Master’s Thesis (m/w/d) – Development of a Quality Standard and Test Procedure for Piezoelectric Dispensing Modules

CYTENA is a young and fast-growing high-tech company dedicated to the development of automated, high-precision laboratory instruments for life science research and the pharmaceutical industry. Our award-winning instruments are used in renowned academic and pharmaceutical laboratories worldwide to automate workflows across a wide range of applications, including stable cell line development, single-cell omics, high-throughput screening, and drug discovery. Since 2019, CYTENA has been part of the BICO Group.

Our mission is: At CYTENA, we make the development of modern therapies faster, safer, and more affordable.

Join CYTENA for your Master’s Thesis (m/w/d) – Development of a Quality Standard and Test Procedure for Piezoelectric Dispensing Modules and contribute to the further development of one of our key technologies. Piezoelectric dispensing enables the precise, gentle, and reproducible dispensing of cells and liquids at picoliter volumes and plays an important role within CYTENA’s technology portfolio. This position is based at our office in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.

In this thesis project, you will develop a standardized and reproducible approach for evaluating the quality and performance of piezoelectric dispensing modules. You will identify relevant performance parameters, develop suitable measurement methods and acceptance criteria, and design a test setup that enables different dispensing modules to be evaluated under comparable conditions.

Responsibilities

• Identify relevant performance and quality parameters for piezoelectric dispensing modules.
• Develop suitable measurement methods for the quantitative evaluation of the identified parameters.
• Develop and implement a test setup for comparing different dispensing modules according to the defined parameters under consistent test conditions.
• Define acceptance criteria and threshold values to distinguish between properly functioning and defective dispensing modules.
• Investigate the correlation between measured technical parameters and the actual dispensing performance under laboratory conditions.
• Evaluate the requirements for different applications of the test system, including:
  • long-term reliability testing,
  • investigation of individual defective modules from research and development,
  • root cause analysis and failure diagnostics, and
  • evaluation of potential use in serial production testing.
• Plan, conduct, and evaluate experiments to assess the performance and reliability of the developed test approach.
• Document methods, test results, and findings in a clear and reproducible manner.
• Present and discuss your results with relevant colleagues from our research and development teams.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s degree program in Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Microsystems Engineering, Medical Engineering, Physics, or a comparable technical or scientific field.
• Strong interest in systems engineering, micro actuators, test development and experimental engineering.
• Practical experience with laboratory work or experimental setups is an advantage.
• Basic knowledge of CAD software (preferably Solid Works), python programming, data analysis and statistical evaluation of measurement data.
• Interest in developing objective and reproducible test methods, acceptance criteria, and quality standards for technical components.
• A structured and analytical working style with a hands-on approach to experimental work and problem-solving.
• Ability to independently plan, conduct, document, and evaluate experiments.
• Interest in piezoelectric systems, microfluidics, dispensing technologies, or laboratory automation is an advantage.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary R&D environment.
• Professional proficiency in English; German language skills are an advantage.

What we offer

Being part of CYTENA means being part of something bigger, as our goal is to help shape the future of medical development. We are an emerging life-science company with multiple award-winning products and a great team characterized by fun, friendliness, collaboration, and mutual support.

• Agile start-up culture: We are a dynamic and internationally operating company and are proud of our flat organizational structure. We work in an agile environment and in cross-functional teams.
• Flexible working: For us, it is all about results. We want our employees to be as productive and happy as possible, which is why we offer a flexible working model.
• Team building: Collaboration is key for us! We are open-minded, support each other, and enjoy organizing team events.
• Benefits: The CYTENA team always gives its best, and we want to give something back. You can choose between three great benefits: a public transport job ticket, Givve Card, or Hansefit
• On top: We offer free fruit, water and coffee, a cereal bar and other snacks, a well-connected office with a beautiful rooftop terrace, ball pit, chillout area, underground parking spaces, and much more.
• Green City Freiburg: Our new and modern Green City office is located in Freiburg’s Güterbahnhof district, a vibrant new neighborhood. Situated at the gateway to the Black Forest in sunny southwest Germany, Freiburg is a green university city with a historic city center, unique charm, and a wide range of leisure and cultural activities.
• Company pension scheme: The future of our employees matters to us. We offer the opportunity to participate in a direct insurance pension scheme with attractive conditions and an employer contribution above the statutory minimum through our insurance partner.
• The chance to make a difference: We are part of the life-science industry, and our work provides a great opportunity to contribute to the development of new medicines and treatments that can help hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. We are shaping the future!

Would you like to become part of our success story? Then apply online via our application portal. Please note that, for data protection reasons, we cannot accept applications by email.

At CYTENA, we don’t just accept difference, we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. We are an equal opportunity workplace and will always pride ourselves on being a collaborative environment.

BICO leverages a global portfolio of pioneering brands fusing automation, intelligence, and data to unlock scientific discovery at scale in pharma and biotech. With 53,600+ instruments installed in over 65 countries, BICO products, software, and solutions are found in more than 3,500 laboratories, including the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies, and have been cited in over 13,000 publications. BICO strives towards the vision to enable life-science labs to accelerate the discoveries that change lives. BICO is listed on Mid-Cap, Nasdaq Stockholm under BICO. www.bico.com 

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