Associate Director, Platform Technology Development and Therapeutic Innovation

Company Summary: 

Metaphore Biotechnologies, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company building the next generation of biological therapeutics. Inspired by nature, our mission is to transform patient lives by unlocking the power of biological therapeutics with a new mimic-discovery platform. 

Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health or sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in more than $90 billion in aggregate value. Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.  Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Learn more about Flagship at www.flagshippioneering.com. 

Position Summary:

Metaphore Biotechnologies is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative scientist to join our Discovery Sciences and Technology team as an Associate Director, Platform Technology Development & Therapeutic Innovation. In this expanded role, you will be a leader in platform innovation and therapeutic development efforts, driving projects from conceptualization through early development stages. You will leverage your deep expertise in cutting-edge technologies, assay development, and workflow optimization to lead projects, improve existing platforms, and foster cross-functional collaboration, ultimately contributing to the creation of novel therapeutics. A core aspect of this role involves building and expanding Metaphore's tool chest for synthetic biology and functional screening applied to modern protein engineering.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical background in a range of advanced methodologies, including CRISPR and synthetic biology (particularly in engineering complex cellular reporter systems and mammalian cell display/engineering), phage display technology, advanced assay development, and high throughput screening methodologies. Experience with modern molecular biology techniques (e.g., combinatorial libraries like yeast, RNA display, SELEX, DEL) is essential. A background in biologics development, NGS technologies (PacBio and Illumina), biophysical characterization, cellular activity assays, and structural biology is highly beneficial. Experience with Machine Learning tools applied to protein engineering and strong analytical expertise are also critical assets for this role.

In this role, you will be responsible for leading projects independently, from therapeutic concepts to nominating molecules for IND-enabling studies. You will be accountable for optimizing and developing our technology platform and collaborating effectively across various teams, including Discovery team, Computational Science, Operations, Research Informatics, Translational Science, and the broader organization. We are looking for a scientifically curious, strategic, and adaptable individual who thrives in a dynamic and team-oriented environment. Strong communication, organizational skills, a passion for innovation, and a drive to translate scientific discoveries into novel therapeutics are essential for success, with a particular emphasis on contributing to and building a world-class synthetic biology toolkit for protein engineering.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and drive therapeutic innovation projects from initial concept and target identification through to nominating lead molecules ready for IND-enabling studies, leveraging and contributing to the synthetic biology and protein engineering tool chest.
• Contribute to the Technology Development Roadmap by converting high-priority innovation ideas into actionable work plans, in collaboration with Platform leadership and the Innovation team.
• Assemble and lead multidisciplinary project teams in a matrix environment, working with functional heads to allocate resources and develop comprehensive research plans.
• Spearhead the ideation, planning, and end-to-end execution of technology development projects and therapeutic programs focused on developing novel molecules and optimizing workflows, always with an eye towards expanding the synthetic biology tool chest.
• Establish and promote best practices for experimental design, documentation, and rigorous data quality to ensure consistent, reliable, and translatable deliverables.
• Optimize existing experimental workflows to enhance efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability for therapeutic discovery, and for refining synthetic biology tools.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and troubleshooting resource for complex experimental systems and challenging therapeutic development hurdles, as well as for the application and refinement of synthetic biology tools.
• Manage external relationships with Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and potentially academic collaborators.
• Supervise and mentor direct reports (if applicable).
• Collaborate closely with Discovery team, Computational and Translational Sciences teams to ensure data generation strategies effectively inform scientific understanding, therapeutic molecule design, and project direction, including leveraging ML tools for protein engineering and the strategic development of the synthetic biology tool chest.
• Support the ongoing development and expansion of Metaphore’s intellectual property through innovative technology development and therapeutic breakthroughs, which includes innovations in the synthetic biology tool chest.
• Contribute to the evaluation and implementation of new laboratory technologies, methodologies, and therapeutic strategies, and actively seek out and evaluate new synthetic biology tools and approaches.
• Communicate project progress, key findings, strategic decisions, and therapeutic milestones to internal stakeholders, including progress in building the synthetic biology tool chest.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics, or a related field with a minimum of 10 years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry experience leading therapeutic discovery efforts, with a focus on assay development and high-throughput screening.
• Strong expertise in assay development and optimization is highly desirable.
• Extensive experience with CRISPR and synthetic biology, particularly in engineering complex cellular reporter systems and mammalian cell display/engineering, and a demonstrable track record of building and expanding synthetic biology toolsets.
• Deep expertise in phage display technology and its application in therapeutic molecule discovery, and how phage display integrates with and benefits from a robust synthetic biology tool chest.  
• Experience with molecular biology techniques, combinatorial library approaches (e.g., yeast, phage, RNA display, SELEX, DEL), and high-throughput screening methodologies.
• Familiarity with ML tools applied to protein engineering and data analysis for therapeutic molecule optimization, and an understanding of how these computational tools can inform and accelerate the building of a synthetic biology tool chest.
• Experience in structural biology techniques and their application to understanding protein function and therapeutic design, and how structural insights can guide the design and refinement of synthetic biology tools.
• Proven ability to independently generate, develop, and execute scientific innovation projects and drive therapeutic programs forward, while also contributing to the ongoing development of the synthetic biology tool chest.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with a focus on therapeutic application, and with a strategic mindset towards tool building and platform development.
• Impeccable record keeping and outstanding organizational skills.
• Adaptability and effective communication skills to thrive in a dynamic startup environment and collaborate cross-functionally.
• Experience managing direct reports and CROs.
• Demonstrated track record of scientific excellence and achievement in the context of therapeutic development, and a passion for building and innovating within the realm of synthetic biology and protein engineering tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with NGS (PacBio and Illumina) and various biophysical characterization and cellular activity assays.
• Familiarity with laboratory automation systems (though role is not a central focus).
• Experience in the development of protein therapeutics.
• Experience working in a matrix organizational structure.

At Flagship, we recognize there is no perfect candidate. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. Experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your unique background. 

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.