Head of Automation

About Glyphic: At Glyphic Biotechnologies, we plan to create the protein revolution for which scientists and researchers have been waiting. We are developing a massively parallel, single-molecule proteome sequencing platform that will transform life science discovery and usher in a new era of insights into human biology and disease. To date, we have raised >$80M from venture partners and non-dilutive grant funding to achieve our vision of next generation proteome sequencing. What we are looking for in you We are seeking a collaborative and technically grounded automation leader. Someone who is equally comfortable setting a long-range vision and rolling up their sleeves to solve hard problems alongside the team. Reporting to the VP of Research & Development, the Head of Automation will lead Glyphic's automation function end-to-end: partnering with scientific teams to deeply understand their needs, architecting solutions, managing vendors and complex projects, and steering a skilled team of automation engineers toward the highest-impact work. This role sits at the center of how Glyphic translates cutting-edge science into running systems, and demands both the technical depth to evaluate and guide implementation and the leadership presence to keep a team aligned and moving forward. The ideal candidate brings broad experience across the laboratory automation landscape and has a track record of seeing complex automation projects through from requirements to delivery. Prior experience designing and building an integrated multi-device workcell is the experience that will most set candidates apart. This role offers a rare opportunity to shape the automation infrastructure of a next-generation proteomics platform — one that could redefine how the life sciences study the human proteome. The work you do here will directly enable the science that drives Glyphic's mission. This is a full-time, exempt, in-person position with work conducted at our Berkeley, CA location. What you’ll do Define and communicate a clear vision for the automation function across near- and long-term goals, translating strategic priorities into requirements your team can execute against Lead a small team of skilled automation engineers with clarity and purpose, effectively allocating team time and resources toward the highest-impact work Represent the automation function in cross-functional research meetings and provide regular updates to executive leadership Partner closely with chemistry and assay development teams to develop a deep understanding of their scientific processes, identify key bottlenecks, and translate their needs into well-scoped automation architectures Own the design, build, and operationalization of integrated automation workcells: multi-device systems with robotic arms, scheduling software, and coordinated instrument clusters capable of end-to-end assay execution Ensure automated screens run reliably and continuously as the chemistry and assay development teams develop and evolve assays Evaluate and select automation platforms, liquid handlers, robotic systems, and scheduling software across the vendor landscape, and manage vendors and external partners through complex, multi-phase projects Continuously research and develop knowledge of state-of-the-art automation tools and emerging technologies, integrating new capabilities into existing systems where they advance research velocity Contribute hands-on technical depth: reviewing code, troubleshooting instrument and integration issues, and writing instrument drivers or liquid handler programs as needed Drive engineering best practices across the team, including version-controlled codebases, standardized workflows, documented system architectures, and structured approaches to troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and error mode tracking Leverage AI tools actively across workflows: accelerating code development, diagnosing system issues, and turning around solutions faster than traditional approac