Automation Engineer II/III

The Company:

Mirai Bio is a Flagship-backed, privately held biotechnology company on a mission to transform the current approach to information molecule therapeutics to unlock their full therapeutic potential. In recent years, we have begun to experience the power of information molecules in treating historically undruggable diseases and in designing therapies with unprecedented turnaround times. Mirai’s platform integrates nanoparticle development with world-class informatics technologies and a novel pipeline of experimentation and discovery to drive a new generation of highly effective, therapeutically relevant information molecule therapies. We are seeking collaborative, relentless problem solvers that share our passion for impact to join us!

The Position:

Mirai Biosciences is seeking a highly-talented and motivated individual to help drive implementation of laboratory automation throughout the organization.  This role is a vital part of our Automation Group within the Technology Development team, and will have a broad mandate to develop requirements and scale-up key processes including high-throughput/high-content screening, molecular biology assays and sample purifications, bioanalytical assays, and chemical synthesis processes.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience and an in-depth knowledge of liquid-handler development, both stand-alone and as part of integrated systems or workcells, and a strong desire to deploy their efforts productively in the lab.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as primary engineer/developer to design, implement, and optimize liquid-handler methods and supporting procedures
• Author SOPs for automated methods and equipment in collaboration with end users, train staff on deployed processes, and help troubleshoot and maintain our fleet of automated lab equipment
• Identify and investigate relevant new equipment and technologies, contribute to new systems designs and development (particularly integrated workcells), and deploy those solutions smoothly into the laboratory
• Support data collection, sample labeling, identification and tracking, and results-reporting within an ELN system
• Collaborate and communicate effectively and often, both within the Technical Development Team and across various cross-functional/stakeholder teams

Qualifications:

• BS degree in an engineering or life-sciences discipline, with 3-6 years of relevant laboratory automation experience
• Extensive hands-on experience with programming Hamilton-brand liquid-handlers (STAR/STARlet, Nimbus, etc), including use of more-advanced libraries and functions within Venus software
• Familiarity with a broad range of laboratory instrumentation, including dispensing, decapping, barcoding, and labeling equipment
• Strong organizational skills related to requirements gathering, end-user collaboration, work-task management and prioritization, and communication at every level
• Proactive in identifying and working through timeline, technical risk, competing priorities, and other challenges of a fast-paced research environment
• Some exposure to project-management or project-planning tools, ideally scaled-agile framework, Kanban, or other formal work-management systems
• Experience with Python, .NET, or other structured programming languages is a plus
• Experience with CAD, 3D printing, mechanical design, or rapid-prototyping is a plus

About Flagship

At Flagship, we recognize there is no perfect candidate. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. Experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your unique background.

Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.