Vice President, Head of Computational Biology and Machine Learning

Company Overview: 

Abiologics, Inc. is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology company on a mission to make biology better through chemistry. We are pioneering the development of SynteinsTM, a transformational class of macromolecular medicines unlocked by novel synthetic and computational technologies.  

Abiologics was founded in Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, where companies such as Moderna Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MRNA) and Generate Biomedicines were conceived and created. Since Flagship’s founding in 2000, the firm has originated and fostered the development of more than 100 scientific ventures resulting in more than 500 issued patents and more than 50 clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents. 

Position Summary: 
Abiologics, Inc. is seeking an experienced Computational Biology and Machine Learning leader to head computational platform efforts. This role offers a unique opportunity to advance protein design through the integration of non-canonical amino acids, enabling the development of SynteinsTM -- a novel class of macromolecular medicines. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in protein design, computational biology, and machine learning, with a proven track record in leading high-performing, multidisciplinary teams.  

  Key Responsibilities: 

• Manage the portfolio of projects within the Computational group and oversee planning, prioritization, capacity projection, and on-time delivery of machine learning projects, software infrastructure, digital wet lab, and protein designs  
• Develop and lead a best-in-class protein design team by attracting top-talent in the machine learning and protein design space who combine a clear grasp of protein-science fundamentals with the ability to build advanced machine-learning tools 
• Guide the team on decision making related to algorithmic choices, generation protocols, and models for peptides, proteins, and biopolymer libraries (SynteinsTM) 
• Be accountable for analytically measuring and summarizing the performance metrics of the platform 
• Work closely with the Chemistry and Biology groups to support pipeline programs and platform-development activities, coordinating on project planning and prioritization to ensure clear communication between protein-design and protein-production and testing workflows 
• Advise the leadership team on staff and resource needs, organizational planning, technology development, and other aspects as Abiologics continues to grow 

Qualifications: 

• PhD in a protein science or computational biology related discipline. 
• 10+ years of experience in computational modeling, protein design, machine learning, and protein engineering. 
• 5+ years of management experience. 
• Deep expertise in applying advanced machine learning techniques to protein science, including neural networks and generative models 
• Familiarity with AlphaFold, ESM, and other recent innovations in protein structure prediction and design and molecular modeling tools (Rosetta, Schrodinger, MOE, etc.) 
• Experience with Python and other programming languages  
• Experience with cloud computing (AWS preferred) 
• Comfort with modern software engineering practices such as version control, code reviews, unit testing, and continuous integration 
• Track record of successful leadership, management, and development of multi-disciplinary teams 
• Strong desire to be part of a founding team and help build the next great biotechnology company from the ground up 

Location: Boston, MA  

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.

About Flagship Pioneering:

Flagship Pioneering is a bioplatform innovation company that invents and builds platform 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. Those big leaps in human health and sustainability exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from cancer detection and treatment to nature-positive agriculture. 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 scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform 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 twice named 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.   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.