Principal Robotics Engineer

Location: On-site, New Haven, CT
Company: Bexorg (Bexorg.com)

Bexorg is a TechBio company pioneering a completely new way to understand and treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Building on the landmark 2019 Nature paper by Zvonimir Vrselja and Nenad Sestan demonstrating that mammalian brain cellular functions can be partially restored hours after death, Bexorg uses donated, intact human brains to develop transformative therapeutics for the most challenging diseases affecting humanity.

Headquartered in New Haven, CT, Bexorg has raised $42M to date and is already generating substantial revenue through collaborations with leading biopharma companies.

We are seeking a Principal Robotics Engineer to architect, build, and own the robotics backbone of Bexorg's automated experimental platforms. You will be responsible for:

1. Automating our perfusion rigs so they operate robustly and autonomously with minimal technical supervision.

2. Designing and implementing a high-throughput brain slice incubation platform that integrates robotics, fluidics, and advanced control systems.

This is a hands-on, senior technical leadership role for someone who wants to build systems that have never existed before, in close collaboration with surgeons, perfusion technicians, software engineers, and drug discovery scientists.

System Architecture & Design

• Own the end-to-end design of robotic systems for perfusion rigs and brain slice incubation platforms, from concept through deployment.

• Specify and integrate robots (e.g., KUKA AGILUS or similar class of arms) with complex artificial circulatory and dialysis systems.

• Architect fluid-handling and sample-handling subsystems, including pumps, valves, reservoirs, and manifolds for precise control of:

  • Systolic pressure and flow profiles

  • Temperature and gas exchange

  • Dosing concentrations and timing

Automation & Control

• Develop robust automation for the full experimental workflow: setup, calibration, operation, monitoring, fault detection, and safe shutdown.

• Implement and maintain ROS-2–based software to coordinate robots, sensors, pumps, valves, and supervisory control.

• Build state machines, safety interlocks, and real-time monitoring to ensure system reliability and reproducibility in a wet-lab environment.

• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate robotics systems with higher-level orchestration, data acquisition, and LIMS/ELN tools.

Execution & Ownership

• Rapidly prototype, test, and iterate on mechanical, electrical, and control designs to reach production-grade reliability.

• Define and refine acceptance tests, performance metrics, and validation protocols for automated systems.

• Drive root-cause analysis and systematic debugging of mechanical, electrical, and software issues in deployed systems.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as the senior technical authority on robotics within Bexorg, setting best practices and technical standards.

• Mentor and guide junior engineers and technicians in robotics, controls, and automation.

• Work cross-functionally with surgeons, perfusion specialists, and biologists to translate experimental needs into robust, scalable robotic solutions.

• Communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including collaborators at major biopharma companies.

• Extensive hands-on experience designing, building, and deploying robotic systems in production or mission-critical environments.

• Demonstrated track record of leading complex robotics projects end-to-end , from requirements gathering through commissioning and support.

• Strong expertise in several of the following areas:

  • Industrial robotic arms (e.g., KUKA, FANUC, ABB, UR, Kawasaki); KUKA AGILUS or similar a plus

  • Motion planning, calibration, and safety for industrial robots

  • Mechatronics: integrating sensors, actuators, pumps, valves, and control electronics

  • Real-time control and supervisory systems for complex hardware

  • Robotics software frameworks; ROS-2 experience strongly preferred

• Ability to thrive in a hands-on environment: comfortable working around wet-lab equipment, plumbing, fluidics, and hardware bring-up.

• Excellent communication skills and demonstrated experience mentoring and leading junior engineers.

• Proven ability to operate as an aggressive self-starter : you take ownership, move quickly, and drive projects forward with minimal supervision.

• Bachelor's degree in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience with a strong track record of impact.

• Experience in biopharma, biotech, or medical devices , especially with automated lab or screening systems.

• Prior work with high-throughput or continuous operation systems that must run reliably for long durations.

• Experience with:

  • Fluid-handling automation or lab automation platforms

  • Closed-loop control of pressure, flow, temperature, and dosing

  • GMP/GxP or other regulated environments

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant field.

• Work on truly unique, first-of-its-kind systems at the intersection of robotics, neuroscience, and drug discovery.

• Directly contribute to platforms that could fundamentally change how we treat neurodegenerative diseases.

• Collaborate with world-class scientists, engineers, and clinicians in a fast-moving, well-funded startup environment.

• On-site, hardware-focused work in New Haven, CT, with direct access to the systems you design and build.

If you're excited to build ambitious robotics systems that could transform brain research and therapeutics, we'd love to hear from you.