Mechatronics Engineer I​/II

Your Impact at Lila

We’re seeking a fearless mechatronics engineer who thrives at the intersection of hands‑on hardware and rapid software development. You’ll learn the details of vendor lab equipment quickly, build ESP
32‑based control modules to solve blockers, and create the electromechanical systems that enable our AI Science Factory (AISF™) to run autonomously. This role is 50% coding and 50% building things with your hands. One day you’ll debug serial protocols on a liquid handler, the next you’ll solder custom sensor boards because waiting for a vendor solution would delay deadlines. While the job title is Mechatronics Engineer, we need someone to jump into any engineering challenge that arises and grow across the full engineering stack as the team and product evolve.

• Design and build custom control systems for lab automation—ESP
  32 modules, sensor integrations, and other solutions to solve problems.
• Utilize vendor equipment when APIs don’t exist or documentation is lacking—read schematics, sniff protocols, and make it work.
• Debug electromechanical systems in the real world—multimeter in hand, fixing what breaks.
• Write firmware and control software—C/C++ for microcontrollers, communicating hardware constraints to higher‑level orchestration teammates.
• Prototype rapidly—3D print mechanical parts, design PCBs, iterate based on what actually works in the lab.

• Undergraduate degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field (or equivalent hands‑on experience).
• Comfort with microcontrollers, especially ESP
  32/Arduino ecosystem—you’ve built blink‑LED projects, read sensors, and communicated over UART.
• Hands‑on hardware skills: soldering, wire wrapping, reading schematics, using multimeters—you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty.
• Programming ability: C/C++, Python, or similar for firmware, debugging serial protocols, and understanding header files.
• Self‑motivated problem solver who doesn’t wait for perfect information—figures things out and moves forward.

• Experience with microcontrollers such as ESP
  32, Arduino, STM
  32, and peripheral configuration.
• Hardware fundamentals: reading schematics, using multimeters/oscilloscopes, understanding voltage/current/resistance basics.
• Hands‑on skills: soldering, crimping, wire management, mechanical assembly for reliable systems.
• Programming: C/C++ for embedded systems, Python for automation, serial communication concepts.
• Debugging methodology: methodical troubleshooting from “nothing works” to “ship it,” reading datasheets, testing hypotheses, isolating failures.

• Experience with communication protocols (I²C, SPI, UART, CAN, Modbus, RS‑232/485).
• Familiarity with network protocols or device communication (TCP/IP, HTTP, MQTT) or curiosity about device interaction.
• PCB design experience (KiCad, Eagle, Altium) for custom boards.
• 3D printing and mechanical prototyping skills—CAD basics, quick iterations.
• A portfolio of “things I built”—personal projects demonstrating you make things work.

• Built something that controls real hardware—motors, sensors, actuators in working systems.
• Curious about device communication—understanding how your ESP
  32 connects to Wi‑Fi.
• Debugged issues requiring code changes and physical fixes—thinking across hardware/software boundaries.
• Maker/hacker background—personal projects with electronics, robotics, automation, turning ideas into functioning prototypes.
• Worked through ambiguous problems with incomplete information and still made progress.

Lila Sciences is the world’s first scientific superintelligence platform and autonomous lab for life, chemistry, and materials science. We are pioneering a new age of boundless discovery by building the capabilities to apply AI to every aspect of the scientific method. We are introducing scientific superintelligence to solve humankind’s greatest challenges, enabling scientists to bring forth solutions in human health, climate, and sustainability at a pace and scale never experienced before.

Learn more about this mission a.ai.

We expect the base salary for this role to fall…