# Automation Engineer – Abstract Bio – San Francisco, CA (on-site)

**URL:** <https://discuss.pylabrobot.org/t/automation-engineer-abstract-bio-san-francisco-ca-on-site/639>\
**Category:** jobs\
**Created:** [October 24, 2026, 9:49pm UTC](https://discuss.pylabrobot.org/t/automation-engineer-abstract-bio-san-francisco-ca-on-site/639 "2026-10-24T21:49:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jacopo](https://discuss.pylabrobot.org/user_avatar/discuss.pylabrobot.org/jacopo/32/1648_2.png) [@Jacopo](https://discuss.pylabrobot.org/u/Jacopo)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 9:49pm UTC](https://discuss.pylabrobot.org/t/automation-engineer-abstract-bio-san-francisco-ca-on-site/639/1 "2026-10-24T21:49:48Z")

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Hi all,

I’m Jacopo, co-founder of Abstract Bio. We make synthetic DNA 4-10x cheaper than incumbents. Our first product’s demand outran our capacity within months, so we’re now building a 10x larger production platform that runs mostly on robots. We’re hiring our first Automation Engineer to build it with us.

**What you’d do**

- Move oligo synthesis, DNA assembly, QC and NGS prep onto liquid handlers and plate robotics.
- Write the robot methods, drivers and scheduling that tie the lab together, plus the agents that catch failures.
- Pick open hardware, PyLabRobot and a 3D-printed fixture over an expensive vendor integration.
- Keep the machines running, sometimes at 3am.

**Who we’re looking for**

- 3-5 years automating wet-lab work.
- Solid Python.
- Happy to take a robot apart.
- Knows why dead volumes and evaporation matter.
- Bonus: PyLabRobot / Opentrons / Hamilton experience, or DNA work.

Full-time, on-site in our SF lab, reporting to the founders.

Full description and application (about 10 minutes): [Notion](https://abstractbio.notion.site/abstract-bio-careers)  
Also on LinkedIn: [Abstract Bio hiring Automation Engineer in San Francisco, CA | LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4482810430/)

Happy to answer questions here.

Jacopo