About Aether

Aether was founded under the belief that synthetic biology is the key to building the post-scarcity future. In order to catalyze the next industrial revolution, we are building the world's highest throughput robotic laboratory, generating data on scales previously not possible to feed deep learning algorithms. We are building a diverse team of engineers, sci-fi nerds, and world-changers. We hope you can join us…

 

The revolution in enzyme engineering will be built on top of datasets of enzyme activity unparalleled in both size and diversity. To power world-class machine learning models, we will be pushing the boundaries of laboratory automation towards faster, broader, and more robust, robotic sample processing systems to acquire data at throughputs above anything that has been previously built.

 

The Opportunity

As a member of the automation and process engineering team, you will be a part of developing complex automated systems and elegantly scaling Aether’s ability to acquire high-quality data. You will be responsible for the development, building, and maintenance of the technologies that will make up a state-of-the-art, next-generation enzyme design and evolution factory. You will use your background in mechatronics (software, electrical engineering, robotics, data analysis, etc.) to support the development of novel, advanced systems supporting enzymatic sciences.

 

You will work daily with thought leaders in laboratory automation, enzyme sciences, chemical manufacturing, etc. Through hard work and dedication, you will power the creation of the most advanced robotic systems supporting a revolution in chemical manufacturing. Successful Aether employees have a strong work ethic, are mission-driven, and work well in a team-oriented environment.

 

Responsibilities:

  • Work closely with other automation team members and technical experts across the company to design and implement automation solutions for the 21st-century synthetic biology laboratory. Including but not limited to liquid handlers, cold storage systems, integrated systems with robotic arms, etc.
  • Design and execute experiments to evaluate new instruments, validate new process conditions, and troubleshoot workflows
  • Support day-to-day operations by assisting in system error recovery to ensure production runs are completed successfully
  • Diagnose, document, and correct hardware and software problems related to the integrated automated systems
  • Integrate or build the best and latest in laboratory automation tools, instruments, and technologies
  • Design and develop new, automated, and efficient lab processes, with the end goal of scaling up production to match the data requirements for our machine learning models
  • Engineer end-to-end sample processing solutions, including liquid handling, compound storage, and management
  • Design, iterate on and manufacture custom hardware fixtures needed to enable more efficient workflows 
  • Apply engineering best practices to technical projects to ensure the product meets all requirements
  • Collaborate with in house software team to develop and improve LIMS functionality

 

Requirements:

  • BS in Mechanical engineering, software engineering, biology, molecular biology, or equivalent combination of education and experience to perform independently at this level
  • Experience with using, programming, and maintaining liquid handling robots
  • Experience designing, building, implementing, or validating processes on fully integrated robotic systems
  • Experience with one or more automation scheduling softwares (Green Button Go, Overlord, Momentum, Cellario, etc.)
  • Experience operating, maintaining, and repairing automated sealers, peelers, centrifuges, and other common automation equipment
  • Experience with general laboratory automation, process engineering, and/or system engineering in a wet lab environment
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Basic knowledge relating to proteins and DNA

 

Nice-to-have experience:

  • Experience in rapidly growing start-ups
  • Experience developing robust manual or automated sample processing pipelines or assays, including process controls and QC
  • Proficiency with SolidWorks or other CAD tools
  • Enzyme / Protein / Molecular biology experience
  • Software engineering experience for integrating lab automation equipment with LIMS

Our company values diversity and believes diverse teams make innovation possible. We work on complex, difficult problems with no linear or clear solutions. We believe that a diverse team can bring different perspectives and approaches, and whose experiences reflect the full set of clients we seek to serve. As such, Aether Biomachines, Inc. is committed to a diverse representation among our employees.

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