Scientist/Senior Scientist, Cellular Assay Development

About Empress

Empress is a privately-held early-stage biotech company advancing a proprietary platform to generate small molecule drugs faster and more predictably.

Empress is a product of Flagship Pioneering's venture creation engine, which has also given rise to companies such as Moderna Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MRNA), Editas Medicine (NASDAQ: EDIT), Omega Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OMGA), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB), and Indigo Agriculture. Since 2000, Flagship has applied its unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster more than 100 scientific ventures, all of which are pioneering novel and proprietary biological, industrial, and engineering approaches to solve major needs in human health and sustainability. In 2023, Flagship Pioneering was ranked 5th in North America on Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” list, an annual ranking of companies that are making the biggest strides across the world and in all sectors of the economy.

About The Role 

Empress is seeking a creative and motivated scientist to join our target discovery group. This person will be part of a team that is responsible for proposing, identifying, and validating human protein targets for small molecules of interest. S/he will develop assays for target validation and to establish target-disease links – through a combination of internal assay development and management of external research partners.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in cell biology with a track record of success in innovative and high-impact investigations into cellular mechanisms.  S/he will be accomplished in a wide array of assay modalities and embrace the opportunity to learn and apply new ones. The candidate will bring a strong entrepreneurial orientation, demonstrate strong communication skills, and be comfortable working in and contributing to a dynamic and cross-functional team environment.

Core Responsibilities 

• Utilize existing cellular assays and/or develop and execute bespoke assays to validate targets and establish target-disease connections.
• Identify and manage academic and commercial external research partners to support target discovery efforts.
• Collaborate closely with computational, drug discovery, and biology colleagues to achieve project goals.
• Contribute to building an innovative and state-of-the-art target prediction platform.
• Report results, analyses, and interpretations to the scientific team and management.

Qualifications and Skills

• Ph.D. in cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related discipline.
• Expertise with in vitro cell-based assay development, across a range of assay types and biological systems.
• Deep mechanistic understanding in at least one area of human cellular biology, with familiarity across a range of areas.
• Self-driven with an ability to work with highly-skilled teams in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial setting.
• Ability to critically evaluate data, generate testable hypotheses, and solve challenging interdisciplinary problems.

   The preferred candidate will ideally also possess the following skills:

• Experience working with CROs.

• Experience with automation and/or high-throughput workflows.
• Experience interpreting transcriptomics analyses.

What We’ll Offer You

• Comprehensive, competitive healthcare and dental coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield, vision coverage through VSP, family leave, paid time off, 401k retirement plan, disability and life insurance, and fully covered parking/commuter benefits.
• A dynamic early-stage work environment and highly interdisciplinary, talented, and collaborative team.
• Opportunities to invent and discover.

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.   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.