Posting Details

Posting Information

Posting Number
PG194829EP

Internal Recruitment
No

Working Title
Automation Engineer

Anticipated Hiring Range
Commensurate with education and experience ($100,000 - $110,000)

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm (additional work outside of standard hours may be required due to business needs)

Job Location
Raleigh, North Carolina

Department
Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs

Essential Job Duties

The Automation Engineer will help build the systems that make SPEED's laboratories smarter, more data-rich, and capable of running complex experiments remotely. You'll connect robots, scientific instruments, sensors, reactors, and safety systems to SPEED's orchestration software-turning sophisticated laboratory procedures into reliable, reusable automated workflows.

This is a hands-on engineering role with direct impact on the reliability, throughput, safety, and reproducibility of a national user facility.

What You'll Do

Build and Integrate Laboratory Automation

• Design and implement automated workflows for synthesis, materials processing, sample preparation, testing, and characterization.
• Integrate robots, liquid handlers, pumps, valves, reactors, instruments, sensors, and other laboratory equipment.
• Translate scientific protocols into robust, executable workflows with defined operating limits and error handling.
• Develop reusable device drivers and equipment interfaces for SPEED's automation platform.
• Commission and validate new robotic systems, workcells, and scientific instruments.

Develop Control Software and Interfaces

• Develop and maintain Python software for device control, workflow execution, monitoring, and diagnostics.
• Connect laboratory equipment to SPEED's scheduling, orchestration, data, and user-access systems.
• Implement reliable communications using APIs, Python libraries, TCP/IP, OPC UA, REST, serial, digital I/O, and other protocols.
• Establish consistent device states, commands, metadata, and error handling across varied equipment.
• Use version control, testing, and code review to deliver dependable automation software.
• Develop simulation or digital-twin capabilities to test workflows before running them on physical equipment.

Improve Reliability and Performance

• Monitor automated systems and troubleshoot robotics, motion control, fluid handling, sensors, instruments, software, and network issues.
• Develop preventive maintenance, calibration, readiness checks, and recovery procedures.
• Analyze failures and implement improvements that increase uptime, repeatability, and ease of recovery.
• Work with manufacturers and vendors to resolve technical issues and support critical systems.
• Maintain clear documentation of configurations, dependencies, maintenance, and known failure modes.

Build Safe, Usable Systems

• Design automation with appropriate interlocks, alarms, safe states, emergency stops, and shutdown logic.
• Conduct hazard and failure-mode reviews for robotic, fluidic, thermal, pressure, gas-handling, and unattended operations.
• Create system documentation, operating procedures, troubleshooting guides, and maintenance instructions.
• Train researchers, operators, students, and technical staff to use automated platforms safely and effectively.
• Help establish engineering standards and platform designs that enable automation to scale across SPEED and partner facilities.

You'll work at the intersection of automation, robotics, software, and scientific research, solving challenging engineering problems that enable experiments to run faster, more reliably, and at greater scale. Your work will help transform advanced laboratory capabilities into dependable platforms that scientists can use to accelerate discovery.

Other Responsibilities

• Other tasks and responsibilities may be assigned based on the needs of the organization and evolving priorities.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechatronics, robotics, controls engineering, computer engineering, or a related field.
• Three or more years of relevant experience developing, integrating, or maintaining automated equipment, robotics, process-control systems, or scientific instrumentation.

Other Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated programming experience in Python or a comparable language used for hardware control and automation.
• Experience interfacing software with physical equipment through APIs, communication protocols, programmable controllers, data-acquisition systems, or instrument drivers.
• Experience troubleshooting integrated electromechanical, fluidic, robotic, or process-control systems.
• Ability to read and develop technical documentation such as process diagrams, wiring diagrams, control narratives, interface specifications, and operating procedures.
• Understanding of safe equipment operation, interlocks, alarms, emergency stops, and failure recovery.
• Strong analytical, documentation, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work primarily on site in laboratory environments and occasionally respond outside normal business hours to critical equipment issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in engineering, robotics, automation, controls, or a related discipline.
• Experience automating chemical synthesis, materials processing, high-throughput experimentation, or analytical characterization.
• Experience with robotic arms, laboratory liquid handlers, automated reactors, pumps, valves, autosamplers, plate readers, chromatography, spectroscopy, or diffraction instruments.
• Experience with industrial or laboratory communication standards such as OPC UA, Modbus, REST APIs, serial protocols, message queues, or programmable logic controllers.
• Experience developing equipment abstraction layers, orchestration software, state machines, or event-driven automation systems.
• Familiarity with Git, automated testing, containerized applications, Linux systems, databases, and networked laboratory equipment.
• Experience with machine vision, digital twins, simulation, path planning, or robotic workcell design.
• Familiarity with chemical compatibility, pressure systems, compressed gases, hazardous materials, and laboratory safety requirements.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

• N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required
No

Commercial Driver's License required
No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date
08/24/2026

Anticipated Close Date
Open Until Filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please include as attachments a resume/CV, cover letter, and contact information for at least 3 professional references.

Position Details

Position Number
00112287

Position Type
EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)
1.0

Appointment
12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather
Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events
Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID
230101 - Interdisciplinary Programs - SVP

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or [email protected].

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.