Head of Automation

About the Role 

As the head of automation you will be a crucial member of our interdisciplinary team, comprising highly creative and talented individuals with exceptional expertise in cell biology, functional genomics, protein production, and drug development. You will be responsible for designing and implementing automated solutions to address these workflows. This role is critical for driving innovation, ensuring operational efficiency, and maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance in line with industry regulations. The ideal candidate will have a robust background in engineering and automation within the pharmaceutical/biotech industry, coupled with exceptional leadership and project management skills.

About You

You are an enthusiastic automation engineer who takes pride in developing automated solutions for molecular biology, cell biology, and protein production/biochemistry teams. You are highly proficient in designing, prototyping, and establishing state of the art systems in biotech settings. You have experience in automation software standards, gathering business requirements, and performing feasibility studies. 

What You'll Do and Learn

• Design and plan robotic, sensor technologies, communications, and data systems
• Maintain systems for installation, integration, and operation
• Maintain and upgrade control systems
• Use engineering design software to create, modify, and analyze project schematics
• Research and develop new technologies, establish equipment specifications and requirements
• Perform safety inspections and craft risk assessments, and preventative maintenance and repairs
• Create and implement continuous improvement plans
• Design and implement data communication protocols and implement best practices
• Plan, organize, and direct project activities and evaluate project deliverables
• Train and mentor junior team members, providing guidance on experimental design, data analysis, and troubleshooting
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of experiments, protocols, and results in accordance with company standards and regulatory requirements
• Interpret and present scientific findings at research meetings. Provide scientific input and propose follow-up experiments
• Develop and implement the engineering and automation strategy aligned with the company's vision and goals
• Collaborate and communicate across diverse research teams to successfully achieve scientific goals
• Contribute to scientific publications, patents, and presentations to disseminate research findings both internally and externally
• Develop and enforce safety protocols and procedures to maintain a safe working environment
• Conduct regular audits and risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential safety and compliance issues

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or Master's degree in Engineering or Biological/Life Sciences, with 15+ years of industry experience related to the development, scaling, and implementation of automation
• Experience in setting up an automation line including the specification of fluidics/automated and semi-automated filling equipment scaled to meet budget and production volume requirements; ability to perform equipment programming to support production requirements
• Experience in working with equipment manufacturers to specify and ensure that purchased equipment meets the needs of the business and is installed to support schedule requirements
• Demonstrated ability to utilize statistical process control and experimental design techniques to evaluate and qualify production equipment and processes
• Ability to assess, program, implement, manage, troubleshoot and maintain fluidics automation equipment and other production equipment
• Experience in developing quality improvement programs and metrics to monitor automated processes
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with meticulous attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively present complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment, fostering cooperation and knowledge-sharing among team members
• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior research associates

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with functional genomics, sequencing, proteomics, protein production, and high-throughput screening workflows
• Experience using LIMS and Benchling systems

Compensation

The specific compensation package for this role depends on experience, qualifications and level. We anticipate the compensation range to be $250,000 to $350,000 per year. 

Xaira Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer. We thrive on diversity and collaboration, and we welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.