Associate Scientist, in vitro Pharmacology and Assay Development

Flagship Pioneering•Somerville, MA

21h•$96,000 - $126,500

About The Position

Position Summary: Metaphore is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and collaborative Associate Scientist to support in vitro pharmacology and assay development efforts within our Biology team. This role will focus on the design, development, optimization, and execution of cell-based and biochemical assays to support discovery and preclinical programs. The ideal candidate will bring strong hands-on experience in assay development and execution, with the ability to independently troubleshoot and refine assays while contributing to broader program goals. This is a primarily pipeline-facing role with opportunities to contribute to platform development efforts involving complex biological systems. Key Responsibilities: Design, develop, optimize, and execute in vitro and ex vivo assays to support discovery and preclinical programs, including functional and phenotypic assays. Perform medium-throughput ligand-binding and cell-based assays (e.g., ELISA, MSD, and reporter or proliferation assays) to characterize biological activity and support hit identification and lead optimization. Develop and implement assays to evaluate pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) readouts from in vivo samples. Generate custom engineered mammalian cell lines, culture and maintain primary cells, and apply these systems to biologically relevant assay development. Analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental data to cross-functional teams to inform program decisions. Troubleshoot experimental challenges and independently drive assay improvements to ensure robustness, reproducibility, and scalability. Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams including Discovery, Protein Sciences and Computational Biology to advance program objectives. Contribute to the design and sourcing of critical reagents (e.g., recombinant proteins, cell lines) as needed. Coordinate with external vendors and CROs to support assay execution and sample analysis. Maintain accurate and timely documentation of experimental work in electronic lab notebooks and contribute to reports and presentations. Contribute to a collaborative team environment, including sharing technical expertise and mentoring junior team members where appropriate.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, or a related field with 8+ years of relevant industry experience.
Hands-on experience developing and executing in vitro assays, including ligand-binding (e.g., ELISA, MSD) and cell-based functional assays.
Experience with mammalian cell culture, including maintenance of immortalized cell lines and primary cells.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and optimize assays independently.
Experience generating, analyzing, and interpreting experimental data with strong attention to detail.
Excellent organizational, documentation, and communication skills.
Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative, and cross-functional environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with biologics (e.g., antibodies or related modalities).
Experience with primary human cell systems or advanced in vitro models (e.g., organoids, microphysiological systems).
Familiarity with molecular biology and protein biochemistry techniques (e.g., qPCR, Western blotting, recombinant protein expression).
Experience supporting PK/PD assay development and analysis.
Prior experience working with or coordinating external CROs.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, optimize, and execute in vitro and ex vivo assays to support discovery and preclinical programs, including functional and phenotypic assays.
Perform medium-throughput ligand-binding and cell-based assays (e.g., ELISA, MSD, and reporter or proliferation assays) to characterize biological activity and support hit identification and lead optimization.
Develop and implement assays to evaluate pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) readouts from in vivo samples.
Generate custom engineered mammalian cell lines, culture and maintain primary cells, and apply these systems to biologically relevant assay development.
Analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental data to cross-functional teams to inform program decisions.
Troubleshoot experimental challenges and independently drive assay improvements to ensure robustness, reproducibility, and scalability.
Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams including Discovery, Protein Sciences and Computational Biology to advance program objectives.
Contribute to the design and sourcing of critical reagents (e.g., recombinant proteins, cell lines) as needed.
Coordinate with external vendors and CROs to support assay execution and sample analysis.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of experimental work in electronic lab notebooks and contribute to reports and presentations.
Contribute to a collaborative team environment, including sharing technical expertise and mentoring junior team members where appropriate.