Senior Research Specialist – Laboratory Automation Engineer

About the Role

The NextGen Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases is excited to announce an opening for a new position, Senior Research Specialist – Laboratory Automation Engineer, within the Wan Influenza Systems Biology Laboratory at the University of Missouri. The Wan Laboratory is affiliated with the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering; and Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine. The laboratory is also affiliated with the Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID), Bond Life Sciences Center, and the Institute for Data Science and Informatics at MU. The Wan Laboratory integrates experimental, computational, and translational approaches to study influenza viruses and emerging infectious diseases, with goals of understanding transmission, improving vaccines and antiviral strategies, and advancing disease prevention and outbreak mitigation efforts. This position will play a central role in the operation, optimization, and strategic expansion of laboratory automation workflows, including Tecan liquid handling systems and related automation platforms, to support high-throughput research and assay development across multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Regularly operate, maintain, troubleshoot, calibrate, and optimize Tecan liquid handling systems and other laboratory automation platforms to support high-throughput research workflows.
• Develop, edit, validate, and optimize automation scripts, methods, and assay protocols for multiple assay platforms and research applications.
• Coordinate automated sample processing, assay scheduling, reagent preparation, and workflow execution across multiple laboratory research projects.
• Assist with implementation and continuous improvement of automated laboratory workflows to enhance reproducibility, scalability, operational efficiency, and data quality.
• Monitor automation performance, identify workflow bottlenecks or technical issues, and implement corrective actions to ensure reliable laboratory operations.
• Maintain organized and accurate SOPs, instrument logs, workflow documentation, calibration records, and quality control records related to automation systems.
• Perform routine instrument calibration, preventive maintenance, quality assurance checks, and performance verification activities for automation platforms and associated laboratory equipment.
• Assist with preprocessing, organization, management, and quality control of automation-generated experimental data and associated metadata.
• Collaborate with investigators, laboratory personnel, and students to translate manual laboratory procedures into scalable and reproducible automated workflows.
• Train and onboard students, research staff, and laboratory personnel on automation workflows, instrument operation, laboratory best practices, and safety procedures.
• Serve as a technical resource for automation-related troubleshooting and operational support for research personnel utilizing automated workflows.
• Assist the Principal Investigator with strategic planning, implementation, and expansion of laboratory automation infrastructure and capabilities supporting current and future research initiatives.
• Ensure laboratory automation activities comply with institutional, local, and federal regulations, laboratory safety requirements, and approved research protocols.
• Participate in additional laboratory operations and research support activities as needed to ensure continuity of research programs and laboratory functions.

Qualifications

Minimum: Bachelor's degree and at least 2 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Preferred: Bachelor's degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, biotechnology, biology, chemistry, or a related scientific or engineering discipline, and at least two years of relevant experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired. Experience with laboratory automation systems, including liquid handling platforms such as Tecan or related technologies, is highly desirable. Experience with automation scripting or programming (e.g., Python, VBA, or related platforms), assay workflow development, high-throughput laboratory operations, and scientific data management is highly desirable. Experience working in interdisciplinary academic or biomedical research environments is preferred.

Skills

• Sound professional judgment
• Strong organizational skills
• Technical adaptability
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects in a fast-paced interdisciplinary research environment
• Strong attention to detail
• Initiative
• Problem-solving ability
• Effective communication skills
• Collaborative approach to workflow development and training
• Commitment to building robust, reproducible, and scalable laboratory automation systems
• Strong computer, data organization, technical documentation, and scientific data management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Schedule

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., with occasional schedule adjustments, including evenings or weekends, as required to support research activities, automation workflows, instrument maintenance, or project deadlines.

Pay

$59,576.00 - $85,176.00 Per Year (Grade: GGS 09E)

Benefits

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses.

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position.