Lab Automation Engineer

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

Lonza's High Throughput and Process Modeling R&D team is seeking a Lab Automation Engineer to design, develop, and implement high-throughput (HTP) automated workflows to accelerate R&D innovation within the Strategic Innovation Accelerator (SIA). This role will focus on integrating liquid handling robotics, automated analytical systems, and data workflows to enhance bioprocessing R&D efficiency.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on expertise in laboratory automation, liquid handling systems, and workflow automation. Experience with DeltaV or process automation is a plus, but we welcome candidates eager to learn and apply process automation concepts to connect R&D workflows with bioprocess control systems.

This role requires creativity, agility, and a passion for learning—working with diverse scientific teams to develop custom automation solutions that drive innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and implement high-throughput automated workflows to support R&D innovation projects.
• Program and optimize liquid handling systems (e.g., Hamilton, Tecan, Beckman) and robotic automation for bioprocessing and analytical workflows.
• Develop and integrate automated data acquisition and processing pipelines to support research and development.
• Work closely with SIA researchers, computational scientists, and bioanalytics teams to identify bottlenecks and automation opportunities.
• Develop custom scripts, control logic, or APIs to improve system interoperability and automation efficiency.
• Support the integration of high-throughput experimental systems with data management and control platforms.
• Work with DeltaV DCS and other process automation tools to develop automated control strategies for R&D bioprocesses.
• Assist in developing cloud-based or on-premises automation frameworks to link lab automation with bioprocessing workflows.
• Stay at the forefront of automation technologies, evaluating and adopting new tools to improve R&D capabilities.
• Learn and apply process automation principles (e.g., DeltaV, SCADA, or industrial automation) to expand automation impact beyond lab-scale workflows.
• Rapidly prototype and iterate on automation solutions to address evolving R&D challenges.
• Train and mentor colleagues on standard methodologies for automation and system usage.

Key Requirements:

• To excel in this role, you should bring the following qualifications:
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, Automation, Computer Science, Biotechnology, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in laboratory automation, HTP automation, or robotic liquid handling.
• Hands-on experience with liquid handling systems (Hamilton, Tecan, Beckman, or similar) and workflow automation.
• Strong programming experience in Python, VBA, or structured text for automation scripting.
• Ability to rapidly craft, prototype, and iterate on automation solutions for diverse R&D needs.
• Experience integrating LIMS, data historians, or cloud-based data solutions with automation systems.
• Strong problem-solving skills and an enthusiasm for learning new automation technologies.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with DeltaV DCS, process automation, or SCADA systems.
• Familiarity with bioreactors, PAT tools, and real-time analytics.
• Experience in working with automation powered by machine learning or workflows assisted by artificial intelligence.
• Knowledge of cloud-based automation solutions and digital twins.

Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.