The Position

Verve is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead the Automation team. The automation team at Verve collaborates cross-functionally to build bespoke automated solutions for a variety of workflows spanning gene editing, analytical and next generation sequencing. This is a great opportunity for a skilled and collaborative individual to develop and manage high impact automation projects  which will enable Verve on its mission of developing safe and efficient precision medicines.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead an in-house automation team to implement automation across the company to increase efficiency, standardization, and throughput of NGS workflows
• Develop near-, mid-, and long-term strategies to automate various processes across different R&D groups, including NGS, Analytical Development, RNA Technology teams and more
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including, scientists, engineers, and IT professionals to identify opportunities for automation and ensure successful implementation of automation systems
• Oversee the implementation of automation systems, including selecting appropriate hardware and software, configuring systems, testing and troubleshooting, and providing training to end-users
• Manage automation projects from conception to completion, ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet the desired objectives
• Stay up to date with the latest developments in automation technology and industry best practices to ensure that Verve are at the forefront of automation innovation
• Ensure that data generated using automation is accurate, reliable, and auditable and of the highest quality
• Work with others in the automation team to script new methods, integrate hardware and optimize existing methods to enable high-throughput solutions used by internal teams.
• Manage a fleet of liquid handling platforms, including creating SOPs, maintaining fleet health and scheduling preventative maintenance.
• Work closely with Computational Biology, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Information Technology, and Regulatory groups to ensure conformance of automation workflows with regulatory requirements as appropriate
• Demonstrate exceptional time management skills and drive to support automation adoption and increase data output
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• PhD in life sciences or engineering field with 6+ years of relevant industry experience with demonstration of successful implementation of automation workflows
  • or M.S in life sciences or engineering field with 8+ years of relevant industry experience
  • or B.S. in life sciences or engineering field with 12+ years relevant industry experience
• Experience implementing automation in genomics and NGS workflows is highly preferred
• Strong technical background and familiarity with a wide range of automation technologies, including hardware and software systems, control systems, robotics, and data analytics
• Previous experience with liquid handling platforms, laboratory automation equipment including Hamilton, Tecan, and Agilent based systems is required.
• Demonstrate advanced programming expertise with commercial liquid handlers and HTS software is required (Venus on Vantage, Fluent Control, and VWorks)
• Experience implementing fully automated, end-to-end automation solutions, such as High Res Bio Systems or Biosero is desirable
• Experience with and operational knowledge of immunoassay/ELISA based instruments such as flow cytometers, MesoScale, BioTek, Cytomat, and Multi-mode plate readers
• Programming knowledge in .NET (VB, C#, ASP), Python, Java Script, SQL server, VBA Excel and Matlab are highly desired
• Strong familiarity with the gene therapy development and discovery process
• Experience leading a team of engineers and mentoring them as they progress in their careers
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and solve complex problems
• Effective communicator with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and collaborate with cross-functional teams effectively