What are the responsibilities and job description for the FL87: Scientist I, Nucleic Acid Chemistry position at Flagship Pioneering?
Company Summary
FL87, Inc. is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology company developing a novel approach to gene therapy that can address currently untreatable diseases.
FL87 was founded by Flagship Pioneering, an innovation enterprise that conceives, creates, resources, and grows first-in-category life sciences companies. Flagship Pioneering has created over 100 groundbreaking companies over the past twenty years, all of which are pioneering novel and proprietary biological, industrial, and engineering approaches to solve major needs in human health and sustainability. These companies include Moderna (MRNA), Syros Pharmaceuticals (SYRS), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MCRB), Generate Biomedicines, Tessera Tx, Evelo Biosciences (EVLO), and Indigo Agriculture.
The role:
We are seeking an outstanding Scientist I, Nucleic Acid Chemistry to join us in ideating and building the next generation of Programmable Medicines. We’re looking for a versatile chemist whose experience ranges from organic synthesis to molecular biology. More broadly, we’re looking for an individual who brings scientific rigor, intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, and a desire to innovate new nucleic acid therapeutics. This individual will have the opportunity to work in a dynamic and fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, working as part of a highly collaborative and rapidly growing team.
Key responsibilities:
FL87, Inc. is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology company developing a novel approach to gene therapy that can address currently untreatable diseases.
FL87 was founded by Flagship Pioneering, an innovation enterprise that conceives, creates, resources, and grows first-in-category life sciences companies. Flagship Pioneering has created over 100 groundbreaking companies over the past twenty years, all of which are pioneering novel and proprietary biological, industrial, and engineering approaches to solve major needs in human health and sustainability. These companies include Moderna (MRNA), Syros Pharmaceuticals (SYRS), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MCRB), Generate Biomedicines, Tessera Tx, Evelo Biosciences (EVLO), and Indigo Agriculture.
The role:
We are seeking an outstanding Scientist I, Nucleic Acid Chemistry to join us in ideating and building the next generation of Programmable Medicines. We’re looking for a versatile chemist whose experience ranges from organic synthesis to molecular biology. More broadly, we’re looking for an individual who brings scientific rigor, intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, and a desire to innovate new nucleic acid therapeutics. This individual will have the opportunity to work in a dynamic and fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, working as part of a highly collaborative and rapidly growing team.
Key responsibilities:
- Contribute to Nucleic Acid Chemistry innovation, aligned with the company’s core strategic goals. We are looking for motivated creative thinkers who want to contribute to nucleic acid chemistry and therapies to influence the company’s scientific directions.
- Plan and execute Nucleic Acid Chemistry experiments. Along with ideation, we’re looking for someone who’s excited to work in a team setting and help us make leap and bounds at the bench. Key skillsets include:
- Deep experience with methods for chemically manipulating nucleic acids, both during and after synthesis (oligo synthesis, click chemistry, nucleic acid-small molecule reactions, reversible modifications etc.)
- Familiarity with various methods for purifying and analyzing nucleic acids (gel electrophoresis, TapeStation, fragment analyzer, etc.)
- Deep understanding of enzymatic reactions involved in nucleic acid synthesis and post-synthetic modifications
- Enzymatic screens, fluorescent-based assays (cell-free translation, FRET, fluorescence polarization)
- Deep understanding of nucleic acid structure and its impact on biological function, and familiarity with related methods (e.g., SHAPE profiling)
- Deep familiarity with chromatography of small molecules and biomolecules (HPLC/FPLC, NMR), including operations, troubleshooting, and data analysis
- Experience with NMR characterization of small molecules is required
- NMR characterization of biomolecules is not required but highly desirable
- Previous MALDI-TOF/LC-MS experience is not required but highly desirable
- Familiarity with organic synthesis
- Previous experience synthesizing nucleic acid precursors (nucleoside triphosphates, phosphoramidites, etc.) and peptides is not required but highly desirable
- Technical expert: Your Ph.D. is in chemistry, biochemistry or biomedical engineering, and you’re experienced (and excited about) nucleic acid chemistry innovation, production, purification, and assay development.
- Mission-driven scientist: You are a deep scientific expert in nucleic acid chemistry, but want a team-centric environment as fast paced as you are. You have an unquenchable spirit to build something new that will create huge impact for the world.
- Relentless pioneer: You thrive in new and unknown territory - capable of charting comprehensive but actionable plans, executing rapidly and iteratively to make progress, and reliable in delivering decisive readouts on time.
- Team player: You flourish in collaborative work environments with other highly skilled individuals. You readily support your colleagues’ challenges & celebrate their victories.
- Effective communicator: You not only understand the science but are capable of conveying technical information in a clear, concise, and decisive manner.
