---
title: 'Scientist I, Biochemistry & Lead Discovery at Flagship Pioneering, Inc.'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-i-biochemistry-lead-discovery-flagship-pioneering-inc-cambridge-cvj2hnk5dpab'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-06'
---

# Scientist I, Biochemistry & Lead Discovery at Flagship Pioneering, Inc.

- **Company:** Flagship Pioneering, Inc.
- **Location:** Cambridge, MA
- **Posted:** 2026-10-30
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/flagshippioneeringinc/jobs/8924618002?gh_jid=8924618002

## Job description

## COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Flagship Labs 111 Inc. (FL111) is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology company pioneering a novel platform harnessing innovations in chemistry, computation, and data science to create new therapeutic modalities beyond traditional small molecules. FL111 is backed by Flagship Pioneering, bringing the courage, vision, and resources to guide FL111 from platform validation to patient impact. We are seeking collaborative, creative and relentless problem solvers that share our passion for impact to join us!

## THE ROLE

FL111 is seeking an independent and motivated lab scientist with deep understanding of biochemical and biophysical assay design to join the Biochemistry team. This role will lead assay development, target engagement studies, and binding characterization for small molecules, heterobifunctionals, and related modalities, working closely with chemistry and biology to inform hit-to-lead optimization and mechanism-of-action questions. This role also contributes to team leadership, cross-functional collaborations, and broader scientific discussions that support organizational growth.

## KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

- Lead and execute biochemical assay development to monitor protein/ligand and protein/protein interactions
- Apply readout technologies such as FP, FRET, NanoBRET, or NanoBiT across active programs
- Drive protein purification and QC processes to support ongoing discovery efforts
- Set up and run high-throughput assays, troubleshooting independently to keep programs moving
- Partner with contract research organizations as needed to extend internal capacity
- Collaborate cross-functionally and contribute scientific input across multiple concurrent projects

## PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

- MS or PhD in Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Enzymology, or a related field
- MS and at least 8 years of relevant academic or industry experience
- PhD and 0-2 years of relevant academic or industry experience
- Deep understanding of protein chemistry and biophysics, with hands-on experience working with small-molecule compounds
- Demonstrated ability to develop and troubleshoot biochemical assays independently
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work cross-functionally
- A high degree of scientific independence, motivation, and solutions-oriented thinking
- Comfort operating in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities
- Experience working with CROs is a plus

Location: Cambridge, MA

## About Flagship Pioneering

Flagship Pioneering is a bioplatform innovation 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](https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flagshippioneering.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cemccurdy%40flagshippioneering.com%7C723eebecb4fd441a8d4808dbc3706637%7Cd00b8682fc8b4548b82dda0524788e9b%7C0%7C0%7C638318659764104453%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZLQGwoiIX4KB%2FcilEz8n9NdaOq6EQCJ3GpW8RIYr1Zw%3D&reserved=0).

Flagship Pioneering is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

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.

## #LI-TL1

Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering or one of its portfolio companies, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact privacy@flagshippioneering.com.

The salary range for this role is $100,000 - $126,500. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. FL111 currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL111's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering or one of its portfolio companies, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact privacy@flagshippioneering.com.

## About Flagship Pioneering, Inc.

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Flagship Pioneering is a life sciences venture creation firm that conceives, creates, and capitalizes breakthrough bioplatform companies in biotechnology, health, and sustainability.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Venture Creation Firm)
- **Headquarters**: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- **Founded**: 2000
- **Founders**: Noubar Afeyan (Co-Founder & CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Biotechnology Research, Life Sciences Venture Creation, Company Incubation
- **Target customers**: B2B / B2G – partners with academic institutions, pharma companies, and investors; also acts as an employer for scientists, entrepreneurs, and corporate builders
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “To harness the 21st century's most powerful technological forces for good to deliver a better future for all.”

## Products & Services
Flagship does not sell products directly; its offerings are the companies it creates and the innovation platform it operates.
- **Innovation Platform**: A systematic, institutionalized process to identify “unreasonable” scientific questions, test them rigorously, and spin out independent companies that develop therapeutics, diagnostics, agricultural technologies, and more.
- **Portfolio Companies**: Over 120 companies founded, including Moderna, Generate:Biomedicines, Inari Agriculture, Tessera Therapeutics, Lila Sciences, and others. Each is a separate enterprise with its own products (e.g., mRNA vaccines, gene-editing tools, AI-driven drug discovery).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (privately held)
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of approximately $800 million (2025/2026 estimate) and 620 employees (+9.7% YoY growth)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Flagship is itself an investor and partner; key collaborations include AWS (to accelerate drug discovery), Harvard Medical School, Broad Institute, and multiple top-tier biopharma companies. Portfolio company Moderna is a publicly traded giant.
- **Growth Signals**: 78 active job postings (+50% quarterly), recent formation of Terion (digital agriculture infrastructure) and Serif Biomedicines (modified DNA platform), and expanded presence in Europe and Asia.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Unique Model**: Combines scientific exploration, company creation, and capital investment under one roof – “a way that is largely without precedent”
- **Deep Talent Pool**: Exceptional network of scientist-entrepreneurs and company builders; top hires from MIT, Harvard, Biogen, Novartis, and Pfizer
- **Track Record**: Over two decades of founding transformational companies (e.g., Moderna’s COVID‑19 vaccine), demonstrating repeatable innovation
- **Process-Driven**: Systematic methodology for turning “what‑if” questions into patentable bioplatforms, reducing risk compared to ad‑hoc startup creation

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Expanding AI/machine learning integration across drug discovery and life sciences (highlighted by AWS collaboration); entering preemptive health and medicine; advancing sustainable agriculture and climate solutions; growing international operations (UK, Singapore, Canada, Switzerland, Japan)
- **Direction for growth**: Launching new platform companies at a steady cadence (e.g., Terion, Serif in 2026); deepening expertise in computational protein design, modified DNA, and gene editing

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “Brave and bold organization of creative-thinkers with insurgent mindsets” – emphasis on fearlessness, mentorship, and teamwork across science and business
- **Work Environment**: Headquarters in Cambridge, MA with 5 US offices; roles span research, strategy, finance, and operations; hybrid/remote flexibility varies by role
- **Notable Perks**: Opportunity to work on world-changing science (e.g., COVID‑19 vaccine, gene editing) alongside top scientists and company builders; strong compensation (salary range example: Sr. Associate ~$68K, ML Engineer ~$122K; overall comp rating 3.7/5)
- **Engineering/Science Culture**: Heavy investment in R&D (15% of workforce in research), cutting-edge tools (Cryo‑EM, AI/ML), and a process that encourages bold leaps

## Sources
1. [flagshippioneering.com](https://www.flagshippioneering.com/)
2. [flagshippioneering.com/about](https://www.flagshippioneering.com/about)
3. [flagshippioneering.com/join](https://www.flagshippioneering.com/join)
4. [flagshippioneering.com/join/roles](https://www.flagshippioneering.com/join/roles)
5. [linkedin.com/company/flagship-pioneering](https://www.linkedin.com/company/flagship-pioneering)

## Other roles at Flagship Pioneering, Inc.

- [Senior Research Associate / Associate Scientist, Nonclinical](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-associate-associate-scientist-nonclinical-flagship-pioneering-kpyk97evc5j0) — Cambridge, MA
- [Senior Analog/Mixed-Signal Hardware Engineer, Single-Molecule Sensing Instrumentation](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-analog-mixed-signal-hardware-engineer-single-molecule-sensing-jngdq7cygjxb) — Cambridge, MA
- [FL114: Senior Research Associate, Genomics](https://feeny.ai/job/fl114-senior-research-associate-genomics-flagship-pioneering-inc-cambridge-0q5q7ej897wv) — Cambridge, MA
- [FL114: Scientist, Genomics](https://feeny.ai/job/fl114-scientist-genomics-flagship-pioneering-inc-cambridge-7y7dcef63454) — Cambridge, MA
- [Sr. Scientist, Protein & Cell Sciences](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-scientist-protein-cell-sciences-flagship-pioneering-inc-somerville-ma-qpeg3dfcafh3) — Somerville MA, United States
- [Senior Director, Platform Experience](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-director-platform-experience-flagship-pioneering-inc-cambridge-cqx7ym4352dv) — Cambridge, MA
- [Principal Scientist, Structural Biology / Protein Biophysics](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-scientist-structural-biology-protein-biophysics-flagship-pioneering-hmdq4s5y31f7) — Cambridge, MA
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- [Flagship Pioneering ML Internship](https://feeny.ai/job/flagship-pioneering-ml-internship-flagship-pioneering-inc-cambridge-dsf2d8q572m7) — Cambridge, MA
- [Research Associate II/Senior Research Associate, LNP Production](https://feeny.ai/job/research-associate-ii-senior-research-associate-lnp-production-flagship-bwk9zn8pyhy8) — Cambridge, MA