Automated Testing and Formulation – Lab Data Automation

*Please note: the service contract for this position will not be concluded with Henkel AG & Co. KGaA but with an external party”.

Projektbeschreibung

The service is requested as part of the project Automated Testing and Formulation lab. The project has the purpose of connecting a laboratory data repository (front-end application) to automated laboratory equipment, generate tasks for execution and structured results collection on the cloud. 

Objective is to deliver manufacturer independent integration of lab devices/equipment to LIMS/ELN software application available at Henkel. To be developed application should enable lab workflows and business processes, sequences of complex execution steps and their execution. Application should allow for instrument data capture, processing and influence of downstream workflow steps (act as a Laboratory Execution System and facilitate data transfer, task planning and execution). Further application should enable guidance of the lab technician or robotic system through experiments or to visualize data and transfer/ store data in existing 3rd party software system.

Background of the engagement of an external consultant is that he has appropriate and required skills and capabilities that is not available internally. In addition the external consultant will provide services that are clearly distinguishable from the services internal employees are providing.

task description 

The scope of services includes the following tasks, which are independently performed by the external contractor:

Architecture design, validation and build of a Cloud Data Repository and custom interface to laboratory devices/ Clients and front-end application 

- Consultation on best architecture setup to validate end project goal (creating a connection between a laboratory data repository (front-end application) to automated laboratory equipment, generate tasks for execution and results collection on the cloud), based on the proof of concept that was done previously and validated and approved by Henkel.

- Affiliate that appropriate IT security measures compliant to Henkel IT Standards and best industry practices are in place. For the avoidance of doubt, appropriate measures would include adoption of API tokens and appropriate access control principles to grant permissions.

- Independent implementation of technical concept (according to the architecture set up, see above) required to tackle project purpose

- Development, testing and validation of production stable application capable of triggering automated workflows for complex lab equipment. 

- Provide a production stable interface as described in the project description (programming language ideally in C#, .NET framework) and defined in the proof of concept (see above).

- Programming of container-based RESTful API application, database backend & blob storage to send data to/from front-end application and lab equipment client and customized UI to manage workflow and consume data

- Testing of functional and performance feasibility of the design via mocked testing scripts. Delivery of a stable and fully tested productive interface with equipment and front end to cover all basic test envisioned to be run on the equipment. 

It is envisioned for this project to work in an agile framework until error proof productive testing scripts are met and required testing and hypercare phase is validated for a productive system embedding all related business logic required by the equipment to operate. 

Sprint duration is two weeks so the Sprint meetings are conducted every next week. During this Sprint period daily stand-ups will be conducted to affiliate the compatibility of the complex service that will be delivered.

Any of the meetings and exchanges described above will take place exclusively in the presence of a Client’s single point of contact appointed by Henkel, who is coordinating the project on the Client's internal side. The coordination of the above described meetings, in which the external consultant is involved, will be organized and carried out by the Client’s single point of contact and will be agreed upon with the contractor.

The performance of the contractor has the goal to affiliate a working API application and data model to interface with front-end application and automated lab equipment

Possible timelines to be kept.

The following timelines are to be adhered to by the contractor during the performance of the service: 6 months for full productive setup and customizations required to operate the equipment in automated fashion. Timeline might be further extended to embed additional customizations such as visualizations, UI improvement, additional modification in business logic and expansion in scope to more complex concept such as embedding Bayesian optimization/AI algorithm to the command triggers embedded in the APIs.