Advisor​/Sr. Advisor Automation, RNA Therapeutics

We are seeking an experienced Automation Engineer to design and implement robust automation platforms that integrate scientific instrumentation, robotic automation, and laboratory data management across Lilly’s RNA Therapeutics portfolio. The role reports to the Automation Lead for RNA Therapeutics and works within a multidisciplinary automation team responsible for delivering high‑throughput automated systems that increase the efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability of RNA therapeutic discovery workflows.

The focus of this position is the design and implementation of automation platforms and integrated workcells rather than support of individual instruments, ensuring solutions are scalable, standardized, and deployable across multiple sites.

• Partner with internal partners to understand scientific workflows and develop automation solutions that improve throughput, reproducibility, data quality, and the generation of structured experimental datasets.
• Design automation workflows that minimize experimental variability and bias while ensuring consistent metadata capture and traceability, enabling datasets suitable for downstream analytics and AI/ML model development.
• Design, implement, and support laboratory automation platforms including liquid handlers, robotics, and integrated workcells from requirements gathering through deployment and scale‑up.
• Lead implementation of complex automation platforms including RNA processing systems and next‑generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation workcells.
• Develop robust liquid‑handling methods on Hamilton STAR platforms, optimizing liquid classes, assay miniaturization, and workflow standardization.
• Implement integrated automation workcells involving liquid handlers, plate‑handling robotics, and analytical instrumentation.
• Contribute to the automation strategy and evolve solutions with business needs.
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, and scalability of existing automation platforms.
• Manage risks, mitigation strategies, and communicate progress to partners during complex integrated projects.
• Collaborate with Lab Operations and IT teams to plan space requirements, install automation hardware, and manage supply chains.
• Translate biological workflows into automation requirements, including data capture, metadata tracking, experiment lineage, and integration with digital systems.
• Provide end‑user training and support for automation systems and digital laboratory platforms such as ELN and LIMS systems (e.g., Benchling) to ensure consistent workflow execution and high‑quality experimental data capture.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams including scientists, hardware engineers, software engineers, informatics teams, data engineers, and data scientists.
• Contribute to vendor selection and evaluation for automation hardware, software, and technology solutions.

• BS in engineering or related field with 15+ years of pharma or biotech laboratory automation experience, OR MS in engineering or related field with 10+ years of pharma or biotech laboratory automation experience.
• Demonstrated leadership in implementing complex automation platforms and delivering large‑scale automation systems.

• Extensive experience designing and implementing laboratory automation solutions in an industry environment, including leading complex platform deployments and supporting production‑scale automation systems.
• Deep hands‑on experience on Hamilton STAR liquid‑handling platforms, authoring STAR methods, developing and tuning liquid classes, solving complex liquid‑handling behavior issues, and standardizing workflows across multiple systems or sites.
• Experience implementing bead‑based workflows, assay miniaturization, and high‑precision pipetting.
• Experience automating NGS library preparation workflows, including bead cleanup, normalization, and indexing PCR.
• Experience implementing integrated automation workcells involving liquid handlers, robotics, and analytical instrumentation.
• Experience integrating automation systems with scheduling software such as Biosero Green Button Go.
• Strong understanding of…