Laboratory Automation Specialist

Here at the world-famous and internationally respected Wellcome Sanger Institute, we have an exciting opportunity for a talented Laboratory Automation Specialist to join the DNA Pipelines team. The DNA Pipelines Operations has a central role in delivering high-quality data to our faculty.

About the Role

As Laboratory Automation Specialist, you will be joining a team that takes a collaborative approach to project delivery and works in partnership with other groups to deliver strategic goals. You will be responsible for:

• Contributing to a clear strategic vision for all automated workflows in DNA Pipelines and CellOps, ensuring a consistent approach that makes the best use of technology.
• Building a comprehensive understanding of the work being performed in order to identify areas where automation would be beneficial.
• Developing and implementing optimal solutions to lead the improvement of our processes.
• Collaborating with key stakeholders from across the Institute including senior operational management, ensuring end-to-end embedding of processes.
• Building relationships across SciOps and faculty in order to foster new ideas and grow our science.
• Working closely with external collaborators to bring in new technology, ensuring that the Institute keeps pace with the latest developments.

• BSc. (or equivalent) in a biological science or equivalent experience 
• Extensive experience in laboratory automation and liquid handling 
• Proficient designing and writing complex methods on automated liquid handling platforms (e.g. Hamilton, Agilent Bravo, Tecan, Beckman etc.) 
• Ability to work in an independent manner under minimal supervision 
• Proven effectiveness as a team player 

• Experience optimising and critically assessing liquid handling methods to meet desired requirements and specifications. 
• Adaptive thinking with a track record in initiating concepts and driving them through to completion 
• Track record of delivering projects to agreed schedules and quality standards 
• Proven organisational skills with the ability to plan and schedule themselves 
• Effective communicator with the ability to develop and maintain relationships inside and outside area of expertise 

• Experience in automating Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and long-read workflows. 
• Experience in writing SOPs and risk assessments. 
• Experience in writing reports on project status and critically evaluated KPIs. 
• Experience working closely with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) developers to generate LIMS-tracked automated pipelines 

About Us

The two divisions relevant to these roles are DNA Pipelines (DNAP) and Cellular Operations (CellOps). DNA Pipelines is a core facility within Scientific Operations (Sci-Ops) at the Wellcome Sanger Institute consisting of multidisciplinary teams. The primary function of DNA Pipelines is to generate high-quality data and resources by translating ambitious experimental ideas into pipelines for our research faculty to deliver the Institute’s scientific goals.  In addition to this, DNA Pipelines are collaborating with external organisations to deliver genomic sequences for the world-leading data resource UK Biobank, and supporting public health by taking a leading role in sequencing SARS-CoV-2 genomes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

CellOps specialises in large scale cell biology research and is continually evolving to meet the changing needs of the Institute. To date the focus has been cell line engineering, cell model derivation and differentiation, whole genome CRISPR screening, Spatial Genomics, management of biological resources and flow cytometry. CellOps have minimal experience in the field of automation and are looking to partner with automation specialists to help reshape how science is delivered at scale.