Robotics Engineer, Periodic Labs, CA, US

About Periodic Labs

We are an AI + physical sciences lab building state of the art models to make novel scientific discoveries. We are well funded and growing rapidly. Team members are owners who identify and solve problems without boundaries or bureaucracy. We eagerly learn new tools and new science to push forward our mission.

About The Role

Join a world-class team of scientists and engineers pushing the boundaries of materials research in a groundbreaking lab where AI and automation unlock discoveries at unprecedented speed and scale.

We’re building an autonomous lab to speed up materials discovery, and we’re looking for a Robotics Engineer who loves turning ideas into dependable motion. You’ll set the strategy for how robots, end effectors, and labware come together by owning gripper and nest designs, planning labware storage (hotels) and flow, and defining the safety approach that keeps people and equipment protected. You’ll partner with scientists to translate workflows into cell layouts and handling routines, then guide integrators and fabricators to design, build, and bring up systems that run every day. You’ll also shape how Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) move samples and consumables between cells, designing routes and handoff points, so everything plays well together day to day.

Responsibilities

• Own the robotics architecture for new cells: end effector strategy, labware plan (nests, racks, hotels), and material flow.
• Define safety standards for robotic workcells, including guarding, E-stops, and interlocks, and align it with facilities and operations.
• Set standards for EOAT and fixture design so new tools feel consistent, reliable, and scalable.
• Plan layouts and kinematics to hit throughput and accuracy targets; balance cost, complexity, and serviceability.
• Introduce observability for robots and cells: simple diagnostics, trends, and clear runbooks for daily operations.
• Guide adoption of mobile robots—routes, handoff points, and safety—integrated with fixed cells.
  
  

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Robotics, Mechatronics, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years building robotic cells or automation equipment from design through commissioning.
• Strong mechanical design skills (CAD, tolerances, materials) with a track record of end effectors and fixtures.
• Practical experience with robot integration: payload/inertia, reach studies, grasping methods, alignment, and error recovery.
• Safety-minded engineer comfortable specifying guards, setting speed limits, and validating safe operation.
• Clear communicator who can lead vendors and explain tradeoffs to scientists and operators.
  
  

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with microplate and common labware standards and the deck geometry that goes with them.
• Thermal or vibration considerations for sensitive instruments; cleanability and low-particulate design.
• Exposure to mobile robots, conveyors, or part feeders and how they hand off to articulated arms.
• We’d love to hear about your accomplishments recognized in your field