At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of advanced control systems for automated scientific equipment.
- Company: Join Lila Sciences, a pioneer in Scientific Superintelligence™.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, flexible time off, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for mentorship and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in lab automation and robotics integration.
- Qualifications: 4+ years in control systems design; PLC and SCADA expertise required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Your Impact at LILA
Lila is seeking a seasoned Engineer II / Senior Engineer, Control Systems Design to lead the design and development of control systems for automated scientific equipment.
This role involves architecting advanced control systems, integrating robotics and PLC technologies, and driving strategic initiatives to enhance laboratory automation.
- What You'll Be Building
- Assist in designing and implementing control systems using PLC and SCADA technologies to optimize laboratory workflows and promote future scalability.
- Support the integration of advanced robotics into automation systems, ensuring smooth operation within existing frameworks.
- Assist in the integration of 3rd party equipment and vendor software, development of wrappers to connect equipment to existing controls system.
- Design of safety systems with PLCs to safely operate a mix of equipment, robotics, and conveyance systems.
- Collaborate with software teams to integrate control systems with broader IT/OT factory infrastructure.
- Develop comprehensive engineering documentation including P&ID diagrams, wiring schematics, control narratives, and instrument IO lists.
- Lead complex automation projects, defining controls scope, setting milestones, managing vendors, and ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery.
- Oversee calibration, testing, and validation of control systems to meet strict performance, accuracy, and safety standards.
- Interface with subject matter experts (SMEs) and cross-functional internal customers to gather requirements, understand challenges, and deliver tailored automation solutions.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers, fostering a collaborative and innovative team environment.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance system reliability and operational efficiency.
- What You'll Need to Succeed
- 4+ years of experience in designing and implementing complex control systems for automated laboratory environments.
- Extensive knowledge of PLCs, HMI, SCADA, and related automation software and hardware.
- Experience with industrial networking in OT deployments, network routing, security groups, VPNs, etc.
- Strong proficiency in creating detailed engineering documents and schematics using tools like Auto CAD, Solid Works Electrical, or similar.
- Proven experience with robotics integration and programming using structured text.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with SMEs and internal stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail and a commitment to excellence.
- Bonus Points For
- HMI design and Ignition Gold Certified.
- Structured text programming experience in Twin CAT, Python, C++, etc.
- Use of communication protocols like OPC-UA, MQTT, and REST APIs.
- Safety system design and classification like SIL or PL.
- Configuration of managed network switches, port addressing/IP subnetting, and DHCP services.
- Ability to troubleshoot traffic flows between OT networks and AWS cloud instances.
Compensation
We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.
U. S. Benefits.
Full-time U.
S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.
International Benefits.
Full-time employees outside the U.
S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region.
USD salary ranges apply only to U.
S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.
- Expected Base Salary Range
- About LILA
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges.
We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI.
Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.
LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy.
Learn more at
Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance.
If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.
We’re All In
Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.
Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.
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Engineer II /Senior Controls Engineer in Cambridge employer: Lilasciences
At Lila Sciences, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. As a Senior Principal or Principal Software Engineer in our AI Lab Execution System team, you will have the opportunity to lead cutting-edge projects that directly impact scientific discovery while enjoying comprehensive benefits, flexible time off, and a commitment to employee growth through mentorship and educational assistance. Join us in a dynamic environment where your contributions will shape the future of AI in science, all while working alongside passionate professionals dedicated to solving humanity's greatest challenges.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineer II /Senior Controls Engineer in Cambridge
✨Get Involved in Control Systems Communities
Dive into control systems forums and relevant LinkedIn groups to showcase your expertise. Engage in discussions, answer questions, and share your knowledge—this can help us get noticed by potential employers looking for someone just like you!
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Workshops
Join conferences or workshops specifically tailored to control systems engineering, like the IEEE conference. These events are goldmines for networking with industry leaders and might just lead us to that perfect role at Lilasciences.
✨Get Practical Experience Through Projects
Start or contribute to projects that highlight your control systems skills. Whether it’s a simulated environment or real-world application, having tangible results will give us a huge edge when chatting with Lilasciences.
✨Choose Job Boards Wisely
Focus on niche job boards that specialise in engineering roles. Channels like Engineers.co or similar can help ensure that we’re not only applying to random jobs but targeting positions that align perfectly with our control systems engineering skills!
We think you need these skills to ace Engineer II /Senior Controls Engineer in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Technical Skills:When applying for the Engineer II /Senior Controls Engineer role, make sure to showcase your technical expertise in control systems. Be specific about the software and programming languages you’ve worked with—mention anything from MATLAB to PLC programming. This will help us see your proficiency in the tools that are essential for the job.
Quantify Your Achievements:In the engineering world, numbers speak volumes! Use your CV to quantify your achievements—whether it’s a percentage improvement in system efficiency or successful project completions under budget. This will not only make your application stand out but also showcase your problem-solving capabilities to us.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Don’t hesitate to get personal in your cover letter! Talk about why you’re passionate about control systems engineering and how your previous experiences have prepared you for this role at Lilasciences. We want to see your genuine interest and motivation to contribute to our projects.
Professional Documentation:For a full-time role, ensure that your application documents are professional and well-structured. Include a clear CV format and cover letter that highlights key projects or systems you've worked on. Don’t forget to mention any relevant certifications or training that would make you a valuable addition to us at Lilasciences.
How to prepare for a job interview at Lilasciences
✨Brush Up on Control Systems Concepts
Make sure we're up to speed with control systems theory—think stability analysis, PID tuning, and state-space representation. Revising these fundamentals will help us answer technical questions more confidently and demonstrate our expertise during the interview.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Simulation Tools
Get hands-on with popular simulation tools like MATLAB/Simulink or LabVIEW. A lot of interviews might include technical assessments or practical tasks to gauge our understanding of system modelling and control design using these tools, so being proficient could really set us apart.
✨Be Ready for Problem-Solving Scenarios
We should expect scenario-based questions where we'll have to solve real-world control system challenges. Practising how to approach problems logically and articulately will help us show our analytical thinking to the interviewer at Lilasciences.
✨Show Your Passion for Engineering
As this role is full-time, it's crucial we convey our genuine enthusiasm for control systems engineering. Sharing personal projects or experiences where we tackled interesting engineering tasks can illustrate our commitment and eagerness to contribute to the team at Lilasciences.
