Automation Engineer III

About Freenome 

Freenome is a high-growth biotech company on a mission since 2014 to create tools that empower everyone to prevent, detect, and treat their disease.  To achieve this mission, Freenome is developing next-generation blood tests to detect cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages using our multiomics platform and machine learning techniques. Our first blood test will detect early-stage colorectal cancer and advanced adenomas.

About the Role

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.

Your contribution:

• 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
• Design and execute optimization experiments for the execution of molecular biology processes on robotic platforms
• Continuously assess the state of the operations and prioritize improvements based on expected improvements
• Provide systematic approaches to implement automation solutions to ensure process scalability, sustainability and reliability
• Integrate or build innovative laboratory automation tools, instruments, and technologies
• 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
• Bring a can-do attitude to solve new and challenging problems in a high pace environment
• Be a key member  a world-class automation team

Your background, perspective and experience: 

• 4+ years developing and implementing high-efficiency automated workflows 
• Solid technical understanding of lab automation tools used and operation concepts in NGS assay for DNA, and/or RNA, including nucleic acid extraction methods, DNA library preparation workflows, and/or proteomics methods.
• Proven track record in developing and maintaining robust and efficient automated workflows and successful transfer of technologies and workflows into a high-throughput operation
• Experience scripting methods on OEM robotic systems with a strong preference for Hamilton and Agilent Bravo Liquid Handlers, or experience scripting on multiple OEM robotic systems more broadly (Tecan, Beckman, etc)
• Experience in automation-LIMS integration, designing and executing instrument testing/validation plan
• 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
• Solid understanding of lab automation industry and tools available
• Working knowledge of molecular biology and NGS sequencing
• Experience working in a regulated environment (CLIA / CAP / NYS / FDA / GCLP)
• Experience in reagent manufacturing, ideally in a regulated environment (cGMP)

COVID safety:

As a condition of employment, you agree to know and comply with our COVID-19 vaccination policy requiring all employees who work on-site and/or attend work-related events to be fully vaccinated and to receive a COVID-19 booster once eligible. Company employees working on-site are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and to receive a COVID-19 booster once eligible, unless a reasonable accommodation is approved or as otherwise required by law. Absent a reasonable accommodation or legal exception, you agree to provide proof of your vaccination status and to be fully vaccinated by your first day on-site, in accordance with our policy.  If you are currently eligible for a COVID-19 booster, you also agree to provide proof of having received a booster.  If you are not yet eligible for a COVID-19 booster, you must provide proof of receiving a booster within two weeks of becoming eligible.

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.

Funding

We have raised more than $1.1B from leading investors including Perceptive Advisors, RA Capital Management, Roche Venture Fund, Kaiser Permanente, Novartis and the American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Ventures. 

Freenomers

A ‘Freenomer’ is a mission-driven employee who is fueled by the opportunity to make a positive impact on patients' lives, who thrives in a culture of respect and cross collaboration, and whose work makes a significant impact on the company and their career. 

Freenomers are technical, creative, visionary, grounded, empathetic and passionate. We build teams around divergent expertise, allowing us to solve problems and ascertain opportunities in unique ways. Freenomers are some of the most talented experts in their fields, joining together to advance healthcare, one breakthrough at a time. 

Benefits include but are not limited to:

• Competitive compensation 
• Pre-IPO equity
• Flexible PTO (exempt) and generous PTO (non-exempt) 
• Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision 
• Wellness and mental health resources, including Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), Paid maternity and paternity leave
• 401(k) plan 
• $250.00 new hire stipend to enhance your home office experience
• Plus, a variety of other perks, including pre-tax commuter benefits, two paid volunteer days per year, pet insurance, and additional discounts 

# # # 

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws.  

• Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

• Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)

Notice to agencies:

Our in-house Talent Acquisition Team manages all employment opportunities at Freenome.  Agencies and independent recruiters must be approved as a vendor by Freenome’s Talent Acquisition team before submitting candidates to any Freenome employee. 

We do not accept unsolicited resumes or biographies from agencies under any circumstances. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Freenome, including those sent to a Freenome email address or directly to Freenome employees, will be considered Freenome property. Freenome will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Freenome will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. 

Please do not contact Freenome employees directly. Compliance with this request will impact our decision to work with you. 

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