Co-Op, Lab IT/OT Security Engineer

Your Impact at LILA

The Lab IT/OT Security Engineer Co-Op supports administration, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of computing infrastructure inside Lila Sciences’ laboratory environments. The role works at the layer that sits between corporate IT and operational technology: workstations, edge compute, lab-area networking, and instrument-adjacent systems that keep autonomous science running.

Reporting to the Senior Director, OT Operations, the Co-Op works closely with the OT network architecture team, corporate IT operations, and laboratory operations. The right candidate is curious and disciplined, comfortable in a complex research environment, and interested in how technology intersects with lab automation and security.

This is a real operational role within Lila’s IT/OT convergence program, not a shadow-and-observe assignment. The Co-Op contributes directly to asset management, device standardization, documentation, and day-to-day lab IT support while building exposure to OT security tooling and practices that are rare at this level.

What You’ll Be Building

• Administer and troubleshoot lab-area workstations, edge compute, and dedicated lab-network infrastructure under guidance from senior engineers.
• Resolve Lab IT incidents and service requests through the enterprise ITSM platform, prioritizing experiments in progress and time-sensitive scientific work.
• Provide IT-side support for laboratory instruments and automated platforms, including networking, agent deployment, and configuration alignment.
• Maintain and improve Lab IT asset records in the enterprise CMDB: device tier, owner, location, configuration baseline, and lifecycle state.
• Contribute to the standardized device catalog and golden image program; assist with secure onboarding of new laboratory instruments.
• Support OT network operations alongside the network team, including connectivity troubleshooting, post-cutover validation, and segmentation drift checks.
• Document Lab IT standards, procedures, and runbooks so the function remains operable and scalable as the team grows.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Associate’s program in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or a related field; recent graduates considered.
• Foundational knowledge of Windows administration and networking concepts (DNS, DHCP, VLANs, Wi-Fi).
• Familiarity with helpdesk or ITSM workflows from coursework, personal projects, or prior IT support experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication; can explain technical issues clearly to non-technical colleagues.
• Able to work on-site at Lila’s Cambridge laboratory; this is not a remote role.
• Methodical and detail-oriented, willing to spend time on the lab floor observing how scientists and lab operators use technology.

Bonus Points For

• Exposure to endpoint management (Intune, JAMF, Addigy), identity/SSO (Okta, AD, Entra ID), or ITSM/CMDB platforms (Freshservice, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management).
• Interest in or prior exposure to life sciences, biotechnology, or laboratory environments.
• Curiosity about OT/industrial environments: PLCs, SCADA, building automation systems.
• Awareness of OT security frameworks (IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82) at the conceptual level.
• CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+ in progress or completed.