Principal Scientist, Automation

Job Overview

GSK is searching for experienced and technically adept Principal Scientists to join our new RTech Automation team within Data, Automation & Predictive Sciences (DAPS) in our Research Technologies (RTech) division. RTech Automation will spearhead the integration of automation technologies into our scientific workflows to deliver biology and data at scale. A critical component of RTech's vision as a technology‑driven leader in target discovery and molecule design is the establishment of an integrated design‑generate‑analyze‑model‑predict cycle within DAPS, supported by this centralized Automation/Engineering team.

The role will report to RTech Automation Platforms Lead, UK and will play a role in shaping our vision and strategy in automating drug discovery workflows, while also providing technical expertise.

• Provide technical expertise to design and deploy lab‑in‑a‑loop systems and orchestrated automation platforms, ensuring seamless data flow and system interoperability.
• Oversee network infrastructure for lab automation platforms, handling design, deployment, support, installation, configuration, qualification, and operational handover.
• Act as the main technical contact between research scientists, automation engineers, and GSK Tech to gather requirements, set priorities, deliver solutions, and promote ongoing improvements.
• Implement, configure and maintain secure network connectivity for automation systems, including TCP/IP networking, OT interfaces, and ensure compliance with GSK technology and security standards.
• Administer and troubleshoot automation hardware and software on Windows and Linux, independently resolving incidents and implementing short‑term workarounds to minimise research disruption.
• Support application and database hosting, deployment and administration in on‑premises and cloud (GCP, Azure) environments, including configuration of VMs, containers, and platform services relevant to automation applications.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, SOPs, runbooks, and training materials for automation platforms, while collaborating with Cyber Security and OT teams to assess and remediate security risks.
• Ensure software ecosystems are designed, deployed and maintained according to GSK's technology, security and application lifecycle standards so that research teams can reliably accelerate discovery workflows.

• Bachelor's Degree in Life Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Bioinformatics, and significant practical experience in IT/OT roles supporting automation, infrastructure or applications in life sciences or research environments.
• Demonstrated experience with network, TCP/IP protocols, cyber security principles, secure configuration and system administration in lab automation settings, including practical experience configuring network interfaces for devices and instrument control systems.
• Experience with integrated automation systems in a research or laboratory environment (such as High Res Bio , Thermo, Biosero, etc.), scheduling software (Momentum, Cellario, Green Button Go ), APIs, middleware, data exchange protocols and programming languages such as Python, R, C#, or Java.
• Proficiency in operating systems (Windows Server/Client, Linux), networking (TCP/IP, VLANs, firewalls, OT segmentation), cloud platforms (GCP, Azure), and databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, Postgre
  
  SQL).
• Experience with scripting (Python, Power Shell, Bash), monitoring and ticketing tools (Service Now), version control, CI/CD fundamentals, and data visualisation/informatics tools (Tibco Spotfire, Signals Vitro Vivo).
• Proven project management skills with the ability to oversee multiple initiatives while collaborating effectively and fostering innovation. Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication abilities, enabling swift resolution of technical challenges and clear engagement with diverse stakeholders.

• Experience with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and electronic lab notebooks (ELNs).
• Strong analytical skills and experience with data visualization tools.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic…