Research Associate Job at Flagship Pioneering, USA | Biotechnology Candidates, Apply Online & Earn Up to $93,500

What makes a dried powder formulation stable enough to move beyond the laboratory? This research associate job at Flagship Pioneering offers the opportunity to investigate that question through formulation experiments, analytical testing, and process development. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, the role focuses on developing and optimizing dried powder formulations using techniques such as freeze drying and spray drying.

  • Position: Research Associate I/II, Formulation & Process Development
  • Company: Flagship Pioneering
  • Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
  • Category: Formulation and Process Development

About The Company

Flagship Pioneering invents and builds companies focused on human health, sustainability, and emerging technologies. It brings together scientific research, company creation, and capital investment to develop new platforms and products.

Research Associate Job Description

The selected candidate will support formulation and product development, with a primary focus on developing, screening, and optimizing dried powder formulations. The work involves hands-on experiments using lyophilization and spray drying to support early-stage platform development.

Working closely with process development partners, the Research Associate will contribute to experimental design, data interpretation, and formulation screening. The role also involves establishing characterization methods, documentation practices, and workflows that support stable, scalable processes.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design and execute mixing protocols for solid and liquid mixtures, optimizing uniformity, stability, viscosity, temperature, and pH.
  • Produce dried formulations using spray drying, freeze drying, and milling, with in-process checks to assess robustness.
  • Characterize powders through particle size, morphology, thermal analysis, moisture content, and bulk property measurements.
  • Document critical process parameters and sources of variability to support future scale-up, technology transfer, and external partnerships.
  • Maintain experimental records and prepare summaries, figures, and datasets for internal decisions.
  • Help establish formulation workflows, best practices, and standards.
  • Design, conduct, and maintain stability studies of packaged formulations, including scheduled sample testing for shelf-life verification.
  • Communicate results, challenges, errors, and ideas promptly within the team.

Educational Requirements and Eligibility For Research Associate Job

  • Qualification: BS or MS degree in Biotechnology, or a related discipline.
  • Research Associate I: BS degree with up to two years of relevant industry experience.
  • Research Associate II: BS degree with two–four years, or an MS degree with zero–two years, of relevant industry experience.

Skills and Qualifications 

  • Experience designing experiments, interpreting results, and using data to guide further testing.
  • Strong scientific documentation and communication skills.
  • Curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to work across disciplines.
  • A grounding in physical chemistry or materials science relevant to dried systems is strongly preferred, including glass transition, crystallinity, moisture interactions, and excipient effects.
  • Familiarity with powder characterization techniques such as DSC, TGA, particle sizing, microscopy, and bulk property measurements is preferred.
  • The ability to work independently in an early-stage research environment is preferred.

Salary and Benefits

The listed salary range is $65,000–$93,500, depending on qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. Benefits listed for FL112 include healthcare coverage, an annual incentive program, and retirement benefits.

Research Associate Job – Application Details

  • Application Deadline: Not specified in the supplied posting.
  • How to Apply: Submit your application through the official vacancy link below.
  • Candidate Note: Applicants with some, but not all, of the listed qualifications are encouraged to apply.

Interested in turning laboratory experiments into stable, scalable formulations? This research associate job at Flagship Pioneering offers hands-on work in powder formulation, analytical characterization, and process development. Review the experience requirements for RA I and RA II, then apply for the level that matches your background.

APPLY ONLINE HERE