Associate Automation Engineer

About the Role

The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute is a highly successful nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate cures through stem cell research. NYSCF invites applicants to join our dedicated Automation Team as an early-career engineer. Your role will be instrumental in supporting our high-throughput automated cell culture platform, the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array®. This innovative platform facilitates large-scale cell line production and experimentation for studying human diseases such as ovarian cancer and diabetes. As one of the world's largest automated cell culture platforms, this cutting-edge tool fuels research progression and empowers scientists to undertake expansive experiments and downstream assays. In this full-time on-site Associate Automation Engineer position, you will be reporting to an Automation Engineer within our dynamic, multi-disciplinary team within our expanding laboratory. You'll contribute to automating stem cell-related projects, collaborating effectively with laboratory members and the wider organization.

What you'll do:

• Troubleshoot hardware and software issues, ensuring the reliable operation of automated equipment deployed throughout the laboratory.
• Perform routine maintenance of automated equipment, including robotic arms, liquid handlers, decappers, incubators, and centrifuges.
• Develop innovative liquid handling processes across diverse liquid handling instruments from manufacturers such as Hamilton, Agilent, and Dynamic Devices.
• Contribute to the design and fabrication of novel solutions to augment existing processes within the laboratory.
• Analyze data using commercial data analysis packages and effectively communicate results within a team environment.
• Create custom software solutions, such as macros, web pages, and custom configurations of off-the-shelf tools to aid the Global Stem Cell Array® user base.
• Assist in integrating methods and protocols with NYSCF’s proprietary Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Help evaluate and test emerging automation technologies/platforms.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in science or engineering-related fields.
• 1+ years of experience is required, but exposure or experience in developing, maintaining, or operating automated instrumentation and laboratory devices is a significant plus.
• Exposure to Computer Assisted Design, microcontroller programming, and 3D printing experience will be advantageous.
• Experience with programming/software development is a strong advantage, and experience programming robotic instruments/liquid handlers is extremely beneficial.
• Experience as a member of a dynamic team, developing tools and solutions based on user requirements, including specifications and timelines.
• Lab environment experience, particularly with mammalian cell culture, is a plus.