Robotic Automation Engineer I (West Coast)

POSITION OVERVIEW

HighRes is seeking a Robotic Automation Engineer I to join our Automation Engineering team, based on the West Coast. Reporting to a Lead Automation Engineer at our Beverly, Massachusetts headquarters, this role is built for an automation professional who has established a foundation in laboratory automation and is ready to take on greater technical ownership.

This is a field-based role focused on customers across the West Coast. You will own deployments end to end: robots, instruments, and CellarioScheduler brought together into a system a lab will run its science on, and signed off with your name on it. You will do that independently on standard systems, and alongside senior engineers on complex ones, where multiple robots, higher device counts, and more demanding instrumentation raise the difficulty of the integration. Your work will be primarily concentrated in the territory, with assignments outside the region when the business calls for it and regular travel to Beverly for training, build support, and time with the wider team.

Because this role operates in the field, it calls for someone who is effective working independently and knows when to pull in senior support. You will work with cutting-edge robotic platforms in some of the most advanced life science and pharmaceutical environments in the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Delivery

• Take full ownership of commissioning standard systems, integrating robots, laboratory instruments, and CellarioScheduler into a platform the customer's lab runs its science on
• Modify and troubleshoot CellarioScheduler workflows on deployed systems, resolving integration issues between the scheduler, the robots, and third-party instruments, working from the end-to-end workflow defined by the Applications team
• Verify that hardware, software, and integration deliverables meet the agreed acceptance criteria
• Commission complex systems with guidance from senior engineers, where multiple robots, a larger device count, and more demanding instruments raise the difficulty of the integration
• Execute Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) independently for standard systems, and with senior support for complex systems
• Configure and troubleshoot automation hardware and integrated devices through firmware operations and device-level diagnostics
• Interpret, integrate, and debug C# and Python code within HighRes automation systems
• Configure relational databases supporting laboratory scheduling applications using SQL
• Configure and operate a range of robotic platforms, including SCARA and articulated robotic arms, adapting to diverse hardware configurations across customer deployments
• Contribute to multi-system deployments alongside senior engineers, building exposure to highly complex environments
• Create and maintain technical documentation for deployed systems, configurations, and resolved issues

Customer Success

• Deliver standard and complex system training to customer teams, covering both hardware operation and software application, with minimal guidance
• Proactively manage customer relationships by addressing concerns and ensuring satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle
• Communicate project status, technical topics, and roadblocks clearly to customers and internal stakeholders
• Serve as a resource for teammates by sharing knowledge of tools, platforms, and processes

QUALIFICATIONS

You bring a proven foundation in laboratory or comparable automation and are ready to take on standard and complex systems. Your success will be built on the following qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline (Computer Science, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field) and 2+ years of relevant experience; or Associate's degree and 4+ years; or Master's degree and 1+ years
• Hands-on experience deploying, configuring, or supporting laboratory automation or industrial robotics systems
• Experience with laboratory automation scheduling software such as CellarioScheduler, Green Button Go (Biosero), Momentum (Thermo Fisher), Overlord (PAA), or equivalent
• Proficiency in code interpretation, with a strong foundation in software principles and object-oriented programming (C# or similar)
• Strong troubleshooting and configuration skills at both the hardware and software level, with a proven ability to identify, document, and resolve issues efficiently
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills across diverse audiences
• Ability to travel up to and sometimes exceeding 40% annually to customer locations domestically and internationally
• Current driver's license and valid passport
• Reliable personal transportation for regional travel
• Comfortable working in laboratory and technical environments
• Capable of lifting up to 25 pounds and standing for extended periods

Preferred

• Hands-on integration experience with laboratory instrumentation from vendors such as Hamilton, Tecan, Beckman Coulter, Thermo Fisher, Agilent, Revvity, BMG Labtech, or Molecular Devices
• Hands-on experience with SCARA or articulated robotic arms from manufacturers such as Kuka, Denso, Universal Robots, or similar
• Experience with SQL and relational database configuration for scheduling applications
• Experience with Python scripting for automation or test tooling
• Working knowledge of networking concepts (TCP/IP, serial communication, protocols and networking layers) and components (switches, routers, ADAM modules, Moxa devices)
• Experience with firmware-level device configuration and troubleshooting
• Background in customer-facing technical delivery roles (field service, deployment engineering, applications support)
• Exposure to highly complex or multi-system automation environments
• Experience tracking work in Jira and Confluence
• Strong organizational and project management abilities

TRAVEL AND LOCATION

• Primary work location: remote, based on the West Coast
• Work is primarily concentrated within the territory, supporting customers across the region
• Assignments outside the territory are required when business needs call for it, including customer sites elsewhere in the United States and internationally
• Candidates must be based on the West Coast, with convenient access to a major airport
• Proximity to San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, or Portland is beneficial but not required
• Regular travel to our Beverly, Massachusetts headquarters for training, build support, and collaboration with the wider team
• Travel up to and sometimes exceeding 40% annually to customer sites domestically and internationally

WHAT SETS YOU APART

The ideal candidate combines a solid technical foundation with a growing ownership mindset. You execute assigned work independently with minimal supervision, take initiative on routine problems, and know when to bring in senior support on the trickiest challenges. You proactively communicate progress and roadblocks to both internal and customer teams with a high level of professionalism. Above all, you take quality seriously in your work, your communication, and the experience you create for every customer you serve.

WHY HIGHRES?

This role puts you at the center of high-stakes automation deployments in some of the most advanced life science and pharmaceutical organizations in the world. You will work with cutting-edge robotic platforms, solve challenging technical problems, and build lasting relationships with customers whose science depends on what you deliver. If you are ready to do meaningful engineering work at the frontier of laboratory automation and grow alongside a team that takes excellence seriously, HighRes is the place to do it.

Salary Range: $83,500-$93,500k

Work Location: Remote - West Coast