Senior Research Associate, Therapeutic Discovery

Company Description

FL121 is a privately held biotechnology company engineering nature to build next generation therapeutics. By harnessing naturally occurring chemistry and pairing it with sophisticated high-throughput screening technology we will unlock the future of de novo drug design via curated data creation and model training.

Role Overview

We are building a therapeutic discovery platform centered onbiosynthetically-derivedchemistryand advanced analytical readouts. This role will provide direct experimental support to the platforms Build arm: executing cloning expression andpurificationworkflows with a high degree of independence and rigor. TheSr. RA will be a hands-on contributor to day-to-day bench operations and will helpmaintainthe throughput and data quality needed to drive rapid data-grounded decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute molecular cloning workflows end-to-end using modern assembly methods (Gibson T2S/Golden Gate and related approaches);maintainaccurateplasmid maps sequence records and construct libraries.

• Express and purify recombinant proteins in bacterial systems; independently troubleshoot yield solubility and purity issues across the full workflow from culture through final polishing steps.

• Maintain rigorous records of experimental conditions reagent lots and QC data; contribute to reproducible well-documented protocols and sample tracking practices that support downstream analytical and screening steps.

• Partner with senior scientists and cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality material inputs that enable platform proof-of-concept experiments; communicate results and blockers clearly and proactively.

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstratedproficiencyin modern DNA assembly methods (Gibson Assembly Type IIS/Golden Gate and related scarless cloning strategies); able to take a construct from design to sequence-verified clone independently.

• Hands-on experience with recombinant protein expression (E. coli required;additionalsystems a plus) and purification by affinity chromatography and related downstream steps; able to assess purity and integrityviaanalytical methods.

• Familiarity with standard analytical tools (chromatography gel electrophoresis UV absorbance) and biochemical assays (ELISA BLI) for protein and DNA characterization

• Track recordof executing multi-step molecular biology workflows end-to-end with minimal supervision; strong attention to detail in protocol execution and datarecording.

• Senior Research Associate: Typically requires a BS degree in a relevant scientific discipline with 5 years of industry experience; or aMastersdegree in a relevant scientific discipline with 3 years of experience. Academic experience including co-ops and internships counts toward degree requirements and not work experience.

Preferred Experience

• Experience supporting or interfacing with mass spectrometry-based readouts.

• Experience with laboratory automation platforms LIMS/sample tracking systems or basic scripting (Python/R) for data organization and analysis.

What it Takes to Succeed in This Role

• Comfort inambiguity;can move between strategy and execution.

• Creative and rigorous in experimental design documentation and data interpretation.

• Collaborative communicator; gives/receives feedback effectively.
• Grit and agility in fast-moving environments.

Values and Behaviors

We are seeking individuals with an entrepreneurial spiritstrong communicationskills and comfort working in and contributing to a dynamic and cross-functional team environment. The level of the role will becommensuratewith 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 manyformsskills aretransferable 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 isstrictly prohibitedunless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneerings internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resumesubmittedby 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 $81000 - $107250. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors including a candidates qualifications skills competencies and experience. FL121 currently offers healthcare coverage annual incentive program retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL121s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

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