Scientist, Assay Development

Company Summary:

Arana Biosciences is one of the latest companies founded through Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, where companies such as Moderna Inc. and Invaio Sciences were conceived and created. Since Flagship’s founding in 2000, the firm has originated and fostered the development of nearly 100 scientific ventures resulting in $19+ billion in aggregate value, 500+ issued patents, and more than 50 clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents. Arana Biosciences is integrating the latest developments in molecular biology and plant biology to create a new platform technology that enables adaptive, targeted and sustainable solutions in agriculture.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented Scientist to join our fast-paced team. This person will join our Molecular Biology team and be responsible for the design, planning, and execution of RNA and protein detection assays that support our strategic scientific direction.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and optimize new RNA and protein detection assays to support technology development and product development efforts
• Develop and validate new assays and protocols, ready for scale-up and automation
• Explore the scientific literature to support development of novel tools/methods to support company’s overarching goals, independently proposing, then designing sets of experiments
• Serve as RNA and protein detection subject matter expert to advise project and experimental design 
• Provide supervision and training for junior lab member and/or technicians
• Communicate key findings to stakeholders across the company, both written and presentation formats
• Collaborate closely with other team members across the organization

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, genomics or a similar field of biology
• Extensive experience with qPCR (TaqMan, ddPCR, etc.), protein extraction, and protein detection (ELISA, Western Blot, etc.)
• Experience with nucleic acid and protein extraction from plant material desired
• Experience with liquid handling automation is a strong plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Ability to work successfully in a project-based environment, prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously, integrate cross-functional issues and balance competing priorities effectively.
• Enthusiasm for science and willingness to adapt to the changing needs of a fast-paced research and development effort.

Location: Cambridge, MA

More About Flagship Pioneering

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.