking tenacious, compassionate, and collaborative individuals who are driven to make a positive impact.
 

The Lab Automation Technologies group supports internal teams across the Research organization by delivering automated processes and engineered solutions that increase lab efficiency and throughput. Scientists utilize our automation platforms to execute assays and workflows that assess compound candidates for our research programs.

We are seeking an Automation Engineer to enhance automation and engineering capabilities across our research organization. This individual will play a critical role in automating assays to increase throughput and efficiency, managing screening operations, and building new capabilities that advance our research programs.

We are looking for someone who enjoys hands-on work with lab equipment, develops innovative solutions to enhance lab processes and operations, and thrives on solving complex problems. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong attention to detail, maintains excellent organizational skills, and excels in a fast-paced multitasking environment. We seek a self-motivated individual with a continuous improvement mindset and a passion for making things better.

Role Responsibilities:

• Partner with scientists and engineers to transfer benchtop assays to automation platforms for increased throughput and efficiency.

• Develop protocols and workflows on automated liquid handling platforms and integrated work cells to deliver comprehensive automation solutions.

• Plan and execute validation tests to ensure automated processes meet qualification requirements.

• Execute end-to-end automated assay workflows, from reagent preparation through automation platform operation to report generation, following established best practices and guidelines.

• Troubleshoot system errors, perform routine maintenance, and provide technical support for automated systems.

• Identify and improve process inefficiencies to increase capacity and throughput.

• Implement documentation best practices and develop protocols and reference documents for automated procedures. Train users on automation platforms.

Qualifications

• A BS degree in Biology, Bioengineering, Mechanical engineering, or related field

• 2+ years of hands-on experience in developing and executing automated processes to support high-throughput screening, mass-spec sample preparation, as well as biochemical and cell-based profiling assays.

• Proficiency with automated liquid handlers and plate readers (e.g., Bravo, Hamilton platforms, Echo, Tempest, Envision, PHERAstar)

• Experience operating integrated work cells and fluency in scheduling software (e.g., Green Button Go, Revolution, Overlord)

• Experience with LIMS or ELN software for tracking automated workflows and managing data from automation platforms.

• Familiarity with CAD software (e.g., Solidworks, OnShape), 3D printing, extruded aluminum construction, and electronics prototyping.

• Proficiency in programming languages such as C#, Python, or similar.

• Experience in project management, project scoping, and requirements gathering.

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Pay Range:

In the U.S., the hiring pay range for fully qualified candidates is $103,500-$120,750 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to hear from you.

Please review our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy PRIOR to applying.  

Our passion is anchored in robust scientific thinking, grounded in integrity and critical thinking. We keep the patient front and center in all we do – all actions and decisions are in service of the patient and their caregivers. We champion integrity, ethics, doing the right thing, and being our best selves.

Fraud Warning: How to Identify Impersonated Cytokinetics Job Postings and Offers

Recently, there have been fraudulent employment offers being sent to candidates on behalf of Cytokinetics. Please be advised that all legitimate offers from Cytokinetics will come directly from our official email domain (Cytokinetics.com) and will only be made after completing a formal interview process.

Here are some ways to check for authenticity:

• We do not conduct job interviews through non-standard text messaging applications

• We will never request personal information such as banking details until after an official offer has been accepted and verified

• We will never request that you purchase equipment or other items when interviewing or hiring

• If you are unsure about the authenticity of an offer, or if you receive any suspicious communication, please contact us directly at [email protected]

Please visit our website at: www.cytokinetics.com

Cytokinetics is an Equal Opportunity Employer