--- title: 'Senior Scientist I, Analytical Sciences at Sail Biomedicines' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-scientist-i-analytical-sciences-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-q6g73xan4h2f' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-17' --- # Senior Scientist I, Analytical Sciences at Sail Biomedicines - **Company:** Sail Biomedicines - **Location:** Cambridge, MA - **Posted:** 2026-09-18 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-17 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/sendabiosciences/jobs/8770523002 ## Job description ## About Sail Sail Biomedicines is pioneering the integrative design and deployment of fully programmable medicines to transform patient care. Sail’s platform brings together programmable circular RNA technology (eRNA™), targeted nanoparticle delivery, and advanced computational approaches to design medicines that are potent, targeted, versatile, and tunable. Sail was founded by Flagship Pioneering. ## The Role Sail Biomedicines is seeking a highly motivated and scientifically rigorous Senior Scientist to join the Analytical Sciences team. This individual will lead analytical method development, optimization, qualification, and transfer activities supporting Sail’s eRNA and lipid nanoparticle programs. The Senior Scientist will work at the interface of analytical development, process development, formulation, manufacturing, and product characterization. This individual will apply strong scientific judgment to solve complex analytical challenges, generate high-quality data, and develop phase-appropriate methods and testing strategies that support preclinical and clinical program advancement. The successful candidate is self-motivated, curious, collaborative, and comfortable operating in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. This role requires strong technical leadership, attention to detail, and a commitment to translating analytical insights into program decisions and meaningful impact for patients. ## Responsibilities - Lead the development, optimization, qualification, and transfer of analytical methods for RNA drug substance, lipid nanoparticle drug product, process intermediates, raw materials, and in-process samples. - Design and execute scientifically rigorous studies to characterize product quality, purity, potency, identity, concentration, and other critical quality attributes. - Develop phase-appropriate analytical methods and define method performance criteria based on product knowledge, program stage, and intended use. - Independently troubleshoot complex analytical and technical challenges and develop creative, data-driven solutions. - Lead investigations of product- and process-related impurities, degradation pathways, method performance issues, and atypical analytical results. - Collaborate cross-functionally with Process Development, Preclinical Manufacturing, MS&T, and platform teams to advance program goals. - Evaluate and implement new analytical technologies that improve method robustness, sensitivity, throughput, scalability, or compliance. - Author and review analytical procedures, protocols, technical reports, and study summaries. - Maintain thorough and accurate documentation in electronic laboratory notebooks and relevant data management systems. - Analyze and interpret complex datasets and present findings clearly in oral and written formats to internal and external stakeholders to enable alignment and decision-making. - Manage multiple priorities, identify technical risks, and drive analytical deliverables to completion within program timelines. - Stay current with relevant scientific literature, regulatory guidance, and technical advances in RNA therapeutics, nanoparticle delivery, and analytical development. - Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior scientists and contribute to a collaborative and accountable team environment. ## Qualifications - Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field with 3+ years of relevant industry experience; M.S. with 7+ years of relevant industry experience; or B.S. with 9+ years of relevant industry experience. - Demonstrated experience developing, optimizing, qualifying, validating, and transferring analytical methods in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical environment. - Strong scientific background in analytical development for biologics, nucleic acid therapeutics, lipid nanoparticles, gene therapies, or other complex therapeutic modalities. - Hands-on experience with multiple analytical techniques, such as chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, plate-based assays, ligand-binding assays, molecular biology methods, or cell-based assays. - Demonstrated ability to independently design experiments, analyze complex data, troubleshoot technical problems, and drive studies to completion. - Experience supporting product characterization, process development, formulation development, stability studies, specifications, or comparability assessments. - Strong understanding of analytical method lifecycle principles, including development, qualification, validation, transfer, and performance monitoring. - Excellent technical writing, data analysis, organizational, presentation, and communication skills. - Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining scientific rigor, attention to detail, and high-quality documentation. - Strong collaborative spirit with the ability to work effectively across scientific disciplines and with internal and external partners. ## Preferred Qualifications - Experience with RNA analytical characterization, including methods for RNA identity, integrity, purity, concentration, structure, and functional expression. - Experience with lipid nanoparticle characterization methods, such as particle size, polydispersity, encapsulation efficiency, lipid content, or potency. - Experience supporting GLP toxicology, clinical manufacturing, stability, or regulatory submission activities, particularly experience with early Phase programs. - Working knowledge of phase-appropriate GxP requirements and relevant ICH guidance. - Experience working with CDMOs or contract testing laboratories. - Experience with statistical analysis and information management tools such as JMP, GraphPad Prism, Benchling, or similar platforms. Salary Range: $125,000 - $175,000 Sail Biomedicines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Sail does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. ## About Sail Biomedicines ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Sail Biomedicines is pioneering a fully programmable RNA medicines platform by combining proprietary circular RNA technology (eRNA) with targeted nanoparticles and generative AI to treat autoimmune, metabolic, infectious, and rare diseases. - **Entity Type**: Private (backed by Flagship Pioneering, formed in October 2023) - **Headquarters**: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - **Founded**: October 2023 (formed from the combination of first-in-category technologies within the Flagship Pioneering ecosystem, bringing together more than eight years of combined data) - **Founders**: The company was formed by Flagship Pioneering; key leadership includes John Mendlein, J.D., Ph.D. (Executive Chairman), Gene Marcantonio, M.D., Ph.D. (Chief Medical Officer), Amy Espeseth (SVP, Platform), and others. ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Biotechnology / RNA Therapeutics / Drug Discovery - **Target customers**: B2B / Biopharma partnerships; ultimate customers are patients with chronic and serious diseases (autoimmune, metabolic, infectious, rare) - **Mission statement**: "We work at the frontier of programmable medicines. We power our bioplatform and product candidates by harnessing evolution and AI. We operate with purpose and urgency on behalf of people everywhere. We aim to generate life-changing impact for the world." ## Products & Services - **Sail Platform (Endless RNA™ / eRNA™)**: A novel class of translatable, stable circular RNA. Unlike conventional linear mRNA, eRNA is protected from exonuclease degradation, leading to prolonged protein expression in vivo (days vs. 1-2 days for mRNA). This enables less frequent dosing and opens the door for treating chronic diseases requiring intracellular or transmembrane protein replacement. - **Targeted Nanoparticles (TNPs)**: A modular, clinically validated lipid nanoparticle core conjugated with disease-specific targeting ligands. These TNPs enable precise, extra-hepatic delivery of eRNA cargo to specific cell types, minimizing off-target exposure. The same core can be rapidly adapted with different ligands. - **Generative AI & Data Platform**: Proprietary AI algorithms integrated with high-throughput prototyping to design both the RNA sequence and the nanoparticle delivery system in an integrated manner, aiming to program medicines to spec. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Funding**: Not publicly disclosed. As a Flagship Pioneering portfolio company, it benefits from substantial, long-term venture funding typical of Flagship’s "venture creation" model. The company was formed in 2023, so it is in an early-stage, pre-revenue R&D phase. - **Key Metric**: Total funding is not publicly available; the company is privately held and was formed through an internal combination of assets from Flagship’s ecosystem (including Laronde and Senda Biosciences). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Flagship Pioneering is the founding and primary backer. The company's leadership includes experienced executives from the Flagship network. - **Growth Signals**: The company is actively hiring across multiple senior roles (Senior Director of Delivery, Director of Translational Biology, Associate Director of Clinical Supply Chain, Senior Scientist in Data Science), indicating a ramp-up from platform development toward preclinical and early clinical activities. ## Competitive Advantages - **Most Complete Toolkit**: Sail claims to have the industry's only platform that integrates programmable pharmacology (eRNA) with programmable deployment (TNPs) and AI-driven design, all in one system. - **Durable eRNA**: The circular RNA technology offers significantly longer protein expression than linear mRNA, a major differentiator for chronic disease applications. - **Modular Nanoparticle Platform**: The TNP core is clinically validated and can be rapidly re-targeted by swapping ligands without reformulating the core, enabling faster path to IND for multiple indications. - **AI-Powered Integration**: The company generates proprietary functional data at high throughput to train AI models that design both the RNA and the nanoparticle in an integrated manner, a capability few competitors have. - **Flagship Ecosystem Backing**: Deep resources, long-term capital, and a history of building category-defining biotechs (Moderna, etc.) provide a strong foundation. ## Strategic Focus - **Current priorities**: Advancing the eRNA-TNP platform toward the clinic; building out the AI/digital sciences team; expanding the pipeline in autoimmune, metabolic, infectious, and rare diseases; demonstrating in vivo proof-of-concept for extra-hepatic targeting with TNPs. - **Direction for growth**: Moving from platform R&D to IND-enabling studies and first-in-human trials; establishing partnerships with larger pharma for specific indications; scaling the manufacturing process for eRNA and TNPs. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: "We work at the frontier of programmable medicines. We operate with purpose and urgency on behalf of people everywhere." The company emphasizes a culture of excellence, shared dedication, and groundbreaking science. - **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Roles are listed in Cambridge, MA, suggesting an on-site or hybrid model at the headquarters (140 First Street, Cambridge, MA 02141). - **Notable Perks** (from careers page): - Generous salary and employee stock option plan - Competitive health, dental, and vision benefits - Retirement savings program - Paid parental, adoption, and caregiver leave - Long- and short-term disability and life insurance - Employee assistance program - Free parking, monthly subway pass, or subsidized commuter rail pass - Free lunch every week and a kitchen stocked with healthy snacks - **Engineering/Science Culture**: The company is building a "bioplatform" that integrates AI, data science, and high-throughput experimentation. This is an ideal environment for scientists and engineers who want to work at the intersection of computational biology, machine learning, and RNA therapeutics. The team includes leaders in AI and digital sciences, pharmacology, and nanoparticle delivery. ## Sources 1. [sail.bio](https://www.sail.bio/) 2. [sail.bio - About Us](https://www.sail.bio/about-us/) 3. [sail.bio - Our Science](https://www.sail.bio/our-science/) 4. [sail.bio - Careers](https://www.sail.bio/careers/) 5. [Greenhouse Job Board](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/sendabiosciences) ## Other roles at Sail Biomedicines - [Scientist I/Senior Engineer I, Pilot Lab Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-i-senior-engineer-i-pilot-lab-lead-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-ahbj1nnnh3aj) — Cambridge, MA - [Senior Research Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-associate-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-hfxr0tc7bh9a) — Cambridge, MA - [Scientist I](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-i-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-e9n5yhd2xeak) — Cambridge, MA - [Research Associate I/Research Associate II, Preclinical Manufacturing](https://feeny.ai/job/research-associate-i-research-associate-ii-preclinical-manufacturing-sail-49vd1degc0y1) — Cambridge, MA - [Senior Research Associate, Platform RNA Sciences](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-associate-platform-rna-sciences-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-c0n3by59f31b) — Cambridge, MA - [Senior Research Associate, High-Throughput RNA Production](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-associate-high-throughput-rna-production-sail-biomedicines-ytr4fcfv77pt) — Cambridge, MA - [Scientist, Platform RNA Sciences](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-platform-rna-sciences-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-x5e3e1ccssb8) — Cambridge, MA - [Senior Research Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-associate-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-11ngttpwsden) — Cambridge, MA - [Associate Scientist, Pilot Lab, tLNP Drug Product](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-scientist-pilot-lab-tlnp-drug-product-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-v21s80qjbt2a) — Cambridge, MA - [Associate Project Manager / Project Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-project-manager-project-manager-sail-biomedicines-cambridge-mwz44mhbz3pz) — Cambridge, MA