Associate Director, Automation

Who we are...

Cell Signaling Technology (CST) is a different kind of life sciences company, one founded, owned, and run by active research scientists, with the highest standards of product and service quality, technological innovation, and scientific rigor for over 20 years. We consistently provide fellow scientists around the globe with best-in-class products and services to fuel their quests for discovery.

Helping researchers find new solutions is our main mission every day, but it's not our only mission. We're also dedicated to helping identify solutions to other problems facing our world. We believe that all businesses must be responsible and work in partnership with local communities, while seeking to minimize their environmental impact. That's why we joined 1% for the Planet as its first life science member, and have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2029.

The role...

This player/coach individual is highly motivated and has experience in laboratory automation to contribute to CSTs vision: to scale its discovery, development, production and validation of antibodies. 

This strong leader will work with a skilled and professional group of engineers and scientists to identify new opportunities for automation and optimize processes while maintaining or improving quality. They will oversee the execution of the automation roadmap, which includes annual planning, new method development, training, and operational tasks such as instrument maintenance.

This cross-functional, team-oriented position requires strong communication skills, outstanding organizational skills, and the ability to interface with scientists, vendors, and other stakeholders. 

You'll have the opportunity to...

• Establish operational objectives for the Automation Team
• Work with the Automation and cross-functional teams across CST to develop and execute goals, balancing efforts with return of investments
• Create project plans, track timelines, and communicate progress to stakeholders 
• Design and establish integrated platforms for automated end-to-end solutions 
• Effectively utilize scheduling software (e.g., Cellario, Green Button Go, Sami) and standalone software (e.g., Venus, Biomek, Vwork, Maestro)
• Work with scientists to develop, optimize, and implement automated workflows for the development, characterization, and testing of antibodies
• Work with stakeholders to validate and QC automated protocols
• Supervise training of scientists and end users to enable operation of automation platforms as needed
• Oversee automation operations, including existing protocol maintenance, error recovery, protocol redundancy, and availability of consumables 
• Manage automation equipment, including service contracts and regular preventative maintenance
• Proactively identify and champion opportunities that will improve workflows while maintaining rigorous validation standards
• Identify, understand, and evaluate the significance of new technologies and instruments that enable automation in the context of CST

Who you are and what you bring to the team...

• BS or MS in biology, engineering or a related discipline
• Minimum of 7 years of experience integrating liquid handlers and analytical instrumentation in a R&D environment 
• A minimum of 2 years experience successfully leading an automation team
• Proven track record of successfully automating manually executed tasks with end-to-end functionality on the Hamilton platform
• In-depth knowledge of both writing and optimizing scripts on automated liquid handling platforms, leveraging scheduling software or standalone instrument software
• Proven track record of working in a cross-functional environment to accomplish company goals
• Proven ability to adapt to business needs, work independently, and effectively manage timelines 
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail

Ideally, you have...

• 8+ years of experience integrating liquid handlers and analytical instrumentation in a R&D environment.
• Familiarity with executing automated systems and recording data via LIMS
• Experience with Python or equivalent programming language 
• Knowledge of standard laboratory techniques such as nucleic acid isolation, NGS, protein purification, cell culture, and imaging 
• Understanding of standard antibody development processes
• Experience with assays that enable validation of antibodies
• Experience with Google Suite (Drive, Calendar, Docs, Sheets)

Physical Conditions/Physical Requirements...

• Must be able to sit/stand throughout the day and have a working station with a computer.
• Work area may have noise from equipment (refrigerator, freezer, etc.)

What we offer....