Scientist I, Formulations

About the role

This role supports our formulation and product development efforts, focusing on the development, screening, and optimization of dried powder formulations. The individual will play a critical hands-on role in executing formulation strategies using techniques such as lyophilization and spray drying, while contributing experimental rigor, physical insight, and data-driven decision-making to early-stage platform development.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and optimize dried powder formulations using lyophilization and spray drying, with a focus on stability, reproducibility, and performance across multiple formulation variables;
• Execute formulation screening efforts using statistically grounded experimental designs (e.g., DoEs), including selection of factors, responses, and experimental conditions, and translate results into actionable next steps;
• Evaluate the impact of excipients, processing conditions, and storage environments on material stability, integrity, and functionality, including under accelerated or stress conditions;
• Characterize dried powder products using appropriate analytical and physical methods (e.g., particle size and morphology, thermal analysis, moisture content, bulk properties) to inform formulation and process decisions;
• Support process development and scale-awareness by documenting critical parameters, identifying sources of variability, and generating data relevant to future scale-up, tech transfer, or external partnerships;
• Maintain clear, rigorous experimental documentation and generate high-quality summaries, figures, and datasets suitable for internal decision-making, patent disclosures, and external communication;
• Contribute to the establishment of long-term formulation workflows, best practices, and standards that support platform development in a small, highly collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (with 10 years of relevant research experience) or Master’s degree (with 8 years of relevant research experience), or PhD (with 0 years of relevant research experience) in chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, materials science, biotechnology, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience with drying-based formulation techniques, including lyophilization and/or spray drying, and an understanding of how process parameters influence solid-state properties;
• Strong grounding in physical chemistry or materials science principles relevant to dried systems, including glass transition behavior, crystallinity, moisture interactions, and excipient effects;
• Experience designing and executing statistically informed experiments (e.g., DoEs), with the ability to interpret interaction effects and use data to guide experimental iteration;
• Familiarity with analytical and characterization techniques for powders and solid-state materials (e.g., DSC, TGA, particle sizing, microscopy, bulk property measurements), and the ability to select fit-for-purpose methods;
• Familiarity with downstream processing operations (e.g., tangential flow filtration and other purification workflows);
• Proven ability to work independently in a dynamic, early-stage research environment, balancing hands-on execution with thoughtful experimental planning and cross-functional communication;
• Strong scientific documentation and communication skills, with experience generating reproducible records and decision-enabling datasets;
• Embodies resilience and scientific rigor in pursuing complex technical questions by iteratively testing hypotheses and refining parameters through uncertainty to converge on robust, optimized solutions.

Professional Experience & Qualifications

See above.

Location

Cambridge, MA

About Flagship Pioneering

See above.

Salary Range

$100,000 - $126,500