Director, Head of Product Development
About The Position
Flagship Labs 103, Inc. (FL103) is an early-stage company developing advanced molecular technologies for early disease detection using minimally invasive biospecimens. They aim to enable earlier disease detection, longitudinal disease monitoring, and improved patient stratification across oncology, neurodegenerative disease, and other major disease areas. FL103 was founded by Flagship Pioneering, an innovation enterprise focused on creating companies with breakthrough technologies. This role is a foundational position to translate early assay and biological discoveries into robust, scalable, and clinically meaningful diagnostic assays. The individual will drive the development and optimization of highly multiplexed molecular assays for plasma-based applications, focusing on improving assay sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and analytical performance. The role requires deep expertise in translational assay development within molecular diagnostics, liquid biopsy, or advanced biomarker platforms, and the ability to convert complex biological signals into deployable diagnostic workflows. The ideal candidate will thrive in collaborative, fast-moving environments and act as a player-coach, remaining close to the science while building and mentoring a growing product development organization. This is an opportunity to join a Flagship-founded company at its earliest stages and help build a transformational diagnostic platform.
Requirements
- PhD in Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or related field
- 10+ years of industry experience, with significant experience developing and optimizing molecular diagnostic or liquid biopsy assays
- Proven experience translating early-stage biological discoveries into robust, deployable assay workflows
- Deep expertise in one or more of the following: Highly multiplexed molecular assays, Proximity-based assay technologies, qPCR and/or NGS-based assay readouts, Liquid biopsy and plasma-based diagnostics, Protein and/or RNA biomarker detection, Ultra-sensitive molecular detection platforms
- Demonstrated experience improving assay reproducibility, sensitivity, specificity, and analytical robustness in complex biological samples
- Experience developing assays intended for clinical studies, translational programs, CLIA/LDT environments, or diagnostic applications
- Strong understanding of assay validation, analytical performance metrics, and product development workflows
- Experience operating in highly cross-functional environments spanning biology, chemistry, automation, translational science, and computational teams
- Prior experience building and mentoring scientific teams in high-growth biotech or diagnostics organizations
- Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving startup environments
- Strong organizational skills, scientific rigor, and problem-solving capabilities
Nice To Haves
- Experience with extracellular vesicle biology or advanced cell-resolved diagnostics is a plus but not required
Responsibilities
- Lead development and optimization of highly multiplexed molecular assays for plasma-based applications
- Translate early biological and assay signals into robust, reproducible, and clinically meaningful diagnostic outputs
- Identify and resolve sources of technical variability, assay artifacts, and background signal
- Drive improvements in assay sensitivity, specificity, multiplexing performance, and reproducibility
- Develop analytical workflows, assay QC frameworks, and validation strategies to support future clinical deployment
- Help establish scalable assay development pipelines and best practices across product development activities
- Partner closely with platform and discovery teams to prioritize and advance clinically actionable programs
- Support development of assays across multiple disease areas including oncology and neurodegenerative diseases
- Build the technical and operational foundation for future CLIA/LDT deployment and clinical validation activities
- Collaborate cross-functionally with computational, clinical, automation, and external partner teams to advance product readiness
- Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing assay and product development team
- Operate as a highly engaged player-coach, contributing directly to experimental design, troubleshooting, and assay strategy
- Foster a culture of scientific rigor, operational excellence, adaptability, and mission-driven execution
- Help introduce structure and prioritization into a fast-moving, innovation-driven startup environment
- Interface with external collaborators, CROs, diagnostic partners, and technology vendors to accelerate assay development
- Collaborate closely with founders, Flagship leadership, and internal business functions to align technical execution with company strategy
- Contribute technical expertise and product development insight in discussions with current and future partners
Benefits
- healthcare coverage
- annual incentive program
- retirement benefits
- a broad range of other benefits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
