(Senior) Scientist, Lipid and Polymer Science

Company Description 

Flagship Labs 110 Inc. (FL110) is a privately held, early-stage technology company developing a fully integrated, end-to-end platform to enable next generation proteomics.

Our platform integrates groundbreaking innovations in bioengineering, machine learning, and custom microelectronics to offer a level of precision and insight never before achieved. By empowering researchers to explore proteins in unprecedented detail, we are transforming the way biology is understood and applied.

FL110 is backed by Flagship Pioneering, which brings the courage, long-term vision, and resources needed to realize unreasonable results. At FL110, we are uniquely cross-functional and collaborative. We are actively reimagining the way teams work together and communicate. Therefore, we seek individuals with an inclusive mindset and a diversity of thought. Our teams thrive in unstructured and creative environments. All voices are heard because we know that experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way.

If this sounds like an environment you’d love to work in, even if you only have some of the experience listed below, please apply.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist specializing in the design, synthesis, and characterization of lipids, polymers, and functional materials to support the development of next-generation protein sequencing platforms and products. The successful candidate will apply strong chemical intuition, experimental rigor, and materials science expertise to create and optimize novel molecular and macromolecular systems with defined structure–function relationships.

This role involves close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team spanning chemistry, biology, engineering, and nanopore sciences.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, synthesize, and optimize novel lipids, polymers, and functional materials for research and product development applications
• Develop and execute synthetic routes for small molecules, oligomers, and polymers, including scale-up considerations
• Evaluate lipid membrane and material functionality in nanopore-based assays and devices
• Perform materials characterization, including:
  • NMR, LC-MS, GPC/SEC
  • DSC, TGA, DLS, rheology, and surface analysis (as applicable)
• Establish structure–property relationships to guide iterative material design
• Troubleshoot synthetic challenges and optimize reaction conditions for yield, purity, and reproducibility
• Work with and/or manage projects with CROs
• Maintain detailed experimental documentation and data integrity

Required Qualifications

• Education & Training
  • PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field with 0-5 years of industry experience
• Technical Expertise
  • Demonstrated experience with organic synthesis and polymer synthesis
  • Strong understanding of lipid chemistry and analysis
  • Proficiency in analytical and characterization techniques (e.g., NMR, MS, GPC/SEC, DSC, TGA, DLS, rheology)
  • Experience designing experiments independently and interpreting complex datasets
• Professional Skills
  • Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced research environment
  • Collaborative mindset with a strong sense of scientific ownership

Preferred Expertise

• Strong understanding of polymer architectures and material structure–function relationships
• Experience with multiple types of polymerization initiation such as photo-initiated polymerization
• Experience working with biomolecules and protein chemistry

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.

The salary range for this role is $100,000 - $160,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. FL110 currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL110's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.