Director, Hardware Engineering - Montrouge, France - DNA Script Careers

Description

DNA Script is a leading company in manufacturing de novo synthetic nucleic acids using enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) technology. The company aims at accelerating innovation in life science and technology through the decentralization of rapid, on demand and high-quality DNA synthesis. DNA Script's approach leverages nature's billions of years of evolution in synthesizing DNA to set a new standard for customizing nucleic acid synthesis thus accelerating discovery in genetics, genomics, and synthetic biology. Discovery disciplines with profound impacts upon humanity such as biopharma, translational genetics and even molecular information storage all start with synthetic DNA. The company has recently initiated the commercialization of its first EDS powered platform, the SYNTAX system.

To date, DNA Script has raised over $315M of financing, with leading investors such as Coatue Management, Fidelity Management and Research, Catalio Capital Management, Casdin Capital, LSP, Bpifrance Large Ventures, Danaher, Illumina Ventures, Agilent, Merck Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, Kurma Partners and Eurazeo.

DNA Script also partners on technology and product development with leading organizations such as DARPA, IARPA, Moderna Therapeutics, GE Research, Illumina, the Broad Institute, Harvard University, Institut Pasteur and the French Department of Defense.

DNA Script has its research and manufacturing facilities headquartered in Paris, France, and is in the process of expanding its commercial and development teams in South San Francisco.

Job Description

DNA Script

DNA Script is a leading company in manufacturing de novo synthetic nucleic acids using enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) technology. The company aims at accelerating innovation in life science and technology through the decentralization of rapid, on demand and high-quality DNA synthesis. DNA Script's approach leverages nature's billions of years of evolution in synthesizing DNA to set a new standard for customizing nucleic acid synthesis thus accelerating discovery in genetics, genomics, and synthetic biology. Discovery disciplines with profound impacts upon humanity such as biopharma, translational genetics and even molecular information storage all start with synthetic DNA. The company has recently initiated the commercialization of its first EDS powered platform, the SYNTAX system.

To date, DNA Script has raised over $315M of financing, with leading investors such as Coatue Management, Fidelity Management and Research, Catalio Capital Management, Casdin Capital, LSP, Bpifrance Large Ventures, Danaher, Illumina Ventures, Agilent, Merck Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, Kurma Partners, T Rowe Price, Baillie Gifford and Eurazeo.

DNA Script also partners on technology and product development with leading organizations such as DARPA, IARPA, Moderna Therapeutics, GE Research, Illumina, the Broad Institute, Harvard University, Institut Pasteur and the French Department of Defense.

DNA Script has its research and manufacturing facilities headquartered in Paris, France, and is in the process of expanding its commercial and development teams in Daly City.

Opportunity and Challenges :

We are looking to assemble a team of best-in-class, innovative and passionately eager people. We want to gather their talents and skills to achieve one goal: unlock the power of "DNA-write." We offer the opportunity of joining a dynamic, international, and highly skilled team in a pioneering startup. Our DNA On Demand platform not only has the potential to change the way the world makes and uses synthetic DNA, but also to accelerate the rate of discovery by delivering upon the promise of same-day results.

This is an opportunity to join a dynamic company and to have a large impact on developing a technology that will have far-reaching impacts across biological sciences.

The Role

· Build and lead a team of multidisciplinary engineers developing integrated process automation platforms in the life science field;

· Develop liquid handling automation platforms, from concept to commercialization phases, to enable on-demand DNA printing through enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS).

· Design and develop complex laboratory instruments while adhering to cost, schedule, quality, and performance requirements. Drive operational excellence while ensuring system integrity and reliability;

· Drive the hardware system architecture discussions. Define the subsystem interfaces. Provide technical leadership and guidance : electronics, electrical, electromechanical, fluidics, thermal, robotics...;

· Translate functional, regulatory, performance, manufacturing, and service requirements into technical and functional instrument specifications, ensuring testability of each element.

Design & Development

· Define, characterize, and specify subsystems. Write and execute subsystem lifetime testing protocols (robotic arms, motion control, pumps, valves, motors, sensors, fluidic components). Contribute to product Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and write IVV (Integration, Verification, and Validation) protocols;

· Facilitate trade-offs between different technical teams to deliver optimized product performance. Collaborate with the Research teams and the Product Development teams (Software, Integration, Chemistry & Biochemistry scientists) to optimize automation workflows. Liaise with Verification and Validation (V&V) teams to align instrument specifications;

· Contribute to continuous improvement of commercially available instruments, providing guidance to the Sustaining Engineering department in Daly City, USA.

Product Lifecycle Management

· Ensure integrity of the instrument bill of materials (BOM);

· Maintain 3D CAD models and detailed drawings of individual instrument parts;

· Facilitate the transfer of design documentation to manufacturing documentation (including spare parts) using Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools;

Qualifications and Education Requirements

· Skilled system architect;

· Specialized in at least one of the following fields : Mechanical engineering, Laboratory automation, Liquid handling, Biomedical engineering;

· 5+ years of proven track record in leading product development projects up to market launch in regulated industries;

· Supervisory / Management experience;

· Demonstrated capabilities in coordinating external vendors and/or contractors.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

· Experience in life science instrumentation is a plus;

· Experience in the development of laboratory automation systems is a significant plus.

· Start date: As soon as possible;

Recruitment Process

· Initial screening with the hiring manager;

· Day interview at the office (or remote) with the manager, cofounders, HR and the rest of the team;