Flagship Pioneering is an innovation firm that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps. Those big leaps in human health and sustainability exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from cancer detection and treatment to nature-positive agriculture. We’ve created over 100 scientific ventures, including the now familiar drug and vaccine innovator, Moderna Therapeutics.

What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet.   

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. 

Since our inception in 2000, many Flagship companies have leveraged advances in computing, big data, and AI. In recent years, this trend has accelerated with first-in-category life science companies such as Generate Biomedicines, Cellarity, Montai Health and many others that are creating breakthrough scientific innovations using AI and ML technologies. In 2021, Flagship formed a new strategic initiative, Pioneering Intelligence, to institutionalize AI/ML knowledge throughout the company ecosystem and build core machine learning capabilities in drug design and optimization. Since late 2023, Pioneering Intelligence has begun origination efforts that harness the latest advances in AI and computing to develop new platform companies.

Position Summary:

This is an outstanding career opportunity to provide strategic and operational leadership to Flagship Origination Partner and Pioneering Business Unit (PBU) Head, Armen Mkrtchyan. Within Flagship Pioneering, a Pioneering Business Unit (PBU) is comprised of scientific and operational teams reporting to the PBU Head responsible for the ideation of new platform technologies, and the development of those technologies into first-in-class platform companies that will change the world. In addition to being a thought partner to Armen to drive critical priorities related to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) across Pioneering Intelligence and at the Flagship enterprise level, this individual will collaborate with leaders across Flagship – in particular, the Operations, Planning and Management (OPM) community – to support corporate processes, program management, and initiative implementation. This individual will report to the Head of Pioneering Intelligence who in turn reports to the CEO of Flagship.

We are looking for a dynamic leader to drive operational excellence and implement transformative projects that will shape the future of AI/ML innovation at Flagship. The ideal candidate will be a distinctive problem solver and communicator with an entrepreneurial mindset who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic, and deadline-driven environment. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Collaborates with the Head of Pioneering Intelligence (PI) to set organizational priorities related to AI/ML – including Flagship’s enterprise AI strategy and investments in ML capabilities to amplify Flagship’s process of creating breakthrough innovations as well as new platform companies that build on the latest AI advances.
• Provides strategic guidance to Head of PI and origination team on developing investable thesis for each new AI/ML-focused venture.
• Pressure tests PI’s strategic priorities and resource allocation within each venture to identify opportunities for faster and greater value creation.
• Establishes and oversees (evolving) processes that enable most impactful contributions from PI team members (e.g., sharing best practices, creating PI-wide ability to tap into AI/ML knowledge, resources, etc.).
• Provides guidance and coaching to PI team members to improve their productivity, deepen professional relationships, and shape/reinforce a culture of ownership, respect, and innovation.
• Ensures that objectives and associated activities are clearly communicated to and understood by PI team members.
• Tracks performance on goals and KPIs for PI team. Identifies issues that impact the successful execution of plans. Escalates risks and offers ideas to mitigate.
• Adds structure and process for Pioneering Intelligence – without being overly bureaucratic – to ensure that activities run efficiently within and across teams.
• Sets agendas and cadence for PI-wide meetings (i.e., Origination updates, team offsites), and ensures successful preparation and execution for these meetings.
• Documents and communicate decisions and action items from meetings and ensures follow-up and closure of action items.
• Prepares or contributes to the preparation of high-quality presentations, reports, briefings, etc. for meetings and/or communications involving the Head of PI.
• Collaborates with the Head of PI and Finance Business Partner on annual business reviews and regular budget updates.
• Works closely with Head of PI and HR Business Partner on recruitment and talent development initiatives.
• Works closely with Head of PI and Director of Flagship Fellowship on end-to-end strategy and management of AI Summer Fellowship program.
• Works closely with Head of PI and Communications Business Partner on PI’s strategy to deepen reach and relevance with external stakeholders and across Flagship ecosystem.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with portfolio company executives, Flagship senior leaders, and colleagues at all levels.
• Keeps a pulse on Pioneering Intelligence team and integrates culture building into the operating model and meeting execution.
• Oversees onboarding of all new PI employees.
• Executes special projects or initiatives on behalf of the Head of PI.

Basic Qualifications:

• 4+ years’ experience in strategy, operations, and/or product management in a top-tier management consulting firm or technology company or startup. 
• At least 2+ years’ managerial experience with a track record of building an outstanding team environment and driving substantial business impact.
• BA/BS and a MS/MA, PhD, MBA, or equivalent time spent deep in technical/scientific topics (e.g., Engineering or Data Science) from a top-tier academic institution.
• Highly knowledgeable and passionate about latest AI/ML trends and technologies.
• Must have strategic mindset for applying and rapidly experimenting with new AI tools. 
• Strong personal drive and enthusiasm for creating and leading operations for a world-class team of computational scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.
• Must have desire for speed and agility and ability to thrive in a fast-changing entrepreneurial, technical environment.
• Energy to build a positive and success-oriented team culture; lead by example to ensure collaboration, teamwork, open communication, constructive conflict resolution and organizational flexibility.
• Excellent communicator in writing and speech.
• Highly skilled in developing compelling visual slide presentations to inspire confidence in different audiences - including senior executives, investors, academic partners, and technical teams.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and time management skills and are comfortable working independently.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience in developing AI/ML-focused business and go-to-market strategies for enterprises and startups.
• Experience in building AI/ML-based products and platforms and managing teams of technical and non-technical individuals to deliver results under fast-paced timelines.

About Flagship

Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology 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.

Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are 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.