Automation Bioengineer

Requisition  Overview:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Research Professional to advance automation-enabled biological research across the Biosciences Division (BSD). The Automation Bioengineer will work with scientists, engineers, and facility staff to identify high-value research needs and develop, integrate, and implement automated and semi-automated workflows that improve the scale, reproducibility, speed, and quality of biological experimentation. The work will span BSD programs and biological systems, including microbial and plant engineering, phenotyping, molecular and cellular biology, analytical workflows, and other areas where automation can strengthen research.

The position will help connect and extend capabilities in the Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory (APPL), greenhouse and plant transformation environments, microbial engineering laboratories, and other relevant facilities. The successful candidate will prototype and test approaches, document and support workflows, and work with engineering, computing, and technical teams across ORNL to translate research needs into practical automation solutions. The candidate will collaborate across BSD and with partners elsewhere at ORNL, including the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD), as appropriate.

This is a cross-cutting research and capability-development role; it is not limited to one organism, group, or facility. The candidate will contribute to proposals, reports, publications, and presentations that communicate results and expand use of automation-enabled research capabilities. Major Duties/Responsibilities:
Develop and coordinate a cross-cutting automation bioengineering effort that responds to research needs across BSD and supports collaboration with other ORNL divisions and external partners.

Work with researchers to assess workflows and design, prototype, integrate, validate, and improve automation solutions for biological research, including liquid handling, sample preparation, transformation and engineering, cultivation, imaging and phenotyping, analytical measurements, and data capture, as appropriate to project needs.

Connect and extend automation capabilities across microbial, plant, molecular, cellular, and other biological systems, coordinating with APPL, greenhouse and plant transformation operations, microbial engineering laboratories, and other relevant facilities.

Collaborate with engineering, instrumentation, computing, data science, and facility teams to develop fit-for-purpose hardware, software, interfaces, data practices, and safe operating procedures; identify when existing systems can be adapted and when new prototypes are warranted.

Lead or contribute to research projects and proposals that advance automation-enabled biological discovery, predictive design, and experimental throughput; document outcomes and contribute to scientific publications, technical reports, and presentations.

Train and mentor researchers, students, and technical staff in the use, maintenance, and appropriate adaptation of automated workflows; promote documentation and knowledge sharing so capabilities can be used and sustained across teams.

Coordinate project planning and execution with investigators and facility staff, including defining requirements, milestones, resource needs, and measures of success.

Maintain detailed and accurate experimental, equipment, software, and workflow records; support data quality, reproducibility, and appropriate integration with laboratory information and data systems.

Support day-to-day laboratory and prototype operations, including equipment readiness, troubleshooting, and compliance with ORNL environmental, health, safety, and security requirements.

Build effective working relationships across disciplines and organizational boundaries, communicate technical concepts clearly, and contribute to a respectful, collaborative research environment.

Maintain a culture of continued learning and keep current with relevant developments in laboratory automation, bioengineering, instrumentation, and experimental methods.

Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

A Ph.D. in bioengineering, biological engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, biology,…