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Periodic Labs

Automation Engineer

Menlo Park, CA
Salary
$200,000 - $250,000
Level
Mid
Work type
On-site · Menlo Park
Visa
Sponsors visas

Open. First seen 2 October 2026.

Apply on the company's site →

About the role

Periodic Labs's standard text

We’re an AI and physical sciences company building state-of-the-art models to accelerate breakthroughs across materials, energy, and beyond. Backed by world-class investors and growing rapidly, we operate at the pace the frontier requires. Our team brings deep expertise, genuine ownership, and an insatiable drive to push the boundaries of what’s scientifically possible.

About the Role

Join our team of scientists and engineers building a lab where AI and automation speed up materials discovery.

We’re building an autonomous lab to speed up materials discovery, and we need someone who loves making instruments, robots, and data systems run together smoothly. As our Automation Engineer, you’ll turn scientific workflows into working software and integrations by designing clear data models, connecting instruments and automation to our lab information systems, and making sure everything stays in sync, safely, and reliably.

What You’ll Do

  • Collaborate with bench scientists to translate experiments and lab workflows into clear integration specs and data models.
  • Work with integrators to design and build automated workcells for materials R&D.
  • Build and maintain services that connect instruments and robots to lab information systems.
  • Develop instrument drivers that automate lab workflows by generating command sequences and invoking vendor API/SDK methods.
  • Collaborate with AI and data scientists to tightly integrate the autonomous lab with AI models for analysis and planning of experiments.

You Will Thrive in This Role If You Have

  • BS in EE/CS/ME/Controls or equivalent.
  • 5+ years in lab automation, integration, or industrial automation software.
  • Hands-on experience with robotic lab automation systems.
  • Strong experience with scripting/programming (Python preferred).
  • Familiarity with APIs, databases, and enterprise software integration.
  • Hands-on experience with information management and execution systems, such as LIMS or MES.

Especially Strong Candidates May Also Have

  • Experience with containers, CI/CD, and Git-based workflows.
  • Background in lab informatics or scientific data management.

Mechanics

  • Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree or similar experience
  • Location: Menlo Park, CA
  • Compensation: $200,000-$250,000 + equity
  • Visa sponsorship: Yes, we sponsor visas.

What this role asks for

Particular to this role

CI/CD · Git

Rare in Periodic Labs's other 15 open postings.

Standard for software engineering roles

Python

Common in software engineering postings at any company.

84% of this description is written for the role. The rest is Periodic Labs's standard text, folded away below.

Read against Periodic Labs's other open postings on this site.

The team: Science HIRES STEADILY

This role is one of 9 open in Science. 1 was posted in the last 30 days and the oldest in February: a team that hires all year rather than one being built.

WHAT THE TEAM WORKS WITH, ACROSS ITS POSTINGS

LLM (2 of 9), Python (2 of 9)

OTHER ROLES ON THIS TEAM

From the team and dates on Periodic Labs's own job board.

Salary context

17 other open postings titled Automation Engineer state a salary: median USD 91,800 to USD 150,000 a year.

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