Senior Research Associate/Associate Scientist, Platform Scientist

Your Impact at LILA As a Senior Research Associate / Scientist on the Platform Science team within Lila's Autonomous Science Platform, your work will directly contribute to building Lila's next-generation, AI-driven research capabilities. You will have the opportunity to pioneer novel automated instruments centered around advanced processing and characterization of solid state materials — at the critical intersection of hardware, software, and scientific inquiry. This role is a unique blend of hands-on engineering and scientific investigation, where you will prototype, automate, and validate the platforms that will define the lab of the future. You will operate across a broad set of disciplines, working closely with the vacuum synthesis, platform science, and characterization teams to build tools that dramatically accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and support active research campaigns across multiple initiatives. What You'll Be Building Design, construct, and integrate novel automated experimental platforms with a material emphasis on solid state synthesis and novel processing methods, working in close collaboration with the vacuum synthesis, platform, and characterization teams to align on system requirements and share technical knowledge. Work hands-on to integrate hardware components, including optics, robotics, and sensors, into a cohesive, automated workflow. Develop end-to-end software stacks from instrument control to data stewardship and integration with downstream models. Analyze instrument data to validate system performance, troubleshoot issues, and support research initiatives designed to establish and expand the capabilities of new platforms. Collect, document, and interpret experimental data across active research campaigns, ensuring data quality and traceability in support of platform and scientific objectives. What You'll Need to Succeed Masters or Bachelors in Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related field, or Bachelors with equivalent industry experience. Hands-on experience building automated instrumentation, including both hardware integration and software control. Proficiency in a programming language used for instrument control and data analysis (Python, C#). Strong foundational knowledge in engineering principles, including optics, electronics, and/or mechanical design. Bonus Points For Experience with the operation and safety protocols of Class 4 laser systems. Familiarity with vacuum-based synthesis techniques such as physical vapor deposition, sputtering, or pulsed laser deposition. Experience with solid state materials characterization methods (e.g., XRD, SEM, optical microscopy). An inventive, problem-solving mindset with a passion for building new things and tackling open-ended challenges. A safety-focused approach with strong communication and teamwork skills across multidisciplinary environments. Compensation We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact. U.S. Benefits. Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program. International Benefits. Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market. Expected Base Salary Range $80,000 — $118,000 USD About LILA Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves. LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai. Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. We’re All In Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. Information you provide during your applica