Senior Scientist, DNA-Encoded Library Platform

Flagship Pioneering, Inc.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Annual incentive program

Retirement benefits

Job summary

Flagship Labs FL129, a Flagship Pioneering venture, seeks a Senior Scientist to build a novel DEL platform. You will lead experimental and computational efforts, shaping the platform’s direction and contributing from day one in a highly collaborative setting.

The role demands strong experience in DEL design, synthesis, hit validation, and chemoinformatic analysis, with the ability to communicate results across multidisciplinary teams and to drive platform excellence.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in organic chemistry with 5+ years of industry or postdoctoral experience.
• End-to-end experience with DNA-encoded library (DEL) screening, including design, synthesis, affinity selection, and hit deconvolution.
• Hands-on DNA-compatible chemistry, including split-and-pool synthesis and on-DNA reactions.
• Experience with encoding and tagging strategies, barcode design, and enzymatic ligation.
• Experience with affinity selection formats, controls, and DNA-encoded positive controls.
• Experience with on-DNA and off-DNA hit validation, including resynthesis and biochemical/biophysical assays.
• Experience managing contract research organizations (CROs).
• Nice to have: cheminformatics, library enumeration, diversity analysis; droplet-based screening; laboratory automation; and liquid handling.
• Motivated team-player with strong organizational and written/verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Technology development aligned with FL129’s strategic goals and influence on scientific direction.
• Design, construction, and quality control of DNA-encoded small molecule libraries, including building-block validation.
• Execute and optimize affinity-based selections against protein targets with appropriate controls.
• Deconvolute and validate screening hits, including off-DNA resynthesis and activity confirmation.
• Optimize workflows and establish documentation practices to enable platform excellence.
• Ensure rapid turnaround of data to drive achievement of key project goals.
• Translate experimental data into insights and present results at team meetings.

Skills

DEL design

DEL synthesis

Affinity-based selection

Hit deconvolution

DNA-compatible chemistry

Barcode design

Enzymatic ligation

Cheminformatics

Team collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry

Tools

LC-MS

Next-Generation Sequencing

Job description

Flagship Labs FL129, a Flagship Pioneering venture, seeks a Senior Scientist to build a novel DEL platform. You will lead experimental and computational efforts, shaping the platform’s direction and contributing from day one in a highly collaborative setting.

The role demands strong experience in DEL design, synthesis, hit validation, and chemoinformatic analysis, with the ability to communicate results across multidisciplinary teams and to drive platform excellence.