Head of Platform (Robotics/Biotech)

TL;DR

Head of Platform (Robotics/Biotech): Designing and building fully autonomous workcells for human-first drug discovery with an accent on mechanical engineering, robotics, and computer vision. Focus on transitioning the platform from discrete automation to end-to-end autonomy and leading a cross-functional team of biologists and engineers.

Location: On-site in San Francisco, CA

Salary: $255K – $284K

Company

hirify.global is building a human-first drug discovery engine powered by organoids and AI to replace animal models with real human biology.

What you will do

• Design, prototype, and build fully autonomous workcells across the entire organoid lifecycle, from seeding to assay execution.
• Own the mechanical engineering, robotics, and computer vision roadmap to move the platform to full end-to-end automation.
• Evolve internal orchestration software into an equipment-agnostic system that designs and executes experiments.
• Identify and build new automation frontiers for all manual wet lab processes.
• Lead and manage a cross-functional team of biologists, hardware engineers, and software engineers.
• Partner with the Head of AI/ML to ensure workcells are purpose-built for high-quality data production.

Requirements

• Experience taking complex hardware-software systems from concept to operational status, ideally in lab automation, robotics, or biotech.
• Deep technical range and depth in at least two of: mechanical engineering, robotics, computer vision, or lab automation.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams of biologists, hardware, and software experts.
• Ability to own the full development lifecycle: design, prototype, ship, and scale.
• Location: Must be based in San Francisco, CA

Nice to have

• Hands-on experience with organoid culture, microfluidics, or high-content imaging.
• Contributions to lab orchestration software such as SiLA, OPC UA, or PyLabRobot.
• Experience scaling a platform from a single workcell to multiple units.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to build a generational engine for real human biological data.
• High degree of autonomy and trust to solve ambiguous, hard problems.
• Backed by top-tier investors including AIX Ventures, Marc Benioff, Jeff Dean, and Y Combinator.
• Fast-paced environment focused on fundamentally changing how medicines are discovered.