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Automation Intern

Ark Biotech

Ark Biotech

Boston, MA, USA
Posted on Thursday, November 2, 2023
Ark Biotech is powering the most important infrastructure buildout of this generation to transform how people consume protein. Ark is a B2B company engineering and designing next-generation production systems for the cultivated meat industry. We are a venture-backed startup driven by a desire to create a better food system for the planet and its inhabitants. At Ark, you will have the opportunity to solve difficult problems that matter and apply cutting-edge engineering and science in an environment that rewards creativity and visionary approaches.
Automation Intern
We are pleased to open internship opportunities on the Automation Team for the spring and summer of 2024. Automation has many responsibilities at Ark. First and foremost - we are responsible for the core control system that runs our handsome & unique bioreactor. Practically this is a combination of codesys automation code that runs on the Opto22 PLC, and a human machine interface (HMI) designed and served using Ignition from Inductive Automation. The automation code is what runs the reactor. The front end is what we use to control the process and see how it’s doing in real time. We are lucky to have active cell culture processes running on site here at The Engine in Cambridge, MA and with clients around the world so there is plenty of relevant feedback to guide our development as we continually improve our systems.
Our team works closely with Rapid Prototyping, Process Science, and Data as together we physically build the reactor, run it, and feed the live data into modeling and simulation environments that generate insight and eventually predictive control. This work happens quickly and effectively due to the high level of agency and initiative that is expressed by every team member on a daily basis.
We are looking for interns to join our automation team and help us expand and improve the existing functionality of our control systems. This will include writing code in the IEC 61131-3 languages commonly used within industrial systems, integration of new components such as sensors / valves / pumps / motors / balances, design of new front end graphics within Ignition, and expansion of the cloud API to better communicate with our data systems.

Qualifications

  • Enthusiasm for hands on building, testing, and improving of industrial process technology
  • Interest in automation engineering / robotics
  • Passion for accelerating the cultivated meat industry
  • Experience working on projects that involve hardware and software elements

What you will learn

  • Fundamentals of automation engineering including design specifications (user requirements, functional specifications, piping & instrumentation diagrams), IEC 61131-3 programming languages (structured text, sequential function chart, function block), systems integration of off the shelf components, computer networking, HMI design
  • Hands on skills including wiring, building control cabinets, machining
  • How ideas are collected, converted into designs, and brought into the real world through prototyping, testing, and iteration
  • How a talented team with visionary leaders can drive innovation and progress to help cultivated meat companies transition from lab to industrial scale
  • How to maintain effective communication within a team made up of people with wildly different work experience and areas of expertise
  • How the people you are with end up shaping your perception of what is possible
Ark Biotech is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.