Senior Research Associate/Associate Scientist, Biochemistry

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Our start-up is building a novel chemical discovery platform to reshape how we develop formulations at the molecular level. By combining artificial intelligence with a cutting-edge laboratory discovery pipeline, our interdisciplinary team will chart an unexplored chemical landscape, enabling breakthroughs in drug delivery, agrichemical formulation, and safe, high-performance industrial chemicals.

Our company is backed by Flagship Pioneering, a biotechnology origination company that has founded and developed over 115 scientific ventures over the past 25 years. Flagship Pioneering is dedicated to the development of an ecosystem of first-in-category life sciences companies, resulting in $20+ billion in aggregate value, 500+ issued patents, and more than 50 clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate or Associate Scientist to support the characterization of biomolecules within a rapidly evolving formulation discovery platform. This role will apply a variety of biophysical and biochemical techniques to evaluate how formulations influence biomolecular integrity, aggregation, and functional stability. They can expect to work closely with chemistry and machine-learning scientists to generate high-quality experimental data that inform formulation design and predictive modeling efforts. An ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in biochemistry, structural biology, or biopolymer engineering, along with hands-on experience operating analytical instrumentation used for biomolecular characterization.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Biomolecular characterization

• Conduct experiments to assess biomolecular stability and solubility in diverse formulation conditions.
• Evaluate structural integrity and folding of cargo using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and complementary biophysical methods.
• Measure biomolecular interactions and stability using spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and electrophoretic techniques.
• Prepare samples for varied external workflows to assess molecular integrity and degradation.

Experimental pipeline support

• Collaborate closely with formulation chemists to screen cargo-formulation interactions across diverse experimental conditions.
• Generate high-quality experimental datasets to support internal modeling and data analysis pipelines.
• Assist in maintaining and troubleshooting laboratory instrumentation
• Maintain organized laboratory records, analyze results, and communicate findings clearly to cross-functional teams.
• Develop reproducible workflows and assist in development of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Support the scale-up and automation of experimental workflows as the platform evolves.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS 

Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Molecular Biology, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, or a related field
• Bachelor’s degree and 5-8+ years of biotechnology industry experience
• Master’s degree and 3-6+ years of biotechnology industry experience
• Experience working with proteins or other biomolecules in vitro.
• Strong experience operating circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy instruments, dynamic light scattering (DLS) instrumentation, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.
• Familiarity with SDS-PAGE and electrophoresis techniques.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to maintain rigorous experimental documentation.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary startup environment.

Preferred

• Background in computational structural biology or protein biophysics.
• Experience working with cell culture or tissue culture
• Experience with IR or FTIR spectroscopy
• Experience with chromatography and mass spectrometry sample preparation
• Familiarity with calorimetry and other physical chemistry techniques
• Experience analyzing biomolecular stability, aggregation, or degradation in complex chemical environments
• Exposure to formulation development in agriculture, nutrition, or industrial applications.
• Exposure to high-throughput or screening workflows.

LOCATION:  Cambridge, MA

ABOUT FLAGSHIP PIONEERING:

Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies 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.

At Flagship, we accept impossible missions to enable bigger leaps. Our core values guide us through uncertainty and toward lasting impact.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.

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.

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The salary range for this role is $81,000 - $126,500. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. FL118 currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL118's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.