Lab Automation Specialist

Position Number: 41174963

Payroll Title: SRA 3 (009611)

Job Code: 009611

Job Open Date: 6/5/25

Application Review Begins: 6/23/25

Department Code (Name): CNSI (CALIF NANOSYSTEMS INSTITUTE)

Percentage of Time: 100

Union Code (Name): RX – Research Professionals

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career

FLSA Status: Exempt

Classified Indicator Description (Personnel Program): PSS

Salary Grade: STEPS

Pay Rate/Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $66,431.27 - $87,628.49/year. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $66,431.27 - $106,830.32/year.

Work Location: 3229 Elings Hall

Working Days and Hours: 8AM-5PM Monday through Friday

Benefits Eligibility: Full

Special Instructions:

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement:

The California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), is one of four UC-based California Initiatives for Science and Innovation (Cal- ISI). CNSI's mission is to create an inclusive, collaborative, closely-integrated, and strongly interactive environment that will foster innovation in nanosystems research, educate the next generation of diverse leaders in science and engineering, and bring scientific and technological innovation into the economy and society. To spur basic discovery and translation, CNSI has developed world-class infrastructure and a range of synergistic platforms that facilitate interdisciplinary team science, provide critical research capabilities and create an environment for entrepreneurship, outreach and workforce training. The CNSI oversees the management of a large portfolio of extramurally and intramurally funded research projects, including the $25M UCSB NSF Quantum Foundry, $23.7M NSF BioPACIFIC Materials Innovation Platform (MIP), and Ex FAB BioFoundry $22M. The CNSI provides broad support of UC Santa Barbara's research enterprise through numerous shared multi-user research laboratories and facilities, the Center for Scientific Computing (CSC), a Technology Incubator, multiple grant and fellowship programs plus other special initiatives. To learn more about our institute, please visit: www.cnsi.ucsb.edu. The NSF BioFoundry for Extreme & Exceptional Fungi, Archaea and Bacteria (ExFAB), housed and administered by CNSI, is a $22M-funded center developing first-of-its-kind facility with novel instrumentation, workflows and protocols to optimize research on extreme microbes including an environmentally controlled, fully automated anaerobic chamber with a suite of equipment to support microbial synthetic biology (www.exfab.org).

Benefits of Belonging

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Brief Summary of Job Duties:

The ExFAB Lab Automation Specialist is responsible for programming, operating, and maintaining automated systems for microbial synthetic biology, including managing platforms for growth, phenotyping, nucleic assay preparation and microbial transformation to support ExFAB facility users' research activities.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors of Science in computer science, biological sciences, chemical engineering, bioengineering, electrical and computer engineering or a related field
• 1-3 years Computational experience (coding, editing of existing code)

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS in computer science, biological sciences, chemical engineering, bioengineering, electrical and computer engineering or a related field.
• 4-6 years work experience with Bachelor's degree only
• 1-3 years relevant experience with Master's degree
• 1-3 years Strong understanding of biology, chemistry and genetics; basic knowledge of cell biology and biomolecular characterization techniques

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Satisfactory criminal history background check

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegation or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

• 75% Systems Operations - Program, develop and operate automated systems for microbial synthetic biology, including platforms for microbial growth, phenotyping, assay preparation and microbial transformation. Developing novel programs to address research priorities, consulting and collaborating with ExFAB lab managers and ExFAB researchers. Assure programs are adequately preserved and stored for future uses.
• 25% Systems Maintenance - Responsible for maintaining automated systems within ExFAB, including the performance of routine troubleshooting and repair and identifying the need for, and securing, outside service support when needed. Assure relevant service contracts are maintained. Assess inventory of supplies and consumables needed for system operations and maintain adequate inventory is available at all times to allow uninterrupted operations.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs.