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Platform Scientist I/II, Functional Materials Instrumentation

Lila SciencesCambridge🇺🇸United States

Why this role stands out

This hybrid role offers a unique opportunity to drive innovation in functional materials by designing and integrating advanced instrumentation, perfect for scientists with expertise in materials science and hardware development who enjoy cross-functional collaboration. You will significantly impact Lila Sciences' platform capabilities and accelerate groundbreaking research, so seize this chance to grow your skills in a dynamic R&D environment.

Quick overview

SeniorityMid Senior
Work modeHybrid
LocationCambridge, United States
Talent AcquisitionCAD

Job description

Your Impact at LILA

Lila Sciences is seeking a Platform Scientist I/II to advance functional materials innovation.

In this role, you will design and integrate custom instruments and specialized hardware, to fabricate, characterize, and test novel functional materials and devices.

This work sits at the intersection of hardware design, materials science, solid-state physics, and automated experimentation. Success means building lab capabilities that accelerate current technical programs and strengthen Lila's platform offering for future customers.

What You'll Be Building

  • Establish fabrication and measurement workflows for functional materials.
  • Specify, source, assemble, and validate custom synthesis and characterization systems, with an emphasis on optical characterization methods
  • Lead integration of instrumentation into autonomous lab and AI-driven experimental workflows.
  • Diagnose, iterate, and improve instrument designs based on experimental feedback.
  • Partner with computational, synthesis, and characterization teams to define which hardware capabilities to build next.

What You'll Need to Succeed

  • PhD or equivalent experience in applied physics, materials science, chemistry, or a related field.
  • Scientific domain of expertise in functional materials (semiconductor, photonics, superconducting materials etc.)
  • Expertise in solid state syntheses and characterization for functional materials
  • Proven ability to build and integrate hardware for novel and high throughput experimentation.
  • Ability to work in fast, data-driven, high-throughput R&D environments.

Bonus Points For

  • Proficient in writing software for controls, data collection, and analysis.
  • CAD, machining/3D printing, and rapid prototyping for custom hardware.
  • Knowledge of AI/ML-driven discovery workflows or autonomous lab platforms.
  • Experience with class 4 lasers

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
$108,000—$170,000 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 application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.

A Note to Agencies

Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.

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