Principal Scientist

What if… you could join an organization that creates, resources, and builds life sciences companies that invent breakthrough technologies to transform human health and sustainability?

Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine has conceived and created companies such as Moderna Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MRNA), Sana Biotechnology (NASDAQ: SANA), Generate Biomedicines, and Tessera Therapeutics. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has applied its unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in over $212 billion in aggregate value. To date, Flagship has deployed over $2.5 billion in capital toward the founding and growth of its pioneering companies alongside more than $19 billion of follow-on investments from other institutions. In 2021, Flagship Pioneering was ranked 12^th globally 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.

The Company:

Quotient Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately held, early-stage company developing a novel genomics platform and therapeutics for diseases with a large unmet need.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an accomplished Principal Scientist to join our drug discovery team as protein engineering / antibody discovery lead. The successful candidate will spearhead the design, development, and optimization of biologic therapeutics, with a focus on advancing innovative treatments from discovery through preclinical development. They will be comfortable working in and contributing to a highly dynamic and cross-functional team environment. The ideal candidate must be independent, open-minded, goal-oriented, have excellent communication skills and work in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Antibody screening and discovery: design, develop and implement strategies for discovery of various antibody formats. Utilize advanced technologies to identify high-affinity antibodies. Ideate and test new methods for recombinant protein production and purification.
• Molecular engineering and characterization: Perform antibody engineering and characterize binding affinity, specificity and epitope mapping using relevant techniques. Generate stable cell lines for antibody production and lead optimization.
• Assay Development: Contribute to the development and implementation of high-throughput screening assays and other in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and mechanism of action of biologic candidates.
• Project Oversight: Lead cross-functional project teams to design, plan, and execute experimental studies, ensuring milestones and objectives are met within established timelines.
• Data Analysis and Interpretation: Utilize advanced analytical techniques and tools to interpret complex datasets, and drive data-driven decision-making.
• Collaboration and Communication: Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including research scientists, engineers, translational teams, and KOLs to advance biologics projects. Present research findings at internal meetings and scientific conferences.

Qualifications:

• Educational Background: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry, or a related discipline, with at least 8-10 years of experience in biologics research within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of biologic drug discovery and development processes, including target validation, lead optimization, and preclinical evaluation. Expert knowledge in different biologic drug formats including complex proteins, ADCs, antibodies, etc. A strong track record of leading successful biologics projects.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in molecular and cellular biology techniques, protein engineering, expression, purification, and characterization methods (e.g. SEC, FPLC, Mass Spec, etc).  Hands-on experience with one or more antibody discovery platforms (e.g. phage display, hybridoma, B-cell sorting).  Experience with high-throughput screening technologies, as well as antibody production and optimization.
• Leadership Experience: Demonstrated experience leading project teams and managing scientific personnel. Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, matrixed environment. Experience in leading and managing external CROs.
• Communication Skills: Outstanding written and oral presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences.
• Personal Attributes: Highly motivated, results-oriented, and team-focused individual with a strong commitment to advancing innovative therapies.

Preferred Attributes:

• Technical expertise: Experience in computational biology or bioinformatics related to antibody design.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with regulatory requirements and guidelines for biologic therapeutics, including BLA submissions.

Location: Cambridge, MA 

About Flagship

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.