Automation Engineer
This job is about providing support by software adaptation and development; assisting in the maintenance and deployment of hardware/inventory.
Full-time · Maastricht
Automation Engineer
This job is about providing support by software adaptation and development; assisting in the maintenance and deployment of hardware/inventory.
Would you like to be a crucial part of bringing cultured meat to market, having a massive positive impact on the planet from an environmental and animal welfare perspective?
Do you love to collaborate with an intrinsically driven, international team of world-class scientists and engineers in a fast-paced and exciting start-up environment?
In the Engineering and Automation department we design, build, program, test, and maintain technical systems in order to solve unique challenges within this new industry. Our projects enable scientific R&D, upscaling innovation, and production activities. We combine numerous disciplines in our team, ranging from mechanical engineering and manufacturing, through electronics and software development, to process and chemical engineering.
Within the software team specifically we develop and support the firmware for custom machines, the process flows for systems such as liquid handling robots and bioreactor controllers, the UI’s to make them user-friendly and all of the libraries and ecosystems to make this happen.
What is the purpose of your role?
As a member of the Engineering and Automation team, you will play a crucial role in maintaining, applying, enhancing and extending equipment that supports bioprocesses.
What will your key responsibilities be?
As an Automation Engineer, you will assist in the maintenance and support of both in-house developed and off-the-shelf control applications, while also contributing to the full-stack development of bespoke software solutions.
Your core responsibilities include:
First layer support for scientists and technicians in the use of liquid handling robots (Opentrons and Tecan Fluent), including
Maintaining an existing repository of protocols
Developing new liquid handling protocols
Aid in editing and testing script changes
First layer support for technicians using bioreactor controllers including
Checking, documenting and acting in case of errors and warnings
Troubleshoot problems affecting the functioning of automated bioprocesses
Assist in the management and deployment of hardware/inventory.
Embedded programming for custom mechatronics, such as agitators, sensors and pumps.
Optionally you will you do:
Maintenance and development of custom in house developed back-ends, GUI’s and libraries.
Co-development on the backend of custom Tecan Fluent liquid handler operation automation for culturing, monitoring and analysing mammalian cells.
Support with general analytics devices, mechatronics and robots such as well-plate handlers.
A Bachelor degree in Applied Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Software engineering or related field or demonstrable experience in software development.
A flexible, proactive, and passionate approach to problem solving.
Experience with Python or similar languages for high level programming.
Motivated and detail-oriented, with a clear focus on quality.
A willingness to continuously improve yourself by staying up-to-date with the latest development trends and best practices, and proactively applying them to enhance our systems considering usability, performance and scalability.
Hardworking, organised, and dedicated team player and passionate about our mission.
Desirable; please let us know which of these apply to you:
Experience with designing and implementing, preferably web-based, user interfaces using JavaScript or similar frameworks
Experience with communication protocols such as Modbus, OPC UA, HTTP(S), TCP/IP
Experience with software development environment aspects such as: release planning; version control systems, e.g. git; CI/CD; databases; IDE’s; network configurations; Command line execution and scripting such as BASH; configuration management, e.g. Ansible; Environments e.g. Docker, VM; unit-, component- and system tests.
Head of Automation and Engineering
Senior Automation Engineer
Jr. Lab Robotics Engineer
What can you expect from us?
We are a rapidly growing team working on an innovation that we believe will have a huge global impact. As part of this exciting project, you will get to:
Enjoy an entrepreneurial work culture with lots of freedom in your work and flexibility in your working hours (if the project allows for it).
Combine hard core science with a commercial goal.
Enjoy 25 days of paid leave per year and the possibility to buy up to 1 extra week from your holiday allowance.
As part of competitive remuneration, receive a bonus plan similar to stock options called Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs).
We cannot be more excited to hear from our future new colleague! Please note that we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis. As a result, it is recommended to submit yours as soon as possible, and we should be in touch with you shortly after reception and review.
*Please be aware that emails coming from our automated Homerun system occasionally end up in spam/junk mail filters!
Do you want to join our team as our new Automation Engineer? Then we'd love to hear about you!