In this role, you’ll be responsible for leading a team that automates and scales complex workflows and implements processes for a state-of-the-art sequencing lab.  You will support the development of all parts of a state-of-the-art automated assay workflow. 

As the Manager of Automation Engineering you will be directly responsible for leading a small team of automation engineers and leading all aspects of automation development from concept, requirements definition, and automated assay development, including liquid handling, optimization, error handling, and validation.  You will leverage an understanding of molecular biology to troubleshoot analytical and preparative processes on automation platforms.

The successful candidate will apply engineering skills and scientific methods to improve the scalability and reliability of Guardant Health’s automated assay workflows.

 You must be collaborative and able to lead cross-functional teams working across a variety of projects effectively.  These cross-functional teams will develop, optimize, and implement robust, scalable solutions for Guardant Health’s sample processing workflows with attention to improving efficiency, throughput, and quality.  You will supervise and develop the capabilities of automation engineers.  Furthermore, you have a strong organizational capacity to plan and lead the day to day execution of engineers within the automation engineering department. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Manage a team of engineers and technicians. Includes having oversight over the hiring, development, and potential termination of team members.
• Manage automation and assay development projects from concept to post-implementation support. 
• Analyze workflows, identify bottlenecks, and develop solutions to improve efficiency, throughput, cost, and quality
• Lead or contribute to the innovation of current and new assays workflows, technologies and processes
• Lead or contribute to the design, development, optimization, and implementation of automated liquid handling processes, systems, and streamlined workflows using DOE methodologies
• Drive collection of process requirements from cross-functional stakeholders
• Draft development plans, test plans, and associated procedures for automated workflows.
• Program robotic liquid handling workstations and integrated robotic systems
• Develop instrument integration with a Laboratory Information Management System

Are you an engineer with a proven track record of automating and scaling? You’ve established yourself as a manager or supervisor previously. You’re eager to participate in the development of high growth, fast-paced startup? An interdisciplinary background in molecular biology, lab automation, and programming is required. 

The ideal candidate will have prior, demonstrated experience designing, developing, testing, implementing, and supporting automated sample-processing workflows using a requirements-driven approach in a clinical laboratory or other molecular biology-based laboratory settings. Will leverage an understanding of molecular biology and biochemistry to troubleshoot analytical and preparative processes. The successful candidate will apply scientific methods and engineering skills to improve the scalability of Guardant Health’s sample processing workflows.

 You also have: 

• BS degree in engineering or science, preferably in molecular biology, genetics or biochemistry, bioengineering, chemical engineering, or a closely-related discipline and 8+ years of related experience. An MS with 5+ years of relevant work experience or a Ph.D. with 3+ years of relevant work experience.
• Experience managing or supervising a small group of employees.
• Background working in regulated laboratory environments (CLIA, IVD)
• Highly skilled in streamlining workflows and developing automated laboratory processes and instrumentation systems, including collecting and documenting requirements, developing concepts, design, testing/validation, implementing, and training
• Experience with operating and programming liquid handling robotics platforms (Hamilton preferred, TECAN, Beckman, Agilent)
• Highly skilled with standard molecular biology techniques such as nucleic acid isolation, purification, and quantitation, bioanalyzer, DNA/RNA quantitation, qPCR or next-generation sequencing

Covid Vaccination Policy:  Starting January 7, 2022, Guardant Health will require all employees to be fully vaccinated to either (a) establish that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19; or (b) request and obtain an approved exemption from Guardant’s COVID-19 U.S. Vaccination Policy as a reasonable accommodation, as consistent with applicable laws.  An employee is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccination. Acceptable vaccines are approved or under emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, fully-vaccinated employees will be required to maintain their fully-vaccinated status under this policy by obtaining, if applicable, any FDA-approved boosters.

Employee may be required to lift routine office supplies and use office equipment. Majority of the work is performed in a desk/office environment; however, there may be exposure to high noise levels, fumes, and biohazard material in the laboratory environment. Ability to sit for extended periods of time.

Guardant Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

To learn more about the information collected when you apply for a position at Guardant Health, Inc. and how it is used, please review our Privacy Notice for Job Applicants.

Please visit our career page at: http://www.guardanthealth.com/jobs/

#LI-JD1