ML/AI Integration and Enablement Specialist (Contract)

Location: Cambridge, MA USA; Durham, NC USA

Department: Research/Discovery

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Founded through Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, Terrana Biosciences is a cutting-edge agricultural biotechnology company developing innovative RNA-based products to address global agricultural challenges. We are committed to advancing sustainable farming solutions through precision technologies that ensure environmental safety and regulatory compliance.

THE ROLE

The ML/AI Integration and Enablement Specialist is responsible for driving innovation and execution at the intersection of science, ML/AI, and Software. The role requires a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership to develop, implement, and oversee cutting-edge software, ML, and AI systems that promote and accelerate discovery and development within Terrana’s scientific teams. The position will serve as a bridge between technical specialists and scientific research groups, translating complex needs into scalable software and ML/AI solutions. The ideal candidate will mentor team members, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and work closely with leadership to drive and align initiatives with Terrana’s strategic goals.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop a good working understanding of the science domain to identify opportunities where ML, AI, software, and data systems can significantly enhance team performance and scientific outcomes
• Design, develop, deploy, and integrate ML, AI, and software tools and systems to automate and optimize the R&D pipeline and operations, transforming them into high throughput platforms
• Promote AI fluency and data-driven decision-making across the company through the selection and deployment of key tools and the associated technical mentorship

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS 

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 2+ years of experience in ML/AI software development, preferably in a biotech or life sciences environment
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or similar for developing scalable software solutions
• Hands-on experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn) and data engineering pipelines
• Strong understanding of data structures, software architecture, and algorithmic optimization
• Familiarity with cloud computing, MLOps, and deployment environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
• Experience developing and maintaining APIs, databases, and automated data pipelines for scientific applications.
• Knowledge of bioinformatics tools, computational biology data formats, and workflows (FASTA/FASTQ, BLAST, RNA-Seq, etc.)
• Proven track record of leading interdisciplinary projects involving research teams
• Excellent communication skills and ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively

LOCATION:  Cambridge, MA or Durham, NC

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 pay range for this role is $52 - $72 per hour and the contractor will be employed by a third-party staffing company. Certain employee benefits may be available to the contractor through the staffing company after meeting minimum criteria. Compensation and benefits information is based on Terrana Biosciences, Inc.'s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.