Oxford Nanopore Technologies: Our goal is to bring the widest benefits to society through enabling the analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere.
The company has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology for faster, information rich, accessible and affordable molecular analysis.
The first application is DNA/RNA sequencing, and the technology is in development for the analysis of other types of molecules including proteins.
The technology is used to understand and characterise the biology of humans and diseases such as cancer, plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, and whole environments.
With a thriving culture of ambition and strong innovation goals, Oxford Nanopore is a UK headquartered company with global operations and customers in more than 125 countries!
About the Role
We are looking for a Production Engineer to build, wire, program, commission and troubleshoot automated assembly and test equipment for fluidic products and sub-assemblies. This practical role combines mechanical and electrical work with PLC/HMI controls and robotics, supporting equipment installation, production readiness and day-to-day manufacturing under the technical guidance of senior engineers.
This role will be based at Abingdon Business Park, Oxfordshire.
Key Responsibilities
- Build and assemble automated machines, fixtures and robotic cells; fit and align mechanisms, tooling, drives and pneumatic components to drawings.
- Wire electrical panels and field devices to schematics, including terminals, sensors, actuators and valve manifolds; complete wiring checks and I/O checkout.
- Develop, modify and debug PLC and HMI programs for assigned functions, including sequences, interlocks, alarms and diagnostics, with senior review and controlled backups.
- Set up and teach industrial robots, adjust positions and routines, and troubleshoot end effectors, machine interfaces and PLC handshakes within approved designs.
- Configure and troubleshoot sensors, actuators, pneumatics, motion controls and industrial networks/fieldbus, including device settings and communication faults.
- Commission equipment through mechanical checks, controlled energisation, manual operation and automatic-cycle trials; verify repeatability and performance against agreed criteria.
- Support machine safety checks on guards, interlocks, emergency stops and safety controls; follow isolation procedures and escalate defects before operation.
- Execute factory and site acceptance tests (FAT/SAT), record results, resolve assigned defects and support qualification testing under approved protocols.
- Diagnose mechanical, electrical, controls and pneumatic faults using drawings, PLC diagnostics and test instruments; confirm root causes and verify corrective actions.
- Support fluidic assembly and test processes, including dispensing, leak testing, syringe-pump filling, plastic laser welding and laser marking, under senior guidance.
- Provide production support with operators, maintenance teams, and machine builders; resolve breakdowns, support product transfers and improve uptime and cycle times.
- Maintain wiring mark-ups, drawings, parts lists, software backups, commissioning records and work instructions; support equipment handover and operator training.
What We’re Looking For
Must-Haves:
- Relevant engineering apprenticeship, HNC/HND or degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics or Automation Engineering, or equivalent practical industrial experience.
- Practical industrial automation experience building, wiring, commissioning and fault-finding on automated machinery.
- Hands-on PLC/HMI programming and debugging on at least one industrial platform
- Experience setting up, teaching or troubleshooting industrial robots and their machine interfaces.
- Experience with sensors, actuators, pneumatics, controls and production equipment support
Nice-to-Haves:
- Practical training in PLC/HMI programming, industrial robotics, electrical work or machine safety.
- Evidence of continued technical learning.
- Fluidic manufacturing or test processes, such as dispensing, syringe pumps or leak testing.
- FAT/SAT, qualification testing or work in a regulated manufacturing environment.
- Vision systems, servo drives or laser processing equipment.
Why Join Us?
Are you a hands-on engineer who thrives at the intersection of automation, clever design, and precision manufacturing?
If you bring curiosity, resilience, and a drive to solve complex engineering challenges, you will thrive in our fast-paced, collaborative team environment.
We offer outstanding benefits to include an attractive bonus, generous pension contributions, private healthcare and an excellent starting salary.
If you are looking to utilise your skills to really make a difference to humankind, then consider joining our team and apply today!
Please note that no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person's gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the job.
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About UsOxford Nanopore Technologies: Our goal is to bring the widest benefits to society through enabling the analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere. The company has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology for faster, information rich, accessible and affordable molecular analysis. The first application is DNA/RNA sequencing, and the technology is in development for the analysis of other types of molecules including proteins. The technology is used to understand and characterise the biology of humans and diseases such as cancer, plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, and whole environments. With a thriving culture of ambition and strong innovation goals, Oxford Nanopore is a UK headquartered company with global operations and customers in more than 125 countries.
Skills Required
- Degree in mechanical engineering or similar subject
- Experience in a highly regulated industry such as medical or aerospace
- Experience in a regulatory or compliance-based role
- Experience in producing and maintaining product technical files and risk assessments
- Proficiency in Microsoft Applications including Project, Excel and Visio
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Oxford Nanopore Technologies and has not been reviewed or approved by Oxford Nanopore Technologies.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered good to above average across many roles, with employer-provided ranges visible for several U.S. commercial and applications positions and company materials emphasizing market‑competitive base pay. Commercial and some senior technical posts, particularly in the U.S., are positioned as competitive and often paired with strong variable components.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — All‑employee share plans in the UK and a U.S. employee stock purchase plan indicate broad access to equity as part of total reward. Company communications highlight attractive bonus and share plans that add meaningful upside beyond base pay.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. roles indicate strong health insurance and core protections, while official materials and country overviews reference private medical coverage and wellbeing support. These elements position the health package as a notable strength alongside cash compensation.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Insights
What We Do
Our goal is to enable the analysis of anything, anywhere, by anyone. We have developed the world’s first and only nanopore DNA and RNA sequencing platform. It’s a new generation of sequencing technology — the only one to offer: scalability to portable or ultra-high throughput formats, real-time data delivery, and the ability to elucidate rich biological data. We are aiming to disrupt the way that biological analyses are currently performed, and open up new applications that have a profound, positive impact on society. Our devices offer real-time analysis, for rapid insights, in fully scalable formats — from pocket to population scale — and the technology is being used in more than 100 countries worldwide. Founded in 2005 as a spin-out from the University of Oxford, the company now employs more than 600 people from multiple disciplines including nanopore science, molecular biology and applications, informatics, engineering, electronics, manufacturing and commercialisation. The management team, led by CEO Dr Gordon Sanghera, has a track record of delivering disruptive technologies to the market.
