Associate Director, Cell-free Protein Synthesis

About Generate Biomedicines:

Generate Biomedicines is a new kind of therapeutics company – existing at the intersection of machine learning, biological engineering, and medicine – pioneering Generative Biology™ to create breakthrough medicines where novel therapeutics are computationally generated, instead of being discovered. Generate has built a machine learning-powered biomedicines platform with the potential to generate new drugs across a wide range of biologic modalities. This platform represents a potentially fundamental shift in what is possible in the field of biotherapeutic development.

We pursue this audacious vision because we believe in the unique and revolutionary power of generative biology to radically transform the lives of billions, with an outsized opportunity for patients in need. We are seeking collaborative, relentless problem solvers that share our passion for impact to join us!

Generate was founded in 2018 by Flagship Pioneering and has received over $420 million in funding, providing the resources to rapidly scale the organization. The Company has offices in Cambridge, Somerville, and Andover with approximately 250+ employees.

The Role:

Generate is seeking a highly creative and technologically curious Associate Director in Cell-free Protein Synthesis to be part of the Platform Innovation Team. She/he will lead our efforts using strain and metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and bioprocess engineering to build an intrinsically scalable CFPS platform for screening and production of our therapeutic candidates, with the aim to increase throughput, shorten design-build-test cycles, and reduce cost. In particular, the scope is 1) to integrate CFPS into our high-throughput screening assays at the intersection of synthetic biology, microfluidics, automation, and machine learning, and 2) work closely with our production scientists to design and implement optimized scale-up production workflows. The successful candidate has a proven track record of cross-disciplinary quantitative research, combining deep understanding of synthetic biology and high-throughput experimentation. Close collaboration with members of Generate’s Protein Science, Preclinical Discovery, Computational, and Machine Learning teams will be crucial to produce game-changing new CFPS workflows. This is an opportunity to perform highly innovative technology development, while being part of the collaborative and premier scientific environment of a well-funded biotech startup.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Expand and lead Generate’s efforts to integrate CFPS into our HTP screening and production workflows.
• Build a team that is able to optimize CFPS workflows using both experimental tools (strain and metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and bioprocess engineering) and theory (computational analysis, statistics, and ML modeling).
• Work together with members of the Platform Innovation team to implement CFPS-based screening workflows involving micro-automation, microfluidics, and microfabricated devices.
• Work with production and analytics teams in the Protein Sciences department to optimize scaled-up workflows and implement characterization of CFPS-produced material.
• Generate bold, creative, unconventional ideas, and be a point person for intellectual property and patent writing.
• Mentor and train scientists throughout the company.

Qualifications:

• PhD with 9+ years of experience or a BSc/MSc with 16+ years in a relevant science/engineering field (physics, biophysics, physical chemistry, biological engineering, quantitative/synthetic biology, or related discipline).
• Demonstrated expertise in implementation, analysis, and optimization of Cell-Free Protein Synthesis systems.
• Demonstrated experience in high-throughput experimental design.
• Demonstrated experience working with laboratory automation.
• Experience with data analysis in Python, Matlab, R or equivalent.
• Have a solid quantitative mindset, a strong scientific intuition.
• Experience securing intellectual property rights and patents is a plus.
• Cross-functional experience in the protein therapeutic industry is highly desired.
• Self-motivated and curious with a desire to learn from and teach others.

Generate Biomedicines is 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.

COVID Safety:

Generate Biomedicines enforces a mandatory vaccination policy for COVID-19. All employees must be fully vaccinated and have received a booster.