Origination Associate

About Us: 

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  

Position Overview: 

We are seeking a dynamic and innovative Machine Learning Associate to be a critical part of our origination team. This role offers a unique blend of responsibilities, with a 50:50 focus on both the development of our business unit and the origination/operation of new companies. The ideal candidate will be someone who thrives on challenges, is open to exploring wild ideas, and is equally motivated to drive forward both high-risk and lower-risk projects. A significant aspect of this role involves acting as a bridge between the Pioneering Business Unit and Pioneering Intelligence, a division of Flagship focused on AI. 

Key Responsibilities:

Origination and Operation of New Companies:

• Contribute to and lead Flagship model explorations to rapidly assess interesting areas of science, with an AI/ML focus, and develop novel, actionable and high value venture hypotheses
• Outline key scientific questions to enable venture hypotheses and develop experimental plans to rapidly create value and pressure test ideas
• Identify, build, and maintain relationships with appropriate academic KOLs and thought experts, i.e., introducing them to the Flagship model, getting early buy-in, vetting/validation and de-risking key concepts of venture hypotheses
• Manage & lead scientific team (internal or external) and daily research. Manage operational tasks, including establishing lab facilities, purchasing, HR, real estate acquisition, etc.
• Become institutional subject matter expert and transfer to active company team. Stay up to date on the literature, conferences, funding opportunities, and new developments

Business Unit Development:

• Assist in the development and implementation of a machine learning vision that aligns with the overarching objectives of the business unit and Flagship Pioneering.
• Collaborate in organizing training opportunities to educate our teams on the capabilities of ML.
• Support ML-driven explorations by providing feedback to identify novel opportunities and ensure scientific rigor.
• Contribute to the growth of ML-support roles within the business unit.
• Aid in evaluating the potential of AI to enhance the speed and quality of explorations.

Interface with Pioneering Intelligence:

• Act a key liaison between the business unit and Pioneering Intelligence, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration.
• Identify and highlight company needs to Pioneering Intelligence.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements and offerings from Pioneering Intelligence and evaluate their potential applications within the business unit and associated companies.

Qualifications: 

• A PhD or equivalent in Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related field.
• Experience in biotech, computational biology, or a related industry. Experience in a start up environment and demonstrated passion for entrepreneurship preferred
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, especially in liaising between different divisions.
• A passion for innovation and a willingness to explore uncharted territories.

What We Offer: 

• A dynamic and innovative work environment.
• Opportunities to work on groundbreaking projects at the intersection of biotech and machine learning.
• A platform to grow, learn, and make a significant impact in the biotech industry.

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.