(Senior) Scientist, Optical Technologies
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States · Posted 16 days agoDescription
Help Expand What We Can See in Biology
At Flagship Pioneering, we build companies around bold scientific ideas. Flagship Labs is our innovation foundry where teams originate, test, and scale breakthrough technologies that can become new bioplatforms.
At Flagship Labs 120, we’re assembling a multidisciplinary team to invent, build, and rapidly test innovative technologies for observing biological systems. We are looking for a scientist with deep hands-on experience in optics and vibrational spectroscopy to join the team and help turn promising experimental opportunities into practical capabilities for the platform.
This is a zero-to-one role for an engineering-minded scientist who enjoys turning new ideas into practical experiments. We are looking for someone who favors fast, practical, hands-on solutions and will help shape the scientific direction and experimental foundation of a new venture through work across instrumentation, biology, and external collaborations.
Responsibilities
- Design and execute experiments using advanced optical and vibrational spectroscopy measurement techniques to characterize biological systems.
- Own a portfolio of internal and external experiments, coordinating work across CROs, university core facilities, academic collaborators, and internal teams.
- Develop, refine, and document experimental workflows, protocols, and SOPs to improve measurement quality, reproducibility, and operational efficiency.
- Troubleshoot instrumentation, identify sources of experimental variability, and improve data quality and reproducibility.
- Stay current across relevant fields to identify promising new experiments and applications.
- Contribute to the scientific strategy and technical roadmap of a founding-stage venture.
Qualifications
Required
- PhD (or equivalent experience) in physics, biophysics, chemistry, engineering, bioengineering, or a related discipline.
- Deep hands-on experience developing and applying optical microscopy and vibrational spectroscopy techniques such as Raman microscopy, IR spectroscopy, or related methods.
- Strong experimental background and demonstrated ability to independently execute and troubleshoot complex experiments.
- Solid understanding of the physics and engineering of optical instrumentation.
- Strong scientific judgment and the ability to distinguish meaningful biological signals from technical artifacts.
Preferred
- Experience developing or optimizing advanced Raman spectroscopy (e.g. CARS, SRS) or IR spectroscopy (e.g. photothermal IR), or related techniques.
- Experience working with biological samples such as cells or tissue. Familiarity with cell culture or live cell assays is a plus.
- Familiarity with molecular or cell biology sufficient to understand literature and adopt new experimental protocols.
- Programming or scripting experience (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for instrument automation and experimental data analysis.
- Experience working with external collaborators, university core facilities, or CROs.
- Previous experience in startup, translational, or highly interdisciplinary research environments.
Why Join FL120?
This is an opportunity to join a founding scientific team exploring an entirely new experimental platform. Success will require curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. You'll play an important role in exploring new ideas, establishing new experimental capabilities, and helping shape the scientific direction of a company from its earliest days.
As the company grows, this role will help shape the evolution of our platform and broader technical strategy.
We welcome applications from experienced scientists as well as exceptional postdoctoral researchers or advanced graduate students interested in either full-time or part-time opportunities.
ABOUT FLAGSHIP PIONEERING
Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies 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.
At Flagship, we accept impossible missions to enable bigger leaps. Our core values guide us through uncertainty and toward lasting impact.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.
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.
The salary range for this role is $100,000 - $180,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. FL120 currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on FL120'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.
Similar jobs
Est. 153,750 USD
What if… you could join an organization that creates, resources, and builds life sciences companies that invent breakthrough technologies in order to transform health care and sustainability? Flagship Labs 129 (FL129) is…
Est. 143,000 USD
Company Summary FL106 Inc. is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel drug delivery modalities. FL106 is backed by Flagship Pioneering, which provides the strategic vision and reso…
Est. 302,500 USD
The Company Flagship Labs 110 Inc. (FL110) is a privately held, early-stage technology company developing a fully integrated, end-to-end platform to enable next generation proteomics. Our platform integrates groundbreaki…
Est. 158,500 USD
The Company FL105 is a privately held, early-stage company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence to transform human psychological fitness and wellbeing. We are creating a platform that empowers people to build a…
Est. 140,000 USD
What if… you could join an organization that creates, resources, and builds life sciences companies that invent breakthrough technologies in order to transform health care and sustainability? Flagship Labs 129 (FL129) is…
Est. 195,500 USD
The Company Flagship Labs 119 Inc. (FL119) is an early-stage technology company pioneering a new frontier at the intersection of neuroscience and computation. We are developing next-generation technologies to transform h…
Est. 156,250 USD
The Company FL105 is a privately held, early-stage company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence to transform human psychological fitness and wellbeing. We are creating a platform that empowers people to build a…
Est. 244,750 USD
Operating Principal – Summit PBU THE ROLE Summit, a Pioneering Business Unit within Flagship, is seeking an Operating Principal to help launch and scale our NewCos. You will work across one or more companies, leading ope…
Est. 260,000 USD
Company overview: Fathem is a privately held, early-stage technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence, physics and hardware to transform the way we see biology. FL109 was conceived by Flagship Pionee…
Est. 140,000 USD
About Tilde (FL110) Tilde Bio, Inc. (FL110) is building a next-generation biological sensing platform at the intersection of synthetic biology, protein engineering, nanopore biophysics, electrophysiology, signal processi…
Est. 226,250 USD
Flagship Pioneering is a scientific innovation engine that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capita…
Est. 132,500 USD
Flagship Pioneering is a bioplatform innovation company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble…
Est. 245,000 USD
Position Summary: As a Flagship Labs Sr. Director, Strategy and Operations for 2 Origination Teams, you will be responsible for facilitating, coordinating and managing the execution of company creation activities with th…
Est. 120,000 USD
What if… you could join an organization that creates, resources, and builds life sciences companies that invent breakthrough technologies to transform health care? In today’s healthcare system, disease diagnosis often re…
Est. 258,625 USD
About Tilde (FL110) Tilde Bio, Inc. (FL110) is building a next-generation biological sensing platform at the intersection of synthetic biology, protein engineering, nanopore biophysics, electrophysiology, signal processi…
Est. 120,000 USD
About the role: As a Senior Associate at Flagship Pioneering, you will ideate, research, and refine novel venture hypotheses, validate key underlying unknowns of biology or technology, and transition pressure-tested idea…
Est. 140,000 USD
About Pioneering Intelligence Pioneering Intelligence builds on Flagship Pioneering’s legacy of founding cutting-edge science and computational ventures, harnessing recent advances in AI, machine learning, and data to ac…
Est. 159,750 USD
The Company FL105 is a privately held, early-stage company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence to transform how people navigate life’s challenges and wellbeing. We are creating a platform that empowers people t…
Est. 140,750 USD
About Pioneering Medicines: Pioneering Medicines, Flagship Pioneering’s in-house drug development unit, is dedicated to conceiving and developing a broad portfolio of life-changing treatments for patients built from Flag…
Est. 142,000 USD
About Tilde (FL110) Tilde Bio, Inc. (FL110) is building a next-generation biological sensing platform at the intersection of synthetic biology, protein engineering, nanopore biophysics, electrophysiology, signal processi…
Est. 152,000 USD
Who We Are Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemb…
Est. 175,750 USD
Who We Are Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemb…
Est. 247,000 USD
ABOUT PIONEERING INTELLIGENCE Pioneering Intelligence builds on Flagship Pioneering’s legacy of founding cutting-edge science and computational ventures, harnessing recent advances in AI, machine learning, and data to ac…
Est. 162,000 USD
About Pioneering Intelligence Pioneering Intelligence builds on Flagship Pioneering’s legacy of founding cutting-edge science and computational ventures, harnessing recent advances in AI, machine learning, and data to ac…
Est. 297,500 USD
Who We Are Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemb…
Est. 295,000 USD
Flagship Pioneering is a scientific innovation engine that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capita…
Est. 222,750 USD
ABOUT PIONEERING INTELLIGENCE Pioneering Intelligence builds on Flagship Pioneering’s legacy of founding cutting-edge science and computational ventures, harnessing recent advances in AI, machine learning, and data to ac…
Est. 356,500 USD
About Pioneering Intelligence Pioneering Intelligence builds on Flagship Pioneering's legacy of founding cutting-edge science and computational ventures, harnessing recent advances in AI, machine learning, and data to ac…
Est. 153,750 USD
Company Summary FL130 (Flagship Labs 130) is an early-stage biotechnology startup aiming to answer an ambitious and exciting question: What if… we could systematically identify bioactive peptides to inspire next-generati…
Est. 188,750 USD
Company Summary FL130 (Flagship Labs 130) is an early-stage biotechnology startup aiming to answer an ambitious and exciting question: What if… we could systematically identify bioactive peptides to inspire next-generati…