Sr. Automation Engineer

Sr. Automation Engineer at Exact Sciences summary:

The Senior Automation Engineer develops and deploys automated laboratory solutions to support high complexity assays in a regulated clinical environment. This role involves designing and implementing automated liquid handling methods, software integration, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with quality and regulatory standards. The position requires strong problem-solving skills, mentoring junior engineers, and supporting process development across multiple sites.

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At Exact Sciences, we’re helping change how the world prevents, detects and guides treatment for cancer. We give patients and clinicians the clarity needed to make confident decisions when they matter most. Join our team to find a purpose-driven career, an inclusive culture, and robust benefits to support your life while you’re working to help others.

Position Overview

The Senior Automation Engineer R&D is a key problem solving, individual contributor that uses in-depth conceptual and practical knowledge to achieve project goals. This position will leverage understanding of engineering principles, methods, data, and judgment to influence the course of product development activities.

The Senior Automation Engineer R&D will develop and deploy robust laboratory automation solutions for Next-Generation Sequencing based assays in support of high complexity laboratory developed tests. This position will utilize technical skills, with oversight, to participate in conceiving, planning, and executing research and development activities to achieve project goals. The successful candidate has experience working in a collaborative, fast-paced team to build scalable, highly integrated automation platforms which enable users to reliably and efficiently deliver timely, high-quality results in a regulated environment.

This position is onsite in San Diego, CA.

Essential Duties

Included, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop automated laboratory solutions to meet the requirements of existing or new assay workflows.
• Iteratively design, develop, and implement automated liquid handler methods for use in a high throughout environment, improve methods based on feedback from experimental data and user feedback.
• Support accurate and robust automation software integration with external systems (LIMS, integrated hardware, etc.).
• Support design transfer and deployment of automation solutions across multiple sites which meet product requirements and are fully integrated with clinical laboratory workflows.
• Support process development needs such as automated Operational Qualification procedures.
• Mentor junior level engineers.
• Assist and train laboratory personnel on the use of automated systems.
• Maintain and troubleshoot automated systems and processes.
• Participate in new product design and design improvements to existing products.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure all development activities are conducted in adherence to applicable national/international regulations, guidelines, company policies, SOPs, and industry standards.
• Lead Human Factors Engineering/Usability Engineering tasks and activities.
• Lead product risk management activities involving system Hazard Analysis (HA) Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA).
• Collaborate with Quality team to establish templates and processes for the documentation of systems engineering tasks and activities.
• Participate in the definition of key development deliverables, milestones, dependencies, risks, and mitigations as part of the Integrated Program Plan.
• Establish interfaces across other organizational groups.
• Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Uphold company mission and values through accountability, innovation, integrity, quality, and teamwork.
• Support and comply with the company’s Quality Management System policies and procedures.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance.
• Ability to act with an inclusion mindset and model these behaviors for the organization.
• Ability to work on a mobile device, tablet, or in front of a computer screen and/or perform typing for approximately 90% of a typical working…