Lab Automation Software Engineer
Company websiteplasmidsaurus.com (Plasmidsaurus, opens in new tab)
Base salary $175K to $235K
Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in San Francisco, CA
You apply on the employer's own site. Six Figure Work does not handle applications.
- LocationSan Francisco, CA
- WorkplaceHybrid
- Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
- Last checked (1 h ago) · observed since
About this job
About Plasmidsaurus
Plasmidsaurus is on a mission to accelerate new cures and promote a healthier planet by unlocking a new level of productivity for scientists. Our sequencing services are used daily by thousands of innovators, including Nobel laureates, Fortune 100 pharma, and over 70,000 scientists.
We began by revolutionizing plasmid sequencing, making it exponentially cheaper and faster, with innovative sequencing technologies and a global network of laboratories that turn samples into answers in hours, not weeks.
Now we are expanding that same disruptive model across all of genomics. With the launch of our new RNA-seq service, we are taking a bold step toward our vision to sequence everything, providing scientists everywhere with faster, simpler, and more affordable access to the data that powers discovery.
Every team member at Plasmidsaurus plays a crucial role in driving the future of biotech research. Together, we are building the world’s most efficient sequencing engine that operates overnight, scales globally, and helps scientists make breakthroughs faster than ever before.
Position Overview
Our automation team plays a pivotal role in delivering top quality data to our customers at unbeatable speeds. We are looking for a lab automation software engineer to join us on our mission to sequence everything. You will:
Orchestrate and instrument our growing fleet of lab robotics.
Create agentic tools that bridge RnD and lab automation, enabling scientists to answer questions faster than ever before.
Write production-quality python code to integrate physical hardware with our custom LIMS and data pipeline.
Collaborate with our world-class scientists and technicians to develop robust high throughput sample processing workflows.
Build world class lab automation at one of the most exciting and dynamic companies in biotech.
Culture
You will excel if you are someone who:
Is dissatisfied with scripting proprietary liquid handlers and schedulers.
Builds new tools when existing software and hardware options are insufficient.
Enjoys high agency and high ownership work.
Is curious about learning from other people’s expertise in scientific/biological domains.
Is excited to make an impact on the scientific community, enabling the next generation of medicines, biotechnology, and even plant-based-meats!
Can lead projects from idea to production independently.
Is a life-long learner.
Values clear communication and helping others learn new skills.
Qualifications
BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Biology, or relevant work experience
3+ years of experience programming in Python
3+ years of experience using modern web frameworks like Flask/Django
1 + yrs lab experience and familiarity with molecular biology protocols
1+ years of experience automating, optimizing and scaling lab procedures using liquid handling systems (OpenTrons, Hamilton, etc.) and lab robotics
Experience with orchestration and deploying software to multiple devices in the field (e.g. Docker, Ansible)
Experience with cloud platforms and infrastructure-as-code (e.g., AWS, Terraform)
Experience with building & maintaining QA, telemetry, and monitoring systems for a fleet of physical hardware
Experience working with Linux servers
Experience with simple computer vision (e.g., OpenCV)
(Preferred) Experience with 3D printing (e.g., Fusion 360) and basic CAD modeling
(Preferred) Some experience with C# and .NET frameworks for scripting automation equipment
(Preferred) Interest in learning about biotechnology and DNA sequence analysis
Why Plasmidsaurus?
IMPACT: Your work will directly contribute to accelerating biotech research. This research is one of humanity’s most powerful tools for stopping climate change and developing novel therapies.
INNOVATION: Work on the cutting edge of biotech and software, introducing indispensable tools to top-tier researchers.
COMMUNITY: Join a passionate, resourceful team that values close, interactive relationships with our customers and each other.
We encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't perfectly align with the job description as we seek out diverse and creative perspectives. Team members who love to learn and collaborate in an inclusive environment will thrive with us. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you need additional accommodations to feel comfortable during your interview process, please let us know at [email protected].
Source: Plasmidsaurus on Ashby · View original posting (opens in new tab)
Pay in context
This role's base floor ($175,000) is above 48% of the 4,300 Software Engineering roles in California listed on this site; 57 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $176,000; the middle half runs from $149,100 to $204,000.
Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 6, 2026.
This listingLab Automation Software Engineer$175K to $235K
Senior Product Manager | Microbial Sequencing$175K to $200K
Senior Talent Partner | Technical$175K to $200K
Product Manager | Software$175K to $235K
Scientist, Assay & Automation Development$170K to $185K
Senior IT Engineer$170K to $195K
Head of Logistics$155K to $170K
Chart as a table
| Role | Published base |
|---|---|
| Lab Automation Software Engineer (this listing) | $175K - $235K |
| Senior Product Manager | Microbial Sequencing | $175K - $200K |
| Senior Talent Partner | Technical | $175K - $200K |
| Product Manager | Software | $175K - $235K |
| Scientist, Assay & Automation Development | $170K - $185K |
| Senior IT Engineer | $170K - $195K |
| Head of Logistics | $155K - $170K |
Observed changes
- First observed on the employer's board
- Began meeting the published-salary criteria
- Observed since
- Employer-stated posting date
- 2026-09-21
Where this pay comes from
Location as the employer wrote it: San Francisco
USD 175,000 – 235,000 · 1 YEAR · Salary
- Method
- Structured pay field published by the employer
- Checked
- Rule set
- us-base-v2
The employer's job board publishes this pay as a dedicated data field. We read the field directly; no interpretation was needed.
What we verified
- The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
- The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
- The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.
We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.
