Automation Scientist
Posted 2 Oct 2026
Advertised as “Automation Scientist (6-month Contract)”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Management level
- Individual contributor
- Contract
- Contract
No salary listed for this role.
Field of studyLife Sciences (or related)
Study levelBachelor's or higher
Field of studyLife Sciences
Study levelDoctorate
Automation Scientist (6-month Contract)
At Oxford Nanopore, we're looking for an Automation Scientist to help transform cutting-edge research into robust, scalable automated workflows. This is an exciting opportunity for a scientist who combines strong molecular biology expertise with hands-on laboratory automation experience and a passion for improving research efficiency through innovative technology.
Working closely with molecular biologists, assay developers and technology teams, you will design, develop and optimise automated workflows that accelerate experimentation, improve data quality and reproducibility, and enable the rapid evaluation of new sequencing technologies.
The Role
As a subject matter expert in laboratory automation, you will play a key role in expanding our automation capabilities across research and development. You will identify opportunities to increase throughput, streamline laboratory processes and deliver innovative automated solutions that support scientific discovery.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, develop and optimise automated molecular biology workflows using laboratory automation platforms, including Hamilton and Opentrons.
- Translate manual laboratory methods into robust, scalable automated processes suitable for high-throughput experimentation.
- Independently plan, execute and analyse automation development experiments using data-driven approaches.
- Troubleshoot automation hardware, software and workflow challenges to ensure reliable platform performance.
- Partner with scientists and technology teams to identify automation opportunities and deliver practical solutions.
- Generate, analyse and interpret experimental data to drive workflow optimisation and technical decision-making.
- Document methods, protocols and validation activities to ensure reproducibility and effective knowledge sharing.
- Evaluate new technologies and contribute to the introduction of new automation capabilities.
- Train and mentor colleagues on automation best practices and support adoption of automated workflows.
- Present technical findings and project updates to stakeholders across the organisation.
- Support laboratory safety, quality standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
What We're Looking For
Essential Requirements
- BSc or MSc (2:1 or above) in Life Sciences or a related discipline.
- Hands-on experience with laboratory automation platforms and liquid handling systems.