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