Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer

Applied Intuition Inc.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - GBP 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A research organization in Greater London is seeking a Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer to integrate digital and physical systems in an AI-driven lab. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Robotics or Mechatronics, strong CAD skills, and a proven record in managing complex automated systems. This role focuses on developing middleware, automating lab processes, and designing data capture systems to enhance scientific discovery continuously. Join a diverse team tackling significant challenges in materials research.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent industry experience in Robotics, Mechatronics, or Engineering.
• Track record of building or managing a complex automated hardware system.
• Strong CAD skills and experience with prototyping.
• Deep knowledge of industrial communication protocols and interfacing with scientific hardware.

Responsibilities

• Translate manual workflows into engineering roadmaps for automation.
• Develop middleware connecting laboratory equipment APIs to AI models.
• Co-develop and test lab automation proof-of-concept.
• Design systems for comprehensive data capture during experiments.

Skills

Building or managing automated hardware systems

Strong CAD skills (SolidWorks, Fusion 360)

Deep knowledge of industrial communication protocols

Translating workflows into automated sequences

Education

PhD or equivalent industry experience in Robotics, Mechatronics, Engineering

Tools

CAD Software (SolidWorks, Fusion 360)

Job description

Science is at the heart of everything we do at Google DeepMind. From the beginning, we took inspiration from science to build better algorithms, and now, we want to use our toolkit to accelerate scientific discovery. By bringing together specialists with backgrounds in machine learning, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology and more, we’re optimistic that we can build new methods that will push the boundaries of what is possible and help solve the biggest problems facing humanity.

About Us

Google DeepMind is establishing the Materials Discovery Laboratory, a state-of-the-art automated facility designed to bridge the gap between AI predictions and physical reality. This lab will serve as the engine of our materials research program, combining high-throughput synthesis and characterization with advanced robotics to create a closed-loop discovery system.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer to integrate the physical and digital infrastructure of our AI-driven lab. You will design custom hardware solutions, integrate robotic platforms, and build the middleware that bridges the gap between off-the-shelf equipment and our unique AI workflows.

Key responsibilities:

• Translate Science to Automation: Partner with laboratory scientists to deconstruct manual synthesis and characterization workflows, identify high-value targets for automation and turn them into practical engineering roadmaps.
• Build the "Digital Bridge": Develop the critical middleware and drivers that connect diverse laboratory equipment APIs (furnaces, diffractometers, robots) to our central AI models, ensuring a seamless command-and-control loop.
• Prototyping & Integration: Co-develop and test proof-of-concept lab automation. Together with a wider team, integrate off-the-shelf robotics with custom hardware, creating reliable systems that can handle unique material samples.
• Lab Telemetry: Architect a comprehensive sensor and data capture ecosystem that logs the complete record of every experiment. You will design systems to harvest high-fidelity, multimodal data across the entire synthesis and characterization lifecycle.

About You

In order to set you up for success as a Senior Laboratory Automation Engineer at Google DeepMind, we look for the following skills and experience:

• PhD or equivalent industry experience in Robotics, Mechatronics, Engineering, or a related field.
• Track record of building or managing a complex automated hardware system.
• Strong CAD skills (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360) and experience with prototyping (3D printing, CNC).
• Deep knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Modbus, EtherCAT, TCP/IP) and interfacing with scientific hardware (Serial, VISA, SCPI).
• A track record of working with domain experts (scientists, mechanical engineers) to translate complex workflows into process logic and automated sequences.

In addition, the following would be an advantage:

• Experience in a "Self-Driving Lab" or high-throughput screening environment.
• Familiarity with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) or scientific data pipelines.
• Background in materials science, specifically thin films or solid-state synthesis and characterisation workflows.

At Google DeepMind, we value diversity of experience, knowledge, backgrounds and perspectives and harness these qualities to create extraordinary impact. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.