Research Associate, Platform Discovery and Engineering

Company Summary:

Founded by Flagship Pioneering in 2021, Metaphore aims to unlock breakthroughs that outperform today’s drugs for maximum patient impact, We adapted this idea to drug discovery. MIMIC™, our computationally driven bioplatform that couples machine learning with molecular mimicry, engineers therapeutics to trigger a desired biological response. Our MIMIC platform opens the possibility to develop engineered medicines with specific features to access a range of targets, including those that were previously intractable. Flagship and Metaphore have also just announced a $600M research collaboration with Novo Nordisk to develop up to two next-generation therapeutics for obesity management.

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:

We are currently seeking a motivated and experienced Research Associate to join our dynamic and collaborative Platform Discovery and Engineering team. The successful candidate will work on yeast or mammalian display technologies to support the discovery and characterization of antibodies for various therapeutic programs. This is an exciting and integral role within Metaphore, requiring a resourceful team player with strong interpersonal skills and a proactive mindset to support our discovery and AI/ML design efforts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute experiments using standard molecular biology techniques including PCR, cloning, DNA purification, and preparation of NGS samples from various display libraries.
• Mammalian cell culture, transient transfection, and stable cell line generation
• Perform yeast and mammalian surface display to enable discovery and improvement of therapeutic proteins.
• Implement modern molecular biology techniques, including Golden Gate and Gibson Assembly cloning methods coupled with various types of downstream sequence analysis.
• Gain understanding of therapeutic team workflows and participate in the interpretation and planning of discovery efforts.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s and two years industry experience in Molecular Biology, or a Master’s degree in Biochemistry or a related field.
• Significant hands-on experience with modern molecular biology techniques.
• Proficient in mammalian culture techniques
• Ability to communicate via presentations and other verbal and written formats with scientific clarity.
• Highly organized and self-motivated, with the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team
• As a person, you have a positive attitude towards new ideas
• Maintain precise experimental records in an electronic laboratory notebook, ensuring data integrity and compliance with company policies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in modern molecular biology techniques
• Experience in executing and designing cell-based fluorescent reporter assays
• Experience in flow cytometry, and/or FACS/MACS

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated, adaptable, and detail-oriented individual to contribute to and shape the future directions of our antibody discovery efforts. The successful candidate will possess a desire to continue learning, a commitment to achieve excellence, and a passion to make a positive impact in our organization.

Values and Behaviors

We are seeking individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit, strong communication skills, and comfort working in and contributing to a dynamic and cross-functional team environment. The level of the role will be commensurate with the education and years of experience of the identified candidate.

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.