PopVax is an Indian biotechnology company looking to massively accelerate the speed of developing novel mRNA vaccines and therapeutics and bringing them to market. We are funded via research agreements with the Gates Foundation and Vitalik Buterin’s biosecurity company Balvi. For the past year, we have been building a novel second-generation mRNA platform for low-cost broadly-protective vaccines via computationally-driven antigen design, starting with an open-source booster vaccine candidate that is intended to protect against the entire sarbecovirus species and, if things go well, the betacoronavirus genus, including current and future strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. We are also spinning up new vaccine programs intended to help save millions of lives every year across the world.

Reaching this audacious goal will require building up of novel physical and digital infrastructure to support cutting-edge computational biology and high throughput experimentation – such as a novel lipid nanoparticle discovery platform, or a modular robotic system designed to reduce the setup time of a vaccine manufacturing facility from years to weeks. We are looking for a resourceful engineer with a creative and problem-solving mindset to join our systems engineering team and help us build these systems.

Viable candidates must have a track record in designing and building physical systems, whether for personal projects, university coursework or through prior professional experience. Although training is available for the specific systems engineers will be working on, candidates are expected to have a well-grounded conceptual understanding of fundamental operations in electrical, mechanical and software systems. Deployments of these complex systems involve extensive collaboration with third party vendors and internal teams, which necessitates impeccable written and verbal communication skills. As an early employee at a fast-growing startup, the candidate is expected to show independent initiative to identify and solve problems in real time and drive continuous improvement projects forward.

What you’ll do:

• Provide support in design, development, and implementation of robotic systems for bioprocess control and monitoring.

• Develop and execute validation protocols for automated processes.

• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to automation systems, ensuring minimal downtime.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand process requirements and integrate automation solutions seamlessly.

• Provide training and technical support to operators and maintenance teams.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electronics/Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science or related field.

• 2+ years relevant industry experience preferred.

• Proven experience in designing and implementing robotics and/or control systems.

• Intermediate programming skills, with proficiency in languages such as C, C++, C#, or Python

• Experience with ROS, PLC or SCADA programming is a big plus

• Excellent communication skills 

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.

We offer very competitive compensation, comprehensive health insurance with the option to cover immediate family (including pre-existing conditions), and, most importantly, a collaborative work environment in a fast-growing startup with the opportunity to grow alongside us while mastering a fascinating set of communications tasks all aimed at saving millions of lives from disease.