Senior Associate, Origination - Agriculture and Sustainability

 

About the role: 

Flagship Pioneering is seeking a Senior Associate to help originate and build new science-based companies as part of Flagship’s Pioneering Abundance initiative that is shifting the global paradigm from extracting and optimizing finite resources to expanding the world’s essential resource base. Pioneering Abundance connects and scales proven scientific and technology platforms, while launching new ones across agriculture, essential elements, energy, and foundational AI; creating a compounding ecosystem designed to unlock new sources of abundance and fuel the next era of economic growth. In this role, you will explore emerging areas of biology and technology, develop original venture hypotheses, design rapid experiments to test the most important assumptions, and help translate the strongest ideas into new companies.  

This role sits at the intersection of science, strategy, and company creation. Working closely with a Principal or Partner and colleagues across the Flagship ecosystem, you will contribute across the full origination journey, from scientific exploration and intellectual-property strategy to recruiting, company planning, and early team leadership. A successful candidate will become an expert on the foundational science of the company, frame and clearly communicate the strategy, and translate that strategy into a plan and lead all facets of operationalization. Senior Associates will be expected to independently lead major workstreams and mentor or manage early team members. 

This role can be based in Cambridge, MA or Research Triangle Park, NC

Key Responsibilities: 

• Contribute to and lead Flagship explorations to rapidly assess interesting areas of science and develop novel, actionable and high-value venture hypotheses to improve sustainability, productivity and profitability of growers. 

• Outline key scientific questions to enable venture hypotheses and develop experimental plans to rapidly create value and pressure test ideas 

• Identify, build, and maintain relationships with appropriate academic KOLs and thought experts, ie, introducing them to the Flagship model, getting early buy-in, vetting/validation and de-risking key concepts of venture hypotheses 

• Understand IP landscape, formulate initial strategy, and write seminal applications for the technology and company. Assess patentability of existing IP landscape, including of key competitors and of potentially licensable estate 

• Develop corporate strategy and operations plan for the company. Define value creation, identify application spaces, build out organizational chart, define company goals, timelines and resourcing and identify strategic inflection points to set the company on the path to rapid growth and success 

• Develop audience-specific pitches for company 

• Support business development activities and continue to evolve the story 

• Manage and coordinate early scientific and IP employees. Source, recruit and manage KOLs and early-stage employees as well as relationships with CROs. 

• Manage & lead scientific team (internal or external) and daily research. Manage operational tasks, including establishing lab facilities, purchasing, HR, real estate acquisition, etc. 

• Become an institutional subject matter expert and transfer knowledge to active company team. Stay up to date on the literature, conferences, funding opportunities, and new developments. 

• Work closely with and leverage Flagship operations teams (Finance, IP, IT, HR, and Talent) for maximal operational excellence 

Professional Experience and Qualifications: 

The ideal candidate has a PhD from a top university with expertise in plant biology, plant pathology, plant physiology, biochemistry or genetics, and preferably have start-up or entrepreneurial activities. At least 4 years of relevant experience beyond doctoral training, or an equivalent record of progressively responsible work and demonstrated independent leadership are expected. The candidate must have a passion for novel science and be operationally savvy.  

 Important skills and capabilities include: 

• Knowledge and understanding of cropping systems and agricultural product development 

• Understanding of the agricultural value chain and agribusiness structures 

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

• Ability to define a clear and compelling value proposition of a given scientific opportunity and effectively and cogently communicate that to technical and non-technical audiences 

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

• Obsession with mastering the details without losing sight of the big picture 

• Energetic self-starter with strong presence and the ability to work effectively in an entrepreneurial environment 

• Excellent intellectual agility to rapidly context-switch across projects 

• Open, transparent communication style and demonstrated willingness to engage in difficult conversations in a professional and productive manner 

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

• Able to work effectively and pleasantly in teams with demonstrated abilities to lead and manage 

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

 

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

The salary range for this role is $155,000 - $210,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. Flagship Pioneering currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on Flagship Pioneering's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.