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Lab Automation Engineer Jobs in Massachusetts (NOW HIRING)

* We are seeking a skilled Automation Engineer to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a ... Design, test, and deploy retrofits and design changes to our existing machines in our BOS27 lab ...

Senior Automation Engineer

Andover, MA

$105K - $138K/yr

The Senior Automation Engineer role requires an individual have a diverse engineering skill set ... LAB-X, and PAS-X and Aveva PI Historian. * Solid understanding of object-oriented software ...

New

Senior Automation Engineer

Boston, MA

$113K - $148K/yr

The Senior Automation Engineer role requires an individual have a diverse engineering skill set ... LAB-X, and PAS-X and Aveva PI Historian. * Solid understanding of object-oriented software ...

Senior Automation Engineer

Plymouth, MA

$113K - $148K/yr

The Senior Automation Engineer role requires an individual have a diverse engineering skill set ... LAB-X, and PAS-X and Aveva PI Historian. * Solid understanding of object-oriented software ...

New

Vice President, Engineering

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$196K - $253K/yr

The VP Engineering will bring deep technical experience in automation of lab science, a track record of building and leading multi-disciplinary engineering organizations, mentorship practices that ...

Vice President, Engineering

Cambridge, MA

$196K - $253K/yr

The VP Engineering will bring deep technical experience in automation of lab science, a track record of building and leading multi-disciplinary engineering organizations, mentorship practices that ...

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Showing results 1-20

Lab Automation Engineer information

See Massachusetts salary details

$18

$52

$78

How much do lab automation engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 24, 2026, the average hourly pay for lab automation engineer in Massachusetts is $52.33, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40.14 and $65.62 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Lab Automation Engineer do?

A Lab Automation Engineer designs, develops, and maintains automated systems used in laboratory environments to improve efficiency, accuracy, and reproducibility of experiments. They work with robotics, software, and laboratory instruments to streamline workflows for research, diagnostics, or manufacturing processes. Their responsibilities often include programming automation scripts, integrating hardware and software, troubleshooting system issues, and collaborating with scientists to optimize lab operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Lab Automation Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lab Automation Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering or life sciences, experience with laboratory workflows, and proficiency in programming and automation. Familiarity with tools such as liquid handling robots, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), scripting languages (like Python or VBA), and certifications like Six Sigma or CLIA can be highly advantageous. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective communication skills set top performers apart. These skills are crucial for designing efficient automated systems, maintaining equipment, and ensuring seamless lab operations in complex, collaborative environments.

What are some common challenges Lab Automation Engineers face in their daily work?

Lab Automation Engineers often encounter challenges such as troubleshooting integration issues between new automation equipment and existing lab systems, as well as optimizing protocols for maximum efficiency. Adjusting to rapidly evolving technology and managing the customization of automated solutions for diverse experiments are also common aspects of the role. Collaboration with scientists, IT specialists, and quality control teams is essential to ensure that automation meets both technical and regulatory requirements. Successfully navigating these challenges requires adaptability, communication, and a solution-oriented mindset.

What are popular job titles related to Lab Automation Engineer jobs in Massachusetts? For Lab Automation Engineer jobs in Massachusetts, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Lab Automation Engineer jobs in Massachusetts look for? The top searched job categories for Lab Automation Engineer jobs in Massachusetts are:
What cities in Massachusetts are hiring for Lab Automation Engineer jobs? Cities in Massachusetts with the most Lab Automation Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Lab Automation Engineer job openings in Massachusetts as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 71% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 3% Temporary, and 17% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $108,846 per year, or $52.3 per hour.
Sr. Principal or Engineering Advisor - Agentic Lab Automation Integration

Sr. Principal or Engineering Advisor - Agentic Lab Automation Integration

Eli Lilly and Company

Boston, MA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago


Eli Lilly and Company rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 62 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

10th of 71 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

Job Summary:
Eli Lilly and Company is a global healthcare leader dedicated to improving lives through innovative medicines. The role involves engineering integrations between Agentic AI and laboratory systems to enhance molecule discovery, focusing on lab automation and data connectivity.
Responsibilities:
• Build multi-agent systems with robust orchestration, state management, error recovery, and tool integration
• Prototype and iterate rapidly on agent planning strategies, memory systems, and human-in-the-loop patterns
• Design agent architectures that interface with lab automation platforms (Hamilton, Tecan, Opentrons) for closed-loop experimental execution
• Partner with automation engineers and scientists to transition prototypes into reliable lab operations
• Deploy and maintain containerized services using Docker and Kubernetes with GitOps and CI/CD practices
• Integrate cloud-based orchestration frameworks such as Argo on Kubernetes with laboratory control systems
• Represent Frontier AI in the broader AI@Lilly and external AI research community: publish, give talks, review papers, and scout emerging trends.
• Evaluate external vendors, open-source projects, and academic collaborations for strategic fit.
Qualifications:
Required:
• PhD (or MS + 2 yrs / BS + 5 yrs equivalent experience) in Chemical / Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Engineering, or related discipline with demonstrated wet-lab automation experience.
• Demonstrated experience with laboratory automation systems and LIMS engineering
• Direct experience integrating software control and/or AI systems with lab automation platforms (liquid handlers, analytical instruments, robotic workflows)
• Strong experience with containerization (Docker) and Kubernetes-based orchestration in production environments
• Experience building scalable and production-level python applications using tools like Redis, FastAPI, flask/streamlit, pytest, etc. (GitHub portfolio a plus)
Preferred:
• Experience with LLM post-training, fine-tuning, or RLHF
• Direct experience integrating AI or algorithmic decision systems with laboratory automation
• Proven ability to build and maintain the translation layer between high-level planning logic and low-level instrument control
• Demonstrable research experience, evidenced by contributions to projects, and ideally through publications in relevant ML/NLP venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, CVPR)
Company:
We're a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. Founded in 1876, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

What Eli Lilly and Company employees say

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Hours and flexibility

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Get the full story on Breakroom


Eli Lilly logo

About Eli Lilly

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Eli Lilly, based in Indianapolis, IN, US, is one of the pioneers in the pharmaceutical industry with a rich history dating back to 1876. This global pharmaceutical company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and selling pharmaceutical products in approximately 120 countries. The company's product categories include endocrinology, oncology, cardiovascular, neuroscience, and immunology. Having invested over $9 billion in research and development in the past decade, Eli Lilly is also committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs. As a recipient of several awards and recognitions, Eli Lilly is known for its focus on life-saving research and drug development. Their mission is to make medicines that help people live longer, healthier, and more active lives.

Industry

Pharmaceutical product wholesalers

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Indianapolis, IN, US

Year founded

1876