Senior Automation Engineer – Process Chemistry Lab

Job title

Senior Automation Engineer – Process Chemistry Lab

Cambridge, MA

As an Automation Engineer within our Process Engineering & modeling team, you'll be responsible for translating laboratory workflows into robust automated protocols and optimizing existing automation infrastructure. This person will serve as the in‑house expert for custom robotics and system orchestration to advance pharmaceutical development. This role involves leading the evaluation and implementation of new automated systems for process characterization, as well as collaborating with process chemistry teams to identify automation opportunities.

The successful applicant will develop and maintain documentation for automated processes, while also providing troubleshooting and technical support for automated systems. This role offers a chance to significantly enhance our automation capabilities as we move towards our goal of a self‑automated lab. Join the engine of Sanofi’s mission — where deep immunoscience meets bold, AI‑powered research. In R&D, you’ll drive breakthroughs that could turn the impossible into possible for millions.

We’re an R&D‑driven, AI‑powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system – and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.

• You will work closely with laboratory teams (process chemists, engineers, and the high‑throughput experimentation team), fostering strong partnerships with scientists to deeply understand their research processes. Your goal will be to design, develop, and deploy cutting‑edge automated systems, robotics, instrumentation, and digital workflows that significantly enhance the productivity and efficiency of our labs.

• You will be responsible for programming and developing automated laboratory systems. This includes supporting software development and deployment to automate workflows, integrating analytical instruments with laboratory software, and ensuring seamless communication between instruments and Sanofi’s internal data management services.

• Evaluate and select automation platforms and robotics systems from various vendors suited for chemical and analytical workflows.

• Assist in the development and deployment of digital twins for both batch and continuous processes, ensuring alignment with Quality by Design (QbD) principles. You will play a key role in implementing and scaling Model Predictive Control (MPC) systems, leveraging advanced process models to optimize performance in real‑time, maintain product quality, and enhance operational efficiency across large‑scale manufacturing environments.

  Integrate high‑throughput experimentation (HTE) tools such as liquid handlers, solid dispensers, and analytical instruments.

• Troubleshoot and maintain automated systems to ensure consistent and reliable performance.

• Provide concise technical presentations to communicate work to project teams, cross‑functional teams and management. Document all work on projects and continuous improvements in LNB experiments and summarize in Technical Reports.

• Bachelor’s (with 6+ years of experience) or Master’s (with 4+ years of experience) degree in Engineering (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Biomedical), Computer Science, or a related technical field.

• Strong skills in writing and optimizing scripts in programming or scripting automation systems.

• Experience in designing and implementing automated laboratory processes from the initial concept through to full deployment.

• Strong understanding of robotics, instrument control and system integration.

• An ability to work as part of a team, engaging other scientists with complementary skill sets in the field of pharmaceutical development.

• A change‑agent mentality, proposing novel approaches to challenging scientific questions and exploring new modeling approaches.

• Familiarity with laboratory analytical measurement instruments or relevant…