---
title: 'Lab Automation Engineer II at Amyris, Inc.'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lab-automation-engineer-ii-amyris-inc-emeryville-xykmp8ksjjb1'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-02'
---

# Lab Automation Engineer II at Amyris, Inc.

- **Company:** Amyris, Inc.
- **Location:** Emeryville
- **Posted:** 2026-10-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-02
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/amyrisinc/jobs/4431779009

## Job description

At Amyris, we value that everyone’s career journey is unique and authentic to who they are. If this role excites you, we encourage you to apply and grow alongside us! You may be just the right candidate for this or other open roles.

Ready to put your hands-on laboratory automation experience to work while growing your programming skills?

Join Amyris as a Lab Automation Engineer II and help scientists work faster and more reliably by supporting, troubleshooting, and improving automated laboratory workflows. You’ll work directly with liquid handlers, laboratory instrumentation, scientists, and experienced automation engineers to develop reliable, high-throughput workflows—from genetic design through screening and analysis.

If you enjoy solving practical hardware and workflow challenges and want to build your scripting and programming capabilities, this is an opportunity to make a visible impact on a production-scale synthetic biology platform.

*This is a fully onsite role based in Emeryville, CA.

## Responsibilities

- Method & Workflow Development: Support the development, modification, testing, and deployment of automated laboratory methods on liquid handlers and other laboratory automation platforms. Execute defined method-development activities independently and work with more experienced automation engineers on complex or integrated workflows.
- Laboratory Workflow Automation: Work with automation engineers, scientists, and laboratory users to understand manual laboratory protocols and help translate them into reliable automated workflows using established platforms, standards, and development practices.
- Troubleshooting & Technical Support: Provide day-to-day support for laboratory automation systems. Troubleshoot routine to moderately complex issues involving instrumentation, automation software, labware, consumables, and liquid-handling methods. Escalate complex, unfamiliar, or cross-system issues when additional technical expertise is required.
- Maintenance & Vendor Coordination: Support routine instrument maintenance, calibration, equipment qualification activities, and troubleshooting. Coordinate with equipment vendors and service providers as needed under established support processes.
- Documentation: Develop and maintain method documentation, standard operating procedures, user guides, troubleshooting instructions, and other technical documentation using established team standards.
- Continuous Improvement: Contribute to identifying operational bottlenecks, recurring automation issues, and opportunities to improve system reliability, assay execution, and automation uptime. Participate in implementation and testing of improvement efforts.
- Team Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing: Participate in technical discussions, share troubleshooting findings, seek input when appropriate, and collaborate with automation engineers, scientists, laboratory staff, vendors, and other cross-functional partners.

## Basic Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, a related scientific or engineering field, or an equivalent combination of education and practical experience.
- Approximately 2–3 years of relevant experience in laboratory automation, laboratory instrumentation, engineering, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, or a related technical environment.
- Hands-on experience operating, supporting, programming, or troubleshooting automated laboratory instrumentation. Experience with liquid-handling platforms is strongly preferred. (e.g., Beckman Coulter Biomek, Labcyte/Beckman Echo, Agilent VPrep, Dynamic Devices Lynx).
- Exposure to laboratory scheduling or orchestration platforms such as Biosero Green Button Go, Agilent VWorks, HighRes Cellario, or similar systems.
- Basic familiarity with scripting or programming concepts used in automation environments, such as Python, C#, VBScript, or similar languages, with an interest in developing these skills further.
- Ability to apply systematic troubleshooting methods to routine and moderately complex hardware, software, labware, and workflow-related problems.
- Ability to communicate technical information clearly, document work effectively, collaborate with laboratory users and engineering colleagues, and seek guidance when appropriate.
- Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies, incorporate feedback, and develop increasing technical independence over time.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience supporting automation hardware, including electronics troubleshooting and repair.
- Interest or experience in mechanical troubleshooting, CAD, 3D printing, fabrication, electronics, or development of simple laboratory fixtures is a plus.
- Familiarity with standard molecular biology and synthetic biology workflows (e.g., PCR setup, DNA assembly, transformations, NGS library prep, microplate assays, or cell culture plating).
- Exposure to laboratory data systems, LIMS, file-based data exchange, or automated transfer of instrument and workflow data.
- Familiarity with Git or another version-control system for scripts, configuration files, or automation methods.

The salary range for this role is: $103,000 to $131,000.

As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, Amyris is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Amyris complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Amyris is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. Salary offers are made based on internal equity and market analysis, and will vary based on the candidate’s skills, depth of experience and specific work location.

Amyris is committed to providing a diverse array of inclusive benefits and perks to support employees and their families’ wellbeing including access to robust healthcare, mental wellness benefits, family leave, discounted fitness memberships, education reimbursement, flexible paid time off, 17 paid holidays, 10 paid sick days, and additional paid time off including 3 volunteer days, and bereavement.

What may Candidates Expect from Amyris?

At Amyris, we strive to provide a transparent and professional hiring experience. Our interview process typically includes a combination of in-person meetings and phone conversations. Genuine job offers are always communicated by an authorized member of our Human Resources team before being sent via email. Please note that all official communication from Amyris employees will come from an email address ending in “@amyris.com” or from "no-reply@greenhouse.io".

- Fraudulent Employment Offers: Amyris has experienced a recent increase in fraudulent Amyris job listings on third-party sites, as well as fraudulent interview requests and job offers sent to candidates. In addition, people impersonating employees of Amyris have been sending fraudulent job screening or new-hire screening communications requesting candidates to provide personal information. Please be advised that these offers, communications, and impersonations are illegitimate and fraudulent. If You Receive a Suspicious or Fraudulent Communication or Employment Offer, please contact hr@amyris.com
- We hold deep regard in the power of representation and cultivation of a diverse work environment. Join us at Amyris, where you can find a sense of belonging and know that your voice is centered. At Amyris, we believe that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is essential to our core values. We embrace and encourage an equity-minded work culture, knowing that it is the driving force of innovation that positively impacts our employees, consumers, and communities. For Amyris, a sense of belonging is what drives our mission forward and is the foundation of everything we do, ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future for us all.
- Amyris, the Amyris logo, Unlock the Chemistry of Life TM, and Lab-to-Market are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amyris, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
- Under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), Amyris is required to inform California residents who are our job applicants (“Applicants”) about the personal information we collect about you when you apply to a job on this site. As an Applicant, you have the right to know and understand the categories of personal information we collect about you, and the purposes for which the categories of personal information shall be used, pursuant to the CCPA.
- By clicking the “APPLY FOR THIS JOB” button below and submitting your job application, you agree you have reviewed the complete Privacy Notice for Employees, Independent Contractors and Job Applicants. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Amyris at privacy@amyris.com
- As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, Amyris is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Amyris complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.
- If you are a recruiter or placement agency, please do not submit resumes to any person or email address at Amyris, Inc. prior to having a signed agreement. Amyris is not liable for and will not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by any agency other than its approved recruitment partners. Furthermore, any resumes sent to us without an agreement in place will be considered your company’s gift to Amyris and may be forwarded to our recruiters for their attention.

## About Amyris, Inc.

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Amyris is a vertically integrated synthetic biology company that uses microbes to transform plant-derived sugars into sustainable, high-performing molecules for industries ranging from beauty and personal care to flavors and fragrances, industrials, and pharmaceuticals.
- **Entity Type**: Private (formerly public, delisted in 2023; currently operating under new leadership and ownership structure)
- **Headquarters**: Emeryville, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2003
- **Founders**: Not publicly listed as individual founders on the current site (founded by a team including Jay Keasling, Jack Newman, and others)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Industrial Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, Renewable Chemistry
- **Target customers**: B2B. Partners with companies across industries (beauty, flavors & fragrances, pharmaceuticals, industrials, performance materials) to create, scale, and manufacture sustainable ingredients.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "A prosperous and resilient world transformed by a new era of biotechnology."

## Products & Services
- **Custom Renewable Chemistry & Biomanufacturing Platform**: End-to-end services for strain development, scale-up, and commercial manufacturing of sustainable ingredients using precision fermentation.
- **Squalane**: A leading cosmetic emollient (biotech-derived).
- **Farnesene**: A flagship building block molecule used in Vitamin E, flavors & fragrances, performance materials, and beauty/personal care.
- **Reb M (Zero-Calorie Sweetener)**: A biotech-derived sweetener, launched commercially with Firmenich.
- **Fragrance Ingredients**: Multiple biotech-derived fragrance ingredients launched in partnership with Firmenich.
- **Vaccine Adjuvant (Squalene)**: Launched with Croda for pharmaceutical use.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company post-delisting).
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding (historical, as a public company): Over $1.5B raised. Current financials are private.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Firmenich, Givaudan, Croda, WACKER, Sanofi (historical), Institute for OneWorld Health (historical).
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Launched a new production line at its Barra Bonita, Brazil precision fermentation plant in March 2026, unlocking new agility and capacity.
    - Appointed Kathy L. Fortmann as CEO in May 2024.
    - Re-hired Dr. Sunil Chandran as CTO in September 2025.
    - Announced a partnership with WACKER in the personal care sector (April 2026).
    - Launched a new brand and website in November 2025 to align with strategic growth pillars ("Unlock The Chemistry of Life™").

## Competitive Advantages
- **Vertically Integrated Platform**: From strain engineering (Automated Strain Engineering platform) to commercial-scale manufacturing (Barra Bonita plant, the world's most advanced precision fermentation plant for specialty chemicals).
- **Proven Scale**: Two decades of experience scaling fermentation-derived ingredients from lab to commercial volumes, a notoriously difficult feat in synthetic biology.
- **Proprietary Molecule Library**: A deep library of high-value, renewable molecules (e.g., Squalane, Farnesene, Reb M) that are difficult to replicate.
- **Established Partner Ecosystem**: Long-term, deep partnerships with global leaders in flavors & fragrances (Firmenich, Givaudan) and specialty chemicals (WACKER, Croda).

## Strategic Focus
- **Growth Pillars**: Driving profitable, responsible growth by expanding its role as a B2B partner for sustainable ingredient creation.
- **Operational Agility**: The new production line at Barra Bonita is designed for flexibility to meet diverse customer needs and fast-changing demand.
- **Technology Leadership**: Re-investing in R&D leadership (re-hiring Dr. Chandran) to maintain its edge in strain engineering and biomanufacturing.
- **Commercial Expansion**: Deepening partnerships in personal care, flavors & fragrances, and entering new application areas.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Work**: Directly contribute to creating a more sustainable, resilient world by replacing petrochemical-based ingredients with renewable biological chemistry.
- **World-Class Technology**: Work on the cutting edge of synthetic biology and industrial fermentation at scale.
- **Global Impact**: Products are included in thousands of products reaching millions of consumers worldwide.
- **Leadership**: New CEO Kathy Fortmann brings deep experience in specialty chemicals and ingredients, signaling a focus on commercial discipline and growth.
- **Culture Values**: Innovation, Integrity, Resilience, Nature, and Collaboration.
- **Locations**: Major hubs in Emeryville, CA (HQ); Leland, NC (US Manufacturing); Campinas and Barra Bonita, Brazil (Manufacturing & R&D).
- **Engineering & Science Focus**: Heavy emphasis on process development, fermentation, downstream processing, and engineering roles.

## Sources
1. [amyris.com](https://amyris.com)
2. [amyris.com/about-us](https://amyris.com/about-us)
3. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/amyrisinc](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/amyrisinc)
4. [amyris.com/news-insights](https://www.amyris.com/news-insights)
5. [linkedin.com/company/amyris-inc](https://www.linkedin.com/company/amyris-inc)

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