Origination Associate

THE ROLE

At Flagship Pioneering, we don’t wait for the future—we build it. Our origination model is like a startup foundry for breakthrough science and technology: we dream up bold ideas, pressure-test them fast, and launch entirely new ventures from scratch. Think of it as startup creation in extreme mode—where the whiteboard is blank, the questions are audacious, and the upside is industry-shaping.

We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative individual to join our interdisciplinary team. As an Origination Associate, you will contribute at the confluence of biology and technology —what matters is curiosity, creativity, and the drive to turn bold ideas into reality. You’re excited not just to invent products, but to help create entirely new companies from the ground up.

The individual will ideate/research/refine novel venture hypotheses, develop the scientific roadmap and business case and, and co-lead new company origination from the very early stage. You will play a central role in company creation, driving every aspect of venture origination—from identifying and recruiting key scientific partners and advisors, to establishing foundational intellectual property, building and leading the early scientific team, and shaping the company's culture and operating principles. In this role, you will collaborate closely with stakeholders across the Flagship ecosystem, leveraging the breadth of Flagship's expertise and capabilities to accelerate company formation and growth. A successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with keen acumen on value creation in biotechnology and an entrepreneur comfortable with technical and business uncertainty.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

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Explore white spaces: Identify and investigate emerging frontiers in biology and technology that could unlock entirely new markets and industries

• Hypothesize & stress-test: Generate bold venture hypotheses, run rapid experiments (conceptual, computational, or prototype-driven), and rigorously pressure-test assumptions

• Design venture blueprints: Help translate early-stage concepts into venture designs—including technical thesis, experimental planning, product architecture, and potential go-to-market approaches

• Shape new companies: Contribute directly to the conception and launch of high-potential ventures, with a hands-on role in their earliest stages.

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Collaborate across disciplines: Work closely with scientists, product thinkers and entrepreneurs to fuse technical insights with market potential

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Synthesize insights: Translate complex information into clear, actionable insights for Flagship’s venture creation process

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Push the frontier: Stay ahead of emerging scientific advances, bringing creativity and critical thinking to areas others overlook

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

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Advanced degree (PhD or equivalent experience) in a scientific field — particularly among biology, bioengineering, chemistry and related disciplines. We welcome diverse academic backgrounds that bring new ways of thinking

• 2+ years of experience post-PhD in research, technology, startups, or other environments that demand both analytical rigor and creative problem-solving

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Proven ability to rapidly become conversant in new areas of science and capable of engaging thought leaders at the deepest level of technological understanding

• Strong Scientific Curiosity and Creativity

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Strong communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling written narratives and presentations

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Excellent analytical skills and ability to synthesize & communicate complex information rapidly and effectively

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Proven ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving, entrepreneurial contexts; able to prioritize, pivot, and push forward without a playbook

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Unmatched sense of urgency with willingness to go the extra mile to drive success

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Passion for growth and development, with clear demonstration of openness to both giving and receiving feedback and track record of acting on feedback

• Genuine passion for innovation, venture creation, and exploring uncharted technological spaces

LOCATION: Cambridge, MA. This position is full-time, on-site.

About Flagship Pioneering:

Flagship Pioneering is a scientific innovation engine that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps in human health, sustainability, and beyond. 

What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our team of scientists, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and create breakthroughs for the benefit of people and planet. 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 named four times to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.

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.

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.

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