Automation Lead

About the role

Orakl Oncology is seeking an Automation Lead to build and manage our automation function from the ground up. You will be responsible for mapping cell culture workflows, sourcing equipment, and integrating automated systems to improve the reliability and traceability of our high-throughput 3D cell-culture platform. This role offers high autonomy and ownership, requiring you to lead the automation roadmap and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to accelerate oncology treatment development.

Responsibilities

• Map cell culture workflows end to end and identify key process automation and optimisation opportunities.
• Own the automation roadmap and present implementation strategies to leadership.
• Evaluate vendors and integrators, and write user requirement specifications and acceptance criteria.
• Negotiate price, scope, delivery, and support terms autonomously.
• Lead design reviews and factory and site acceptance tests.
• Translate proprietary cell culture protocols into automated machine execution.
• Track machine availability, performance data, and recovery times to inform future steps.
• Hire and develop a team of automation technicians and engineers.

Required skills

• Process engineering
• Robotics
• PLC programming
• Robot programming
• Scheduling software
• Instrument interfaces
• Scripting
• Supplier negotiation
• Budget management

Nice to have

• Life-science automation
• Cell culture
• Biotech
• Cleanroom operations
• BSL-2
• Liquid handling
• Laboratory scheduling software
• Team leadership

Qualifications

• Engineering degree (generalist, robotics, industrial, mechanical or process engineering) or equivalent
• At least eight years of experience

About the Company

Orakl Oncology is a fast-growing, mission-driven startup at the intersection of biology, automation, and AI. We combine cutting-edge biology and AI to build next-generation insight platforms using patient-derived tumor avatars to accelerate oncology treatment development.