Organization Description

The scientists and engineers within AbbVie's Synthetic Molecules Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (SM CMC) organization within Development Sciences work in multi-functional teams to develop scalable processes and enable clinical supplies for safety testing, clinical trials, and formulation development.  Scientists focus on ensuring the process can be run safely, identifying and addressing major scale-up issues, ensuring product quality, and developing a scientific understanding of key performance indicators. Later in development, scientists and engineers then work to optimize the process, develop a commercializable production strategy, and lead technology transfer activities.  Throughout the development process, a focus on building process understanding, automation of experimental equipment, use of data-rich experimental tools, and modeling of experimental learnings are key. Team members create valuable intellectual property through composition of matter, processes, and technologies resulting in robust and effective manufacturing processes. 
 

Job Description

The Senior Automation Engineer will play a key role in AbbVie’s laboratory automation development and deployment as we continue developing AbbVie’s Labs of the Future.  Throughout the development lifecycle, lab automation, data analysis and data management play a significant role in gaining organizational efficiency and generating scientific insights. The vision of the automation team is to transform the culture and the way we do research to enhance safety, access new enabling capabilities, and gain efficiency in development of life-changing medicines with high-quality data through a deliberate and sustainable automation competency. The tools generated by this role will be instrumental in developing end-to-end automated solutions and data analytics to laboratory scientists, allowing them to reduce risk and make faster decisions that directly impact drug substance and drug product pipeline development.

We are seeking a talented Automation Scientist to develop robotics and automated solutions.  In order to do so, the ideal candidate will integrate a combination of off-the-shelf and custom-built components to provide innovative platforms for AbbVie researchers to execute experiments. This role requires fluid communication in cross-functional teams to understand the essence of user needs while deploying powerful automated equipment to improve R&D productivity.  The candidate will also facilitate collection, reporting, and analysis of performance data via online analytical tools and sensor data in an actionable form.  As such, the candidate will integrate knowledge driven and first principles regression into the deliveries as well as applying data driven and AI/ML tools (Bayesian optimization, NN, NODE, DOE, etc.) in order to facilitate rapid optimization.  As such, the candidate will not only build automated lab equipment but work towards fully autonomous solutions.  Ideal candidates should possess a BS/MS/PhD degree in a discipline with a strong background on hardware integration, analytical tools, and data handling with experience in chemical process development.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of custom and off-the-shelf automated laboratory systems to chemistry, engineering, and analytical team members.
• Proactively develop innovative automation and data handling solutions.
• Partner with technical staff to understand business challenges and effectively guide toward sustainable solutions.
• Partner with Development Sciences Digital Transformation team to develop and deploy scalable and maintainable performance reporting.
• Build robust, automated and autonomous end-to-end solutions for various workflows, e.g., from instrument measurement to a data warehouse.
• Apply an operational excellence mindset to help identify, devise, and recommend new opportunities to optimize current processes.
• Integrate modeling approaches with experimental tools to help scientists develop processes with increased efficiency.