About Us:

Culture’s mission is to make bioprocess development and scale-up as fast and easy as scaling software. Since our founding in 2016, our work has been to enable biotech and biopharma companies to accelerate the development of their therapeutic targets to get to the clinic – and potentially patients - faster and easier. In accomplishing that purpose, the team at Culture is just one step away from impacting patient well-being and positive health outcomes.

Culture’s first offering enabled biopharma, biotechnology, and synthetic biology companies to run their bioprocessing R&D in the cloud and we continue to innovate with both hardware and software into other areas with additional offerings.

The Opportunity: 

Culture Biosciences is looking for a Mechatronics Engineer, Automation. Your focus will be on designing, building, testing, and deploying custom-built lab automation tools within Culture. You will work with a diverse team of software and hardware engineers to architect these solutions, test them, and integrate them into our lab's workflows.  As a mechatronics engineer, you will be tasked with identifying the right components and systems required to build an automation tool, as well as helping to design the control theory to operate them. Creativity paired with detailed scientific thinking will be needed to address the exciting challenges created by our rapid growth. The candidate should be able to thrive in a fast-paced, start-up environment.

What you'll do:

  • Design, build, and test mechatronic systems to automate lab processes
  • Independently source and integrate actuators, sensors, and thermal components
  • Quickly prototype proof of concept systems and evaluate technical feasibility
  • Balance technical performance, cost, supply chain reliability, and durability when qualifying new components 
  • Work cross functionally to develop and maintain automation systems, including user testing and feedback, training, and documentation
  • Own system characterization and data collection
  • Create initial drafts of manufacturing instructions
  • Help confirm designs meet requirements (final qualification testing)
  • Participate in design reviews
  • Incorporate Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFM/DFA) techniques into development
  • Support Design Verification and Validation (V&V) activities

About you:

  • 3+ years of experience as a mechatronics engineer
  • Experience w/ medical, biotech, robotics, capital equipment development and/or manufacturing
  • Proficient in 3D CAD
  • Able to work and collaborate closely with multi disciplinary teams 
  • Working knowledge of probability and statistics
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills; must be capable of clearly communicating engineering concepts, project status, and technical risk to other individuals and teams.
  • A demonstrated ability to analyze and root cause complex electromechanical issues.
  • Experience in fast paced, dynamic start-up environment is a plus
  • Good organizational skills, with ability to prioritize and multitask
  • Strong desire to be hands on and participate in builds, tests and debugging
  • Leadership mindset. You take ownership of problems and inspire the team to deliver exceptional results

In return, we offer a supportive environment. Our company values are:

  • Lift others up. Because we all do better when we help each other succeed.
  • Commitment to reliability. Our teammates and customers are counting on us.
  • Think like an owner. Progress is driven by teams who care.
  • Try new things. Big innovations start with small ideas and actions

Location & Schedule:

  • This is a(n) onsite position. We’re looking for someone based in the San Francisco Bay Area who is able to work in person at our office in South San Francisco at least 4 days per week. 

Base Salary Range:

Culture Biosciences's compensation package includes market competitive salary, equity for all full time roles, and great benefits. Our expected salary range for this role is $125,000 to $150,000. Final offers may vary within the range provided based on experience, expertise, and other factors.

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary and equity compensation
  • Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance
  • Medical and Dependent Care FSA (prorated based on start-date)
  • 401(k) plan with company match
  • Responsible Time Off (non-accrual based) policy, 10 paid company holidays and a week-long winter break
  • 12 weeks of parental leave at full salary
  • For onsite employees:
    • Commuter benefits
    • Access to on-site child care facility, subject to availability
    • Free onsite breakfast, lunch, snacks, coffee, and gym 

Culture Biosciences provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We seek to build a company that promotes inclusion and expands the diversity of our industry as a whole. We encourage people with identities underrepresented in biotech and technology to apply.

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