Software & Automation Engineer

Xilis, Inc. is an innovation-driven biotech company developing its proprietary MicroOrganoSphere (“MOS”) Technology for functional precision oncology. Xilis’ MOS Technology enables rapid and scalable generation of patient tumor models that retain patient-specific tumor biology and tumor microenvironment, representing one of the most translationally-relevant ex vivo technologies for precision oncology drug discovery and development. Located in Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, Xilis is building a functional precision medicine platform that incorporates scaled multi-modal profiling of therapeutic activity and AI/ML-enabled analytics to catalyze functional precision medicine drug discovery, development and diagnostics. Collectively, Xilis aims to harness its MOS Platform to enable development of the most effective therapeutics and guide them to the right patients at the right time.

In this role, you will help maintain & further develop Xilis’ tech stack that is needed to develop and maintain Xilis’ MicroOrganoSphere Assays & R&D activities. As such, you will help build and scale up Xilis’ patient-derived 3D model platform toward drug development and immuno-oncology applications. This role will be embedded within the scientific team at Xilis BV, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. As a founding member of the Netherlands Engineering team, you will be coordinating and working closely with the onsite laboratory staff as well as our existing international automation experts. As such, the ideal candidate will have experience with cross-functional collaborations & have a proven track record of independent working. You will lead the design and implementation of hardware & software tools at Xilis BV.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose and resolve hardware issues to ensure optimal performance and operation of Xilis equipment, including robotic work cells, incubators, microscopes, and Xilis’ custom-built laboratory instrument, the MOSgen
• Develop and perform regular maintenance procedures (IQ/OQ/PQ) on specialty lab equipment
• Collaborate with scientists to understand laboratory needs and translate them into effective automation solutions
• Design, develop, and support cross-site platform and instrument software in collaboration with the US-based automation engineering team
• Assist Xilis BV personnel in understanding and using our technology platform
• Work directly with Xilis BV laboratory scientists to deploy and maintain developed software and hardware solutions

Requirements

• A Bsc. (or equivalent) degree in software engineering, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or the biological sciences, or equivalent industry experience
• 2+ years of experience in laboratory automation or equivalent
• Proven experience in c#
• Comfortable with relational databases and SQL
• Experience with laboratory instruments such as confocal microscopes, robotic arms, incubators, flow cytometers, and liquid handlers
• Experience deploying applications and working with networking in a Windows environment
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
• Comfortable working across multiple time zonesClear communication (English); capable of collaborating cross-functionallyAgile working style; ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• A driving motivation to support scalable technologies whose ultimate goal is to care for cancer patients Nice to have:- Experience in a startup environment
• Experience in a regulated environment (healthcare, finance, aviation, etc.)Have developed a product mindset to contribute to developing effective solutions to real-world problems