Senior Automation Engineer

About Clear Labs

Clear Labs builds an end-to-end, FDA-cleared next-generation sequencing (NGS) diagnostics platform. Our system, Clear Dx, combines automated sample-to-report workflows with an assay menu spanning oncology and infectious disease testing. We're a hands-on team building hardware, software, and wet-lab science together, and we're looking for senior engineers ready to take full ownership of systems, not just advise from the sidelines.

Position Summary

We're hiring a Senior Automation Engineer to strengthen the performance, reliability, and validation of the laboratory automation supporting our FDA-cleared NGS diagnostics platform. This is a hands-on, senior role—you'll be at the deck daily, developing methods, troubleshooting hardware, and contributing to formal validation studies alongside our existing automation team.

Location: San Carlos, CA. No travel required.

Primary Responsibilities

• Contribute hands-on reliability engineering, method development, and troubleshooting expertise for our Hamilton STAR/STAR2 liquid-handling automation fleet running NGS library preparation workflows
• Help design and execute formal automated-vs-manual equivalence and validation studies for NGS sample prep, in support of regulatory requirements
• Support root-cause investigation for automation performance issues affecting NGS library quality and sequencing output, working through mechanical, calibration, and liquid-class variables systematically, and flagging labware-related findings to Systems Integration for formal qualification
• Partner with Regulatory and Quality on validation protocols and documentation for a regulated, FDA-cleared diagnostics workflow
• Collaborate on vendor and equipment relationships as needed to support fleet performance

Requirements

• 8+ years of hands-on experience programming and developing methods on Hamilton STAR/STAR2 (or directly equivalent) liquid handling platforms, including VENUS software, deck layout design, and liquid class development
• Hands-on troubleshooting of Hamilton hardware and peripherals, e.g., pipetting channels, iSWAP/gripper mechanisms, heater-shakers, plate sealers, and third-party integrated modules
• Experience maintaining and validating a multi-unit automation fleet, including qualifying individual instruments rather than relying on representative sampling
• Ability to independently script and modify automated methods in a regulated environment, with full change-control documentation
• Statistical fluency sufficient to independently evaluate automated performance against validation acceptance criteria
• A genuine preference for hands-on bench and deck work—this is not a delegate-only role

Nice to Have

• Working knowledge of NGS library preparation workflows (e.g., hybrid capture and/or amplicon-based enrichment) as executed on automated liquid handling
• Understanding of how automation method parameters (liquid class, tip type, mixing, incubation) affect NGS library yield, uniformity, and sequencing QC metrics
• Experience troubleshooting automation-driven failures that manifest downstream in sequencing data (e.g., low on-target rate, coverage dropout, well-position-specific effects)
• Prior oncology diagnostics experience (NGS-based companion diagnostics or comprehensive genomic profiling workflows)

Benefits

• Salary range: $120,523 - 151,751
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-Sponsored Basic Life/AD&D, Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Discretionary Time Off
• Stock Option Plan
• Lunch stipend for days at headquarters