Automation Engineer II

Automation Engineer II

Why join Freenome?

Freenome is a high-growth biotech company developing tests to detect cancer using a standard blood draw. To do this, Freenome uses a multiomics platform that combines tumor and non-tumor signals with machine learning to find cancer in its earliest, most-treatable stages.

Cancer is relentless. This is why Freenome is building the clinical, economic, and operational evidence to drive cancer screening and save lives. Our first screening test is for colorectal cancer (CRC) and advanced adenomas, and it's just the beginning.

Founded in 2014, Freenome has ~400 employees and continues to grow to match the scope of our ambitions to provide access to better screening and earlier cancer detection.

At Freenome, we aim to impact patients by empowering everyone to prevent, detect, and treat their disease. This, together with our high-performing culture of respect and cross-collaboration, is what motivates us to make every day count.

Become a Freenomer

Do you have what it takes to be a Freenomer? A "Freenomer" is a determined, mission-driven, results-oriented employee fueled by the opportunity to change the landscape of cancer and make a positive impact on patients' lives. Freenomers bring their diverse experience, expertise, and personal perspective to solve problems and push to achieve what's possible, one breakthrough at a time.

About this opportunity

You will play a key role in shaping and organizing the culture of efficiency within the clinical laboratory and broader operation. You will take point in optimizing the wet, dry, and supporting system integration processes to allow Freenome to prepare for multiple stages of scale-up in an elegant fashion. Your responsibilities will include using lab automation and principled design considerations to come up with effective processes based around molecular biology requirements. You will be directly responsible for the implementation of robust processes on robotic systems, and represent process engineering and automation around the company, including the following groups: supply chain, regulatory, technology transfer, software engineering, wet R&D. You will be a member of the automation team of growing the process engineering and laboratory automation expertise within the company covering the following groups: automation, process engineering, support, and service. Additionally, you will provide instrument training to clinical lab, support service of instrumentation, and perform just-in-time troubleshooting.

What you'll do

1. Participate in the design and implementation of efficient workflows, from receiving of labware and reagents to the generation of reports, in support of a rapidly growing clinical organization.
2. Design and execute optimization experiments for the execution of molecular biology processes on robotic platforms.
3. Continuously assess the state of the operations and prioritize improvements based on expected improvements.
4. Provide systematic approaches to implement automation solutions to ensure process scalability, sustainability and reliability.
5. Integrate or build innovative laboratory automation tools, instruments, and technologies.
6. Design the development of new, automated, and efficient lab processes, with the end goal of processing the world's volume of genetics tests hands-free.
7. Bring a can-do attitude to solve new and challenging problems in a high pace environment.
8. Be a key member of a world-class automation team.

Must haves

• 2+ years developing and implementing high-efficiency automated workflows.
• Solid technical understanding of lab automation tools used and operation concepts in NGS assay for DNA/RNA, and/or proteomics methods.
• Working knowledge of molecular biology, NGS sequencing and/or protein immunoassay workflows.
• Track record developing and maintaining robust and efficient automated workflows and successful transfer of technologies and workflows into a high-throughput operation.
• Experience with OEM robotic systems with a strong preference for programming Hamilton STAR and Agilent Bravo Liquid Handlers, or experience scripting on multiple OEM robotic systems (Tecan, Beckman, etc).
• Experience, designing and executing instrument testing/validation plan for automation platforms.
• Functional knowledge in experimental design, bench execution, process optimization, data analysis, and system integration.
• Proven organizational sense to develop an efficient and integrated service, automation and process engineering groups.
• Experience working with a broad set of instruments.
• Experience working in a regulated environment (CLIA / CAP / NYS / FDA / GCLP / cGMP).

Benefits and additional information

The US target range of our base salary for new hires is $87,550 - $134,000. You will also be eligible to receive pre-IPO equity, cash bonuses, and a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits depending on the position offered. Please note that individual total compensation for this position will be determined at the Company's sole discretion and may vary based on several factors, including but not limited to, location, skill level, years and depth of relevant experience, and education. We invite you to check out our career page at freenome.com/job-openings/ for additional company information.

Freenome is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer, and we value diversity. Freenome does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

• Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)