Associate​/Engineer , ResOps, Formulations and Characterization

Position: Associate / Engineer I, ResOps, Formulations and Characterization
Your Impact at LILA

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Associate Engineer to join our high-throughput Research Operations team. In this role, you will focus on hands on material formulation preparation using characterization techniques relevant to rheology and mechanical properties

You will gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art automation technologies while contributing directly to projects that drive our company's growth.

This is an excellent opportunity for candidates excited to learn engineering principles, work with advanced laboratory automation, and develop a strong foundation in scientific operations in a dynamic, shift-based environment.

What You'll Be Building

• Perform wet-lab materials synthesis and formulation of materials including coatings, solutions, and elastic materials
• Prepare reagents, solutions/electrolytes, samples, and consumables to ensure seamless continuation of experiments across shifts
• Conduct rheology of formulations, and mechanical testing such as tensile, peel, and shear tests
• Follow detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure accuracy, reproducibility, and throughput
• Monitor workflow performance, troubleshoot common issues, and escalate when necessary to ensure continuity between shifts
• Record, organize, and maintain experimental data with high attention to detail
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and streamline processes across shift operations
• Flag unusual features or results for scientist review
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to support diverse projects across life sciences and physical sciences

What You'll Need to Succeed

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Physics, Chemical/Materials Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent laboratory experience)
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• >1 year of experience with bench top and wet lab environments in an industrial setting with high throughout performing: pipetting, chemical handling, solution and sample preparation
• Hands-on experience synthesizing and testing materials such as coatings, solutions, adhesives, paints, and elastic materials
• Experience working and disposing of acids and bases, synthesis in fume hoods, and handling powders
• Curiosity to learn new skills and techniques relevant to materials science

Bonus Points For

• Additional familiarity with: mechanical testing (e.g., tensile and peel tests), rheology, polymer-based systems
• Experience working in high-throughput production environments with a focus on scalability, efficiency, and accuracy
• Basic engineering skills for troubleshooting synthesis tools such as centrifuges, pipettes, ovens, chemical handlers, glove box, and pumps
• Familiarity with automated workflows and techniques to operate and generate custom scripts
• Experience with characterization methods for analyzing morphology and chemical compositions

Compensation

We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.

U.S. Benefits. Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.

International Benefits. Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.

-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.

Expected Base Salary Range

$72,000-$106,000 USD

About LILA

Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.

LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating…