Biological Systems Engineering Jobs in Chicago, IL

Our decoding inflammation team builds tools to enable precise molecular-level measurements of inflammation within human tissues in real time, and develop proactive, early interventions that can be deployed when inflammation - which underlies the most significant causes of death worldwide - first flares in the body. You can learn more about our work here. 

Our team collaborates with three powerhouse universities - Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - to develop first-in-class technologies and make breakthroughs.

Our Vision

• Pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments
• Enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas
• Facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond

We are a team of passionate individuals powered by technology, guided by scientific research, and driven by collaboration, working toward a mission to cure or prevent all disease. 

Biohub seeks a Director of Engineering to build, scale, and automate next-generation molecular measurement technologies.  This role will lead the design and deployment of integrated automation systems that enable high-throughput, high-content, and reproducible experimentation across functional genomics, multi-omics profiling, and advanced cellular systems, including organoids and complex co-culture models.

The Director of Engineering will translate cutting-edge biological objectives into robust, scalable, and automated laboratory infrastructure. The ideal candidate brings deep industry experience building and operating life science technology platforms, particularly in proteomics, functional genomics, transcriptomics, imaging-based assays, and/or organoid systems-combined with strong expertise in robotics, automation engineering, and instrument integration.

This leader will architect platforms that move beyond commoditized automation toward flexible, adaptive systems capable of executing complex biological protocols at scale, with tight integration between experimental workflows, data systems, and computational analysis pipelines.

Automation, Robotics, Instrumentation

• Lead the development and integration of advanced robotic systems for liquid handling, organoid handling, environmental control, and assay execution.
• Oversee integration of molecular measurement technologies (e.g., spatial omics, proteomics, high-content imaging) directly into automated pipelines.
• Develop custom hardware, fixtures, and accessories where commercial solutions are insufficient.
• Ensure seamless integration between robotic systems, LIMS, data pipelines, and downstream analysis infrastructure.

Industry & Ecosystem Leadership

• Leverage deep industry knowledge to evaluate and implement best-in-class
• commercial instrumentation, robotics platforms, and automation software.
• Build and manage strategic relationships with automation vendors, instrument
• manufacturers, and contract engineering partners.
• Conduct rigorous technical diligence of vendors and outsourced development
• partners.
• Define clear technical specifications, milestones, and quality standards for
• external contributors.
• Identify opportunities to translate internally developed platform innovations into
• Broader partnerships or collaborative networks.

Team Building & Organizational Development

• Build and lead an interdisciplinary team of automation engineers, robotics engineers, platform scientists, and systems integration specialists.
• Recruit individuals with deep technical rigor and strong understanding of biological systems.
• Establish engineering best practices in documentation, validation, uptime management, and quality control.
• Foster a culture that blends industrial engineering discipline with scientific innovation.
• Develop and manage a blended team structure that includes internal staff and external partners.

Essential - 

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Chemical Engineering, or related field; or equivalent industry experience.
• 10+ years of experience building and operating life science technology platforms in industry (biotech, pharma, or advanced technology companies).
• Demonstrated leadership in functional genomics, multi-omics platforms, or organoid-based systems.
• Deep expertise in laboratory automation, robotics, and systems integration.
• Proven experience deploying scalable, production-grade biological platforms.
• Strong track record of vendor management, outsourced engineering oversight, and technical diligence.
• Experience integrating automation systems with laboratory information systems and data pipelines.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, mentor, and lead high-performing multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred - 

• Experience scaling CRISPR screening platforms or large-scale screening systems.
• Background in organoid automation or complex tissue models.
• Experience integrating imaging-based phenotypic screening with molecular profiling.
• Experience building platforms designed for ML-ready or model-driven experimental workflows.
• Experience deploying multi-site or distributed automation platforms.
• Familiarity with regulatory, quality, and compliance considerations in industrial biotech environments.
• Direct experience with AI-guided experimental design or model-in-the-loop workflows.

The Chicago, IL  base pay range for a new hire in this role is $230,000 - $287,000. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process. 

This position may be eligible to participate in Biohub's discretionary annual performance bonus program. Bonus eligibility and targets are determined in accordance with Biohub's total rewards philosophy and may vary by role.

We're thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible. 

• Provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice. 
• Funding for select family-forming benefits. 
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving

If you're interested in a role but your previous experience doesn't perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.

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