You are a wet-lab fluent, hands-on operator who takes pride in making complex lab work run smoothly. You are detail-oriented, organized, and able to balance speed with precision without letting quality slip. You have experience at the bench and/or in biology-heavy R&D environments, and you understand how small differences in setup, timing, documentation, or execution can affect scientific outcomes.
You are frustrated by avoidable inefficiency and motivated to improve how work gets done. You are excited to use practical tools — including checklists, templates, structured run logs, lightweight scripts, and AI tools — to make workflows clearer, more consistent, and easier to troubleshoot. You are a team-first person who takes ownership, communicates clearly, creates accountability, and cares more about successful science and proactive problem solving than rigid job boundaries.
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Prepare automated workcells for regular workflow execution, including reagents, media, plates, tips, labware, consumables, and deck setup.
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Execute and monitor automated processes on our automated workcells.
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Perform manual cell culture and biological workflow steps that support automation development, troubleshooting, benchmarking, and validation.
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Draft SOPs and build out our SOP library.
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Document run setup, protocol details, deviations, errors, observations, and outcomes in structured formats.
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Work with scientists and automation engineers to improve protocols, reduce failure modes, and increase workflow reliability.
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Maintain automation-related supplies, consumables, and labware inventory.
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Perform routine maintenance, QC, and readiness checks on relevant devices.
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Follow sterile technique, biosafety, and lab operations best practices.
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Identify recurring workflow pain points, failure modes, and manual bottlenecks, and work with scientists and the rest of the automation team to improve or automate them.
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Help ensure automated workflows are run consistently, deviations are captured quickly, and learnings are translated into better protocols, SOPs, and setup practices.
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2+ years hands-on experience in a biology, cell culture, screening, or lab operations environment.
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Comfort performing manual biological workflows such as media changes, reagent preparation, plate handling, sampling, passaging support, or assay setup.
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Strong attention to detail and the ability to follow protocols precisely while noticing when something is off.
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Comfortable working around or operating automated lab equipment such as liquid handlers, automated incubators, plate readers, robotic arms, screening systems, or similar platforms.
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Clear communication, strong organization, and a team-first mindset in a fast-moving lab environment.
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A bias toward ownership, continuous improvement, and reducing inefficiency without sacrificing quality.
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Pride in careful, repeatable execution, and understand that reliable operations are often what make ambitious science possible.
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with mammalian cell culture, sterile technique, and BSL-2 practices.
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operating or supporting liquid handlers, robotic workcells, high-throughput screening systems, automated incubators, or plate-based assay systems.
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supporting assay development, workflow optimization, protocol transfer, or automation validation.
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with LIMS, electronic lab notebooks, barcode-based tracking, or structured data capture.
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with basic troubleshooting lab instruments, automated systems, or screening workflows.
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using LLMs, scripting, templates, or lightweight software tools to improve documentation, operations, or repetitive workflows.
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in startup or fast-moving R&D environments where priorities evolve quickly.
At Retro, we don't use titles. New hires join as a "Member of X Team".
Total compensation also includes generous equity and benefits including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
- 401(k) plan with 4% matching
- Flexible time off and 10 company holidays per year
- Paid parental leave
- Annual learning & development stipend
- Monthly Longevity stipend
- Daily Retro-sponsored lunch and snacks