Laboratory Application Automation Engineer (Laboratory Automation)

Location: Houston, TX, USA; requires approximately 25–50% travel, primarily within the United States, with occasional international travel.

Company

hirify.global is an international life sciences company providing analytical testing services across food, environmental, pharmaceutical, and other industries.

What you will do

• Design, develop, test, and maintain software for laboratory automation systems and robotic work cells.
• Build web and desktop interfaces for laboratory operators, technicians, and engineering staff.
• Develop device drivers, APIs, middleware, and communication interfaces for robots, instruments, sensors, actuators, PLCs, scanners, and vision systems.
• Integrate automation systems with LIMS, databases, cloud applications, and enterprise platforms using protocols such as REST, OPC-UA, MQTT, TCP/IP, serial communications, and Modbus.
• Implement workflow automation for sample tracking, equipment maintenance, digital work instructions, data collection, reporting, and utilization monitoring.
• Perform testing, validation, debugging, deployment, commissioning, production startup support, documentation, and root-cause investigations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software, computer, electrical, robotics, or automation engineering, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years of software development experience in automation, robotics, industrial, laboratory, or related systems.
• Experience developing equipment or laboratory user interfaces, hardware communication interfaces, device drivers, and system integrations.
• Strong experience with one or more of Python, C#, .NET, JavaScript, TypeScript, or C++, plus web or desktop application development, REST APIs, database design, and SQL.
• Experience integrating software with robotic systems, industrial equipment, laboratory instruments, or PLCs, with strong troubleshooting and cross-functional communication skills.
• Knowledge of secure development practices, including input validation, authentication, authorization, secrets management, dependency management, code reviews, and security-focused testing.

Nice to have

• Experience with Universal Robots, ABB robotics, vision systems, laboratory automation, LIMS integrations, or instrument control software.
• Experience with Azure, ROS/ROS2, IoT or edge computing platforms, and Agile methodologies.

Culture & Benefits

• Career development support and opportunities to work across software, automation, laboratory, operations, and engineering functions.
• Medical coverage, life and disability insurance, dental and vision options, paid holidays, and paid time off.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Equal opportunity workplace with a stated commitment to diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and environmental responsibility.
• Visa sponsorship is not offered for this role.