Field Applications Scientist - mRNA-LNP Optical Instrumentation

Marama Labs • Boston, MA

4d

About The Position

Marama Labs has established a strong initial base of lighthouse customers in the Boston RNA ecosystem after only a short period in the market. We anticipate significant growth in our US customer base throughout 2026.
The Field Applications Scientist (FAS) role — our first full-time hire in the United States — will be central to the success of Marama Labs’ US expansion. This is a foundational, early-stage role. You will be building processes, not inheriting them, and operating with a high degree of autonomy.
The FAS will be responsible for driving customer success and advocacy while providing deep technical expertise across pre- and post-sales activities. You will operate at the intersection of customers, sales, and product development, i.e. owning technical evaluations, influencing commercial outcomes, and acting as a critical conduit between the US market and Marama Labs’ global technical teams.
This is not a reactive support role. Success will require comfort with ambiguity, commercial urgency, incomplete information, and rapid iteration as both the product and US footprint scale.
This role is based in Boston. Travel across North America is expected (up to ~30% in the first 12 months, with variability depending on customer and commercial needs). The role reports to the North American Commercial Lead.

Requirements

• Minimum MS (PhD preferred) with 3+ years of relevant industry experience, or BS/BA with 5+ years of experience in Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Engineering, or a related field.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in LNP formulation development or 3+ years as a Field Applications Scientist supporting analytical instrumentation in the RNA-LNP space.
• Deep understanding of analytical instrumentation and nanoparticle characterisation techniques (e.g. UV-Vis, HPLC, LC-MS, DLS, CE).
• Experience with analytical assay development, experimental design, and statistical analysis (e.g. precision, bias, linearity).
• Strong understanding of end-to-end RNA-LNP therapeutic development workflows.
• Proven ability to independently troubleshoot complex technical problems in customer environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage credibly with senior scientific and technical stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills and comfort managing multiple parallel customer engagements.
• Experience analysing and presenting experimental data using tools such as Excel or GraphPad.
• Comfort working without established SOPs and adapting quickly as tools, processes, and priorities evolve.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting spectroscopy and light-scattering instrumentation (e.g. DLS, UV-Vis, nanoparticle tracking).
• Ability to analyse data using scripting or analytical languages (Python, R, MATLAB).
• Experience with LNP characterisation assays (e.g. RiboGreen, ELISA, BCA, gel electrophoresis).
• Existing professional network within the Boston RNA-LNP development ecosystem.
• Experience operating instrumentation in GMP environments and familiarity with relevant regulatory requirements (e.g. 21 CFR Part 11).

Responsibilities

• Operate as the technical owner of customer engagements in the US, partnering closely with sales while independently driving technical strategy, execution, and outcomes.
• Coordinate and execute field visits, on-site and virtual demonstrations, and technical discussions that directly support commercial decision-making.
• Own the end-to-end process of product evaluations, including experimental planning, instrument installation, customer training, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
• Translate technical results into clear, credible value propositions that support instrument acquisition decisions.
• Provide high-quality scientific and technical support to customers through on-site and remote engagement, ensuring long-term success with Marama Labs products.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with customers through proactive communication, rapid issue resolution, and trusted technical guidance.
• Develop and maintain deep, up-to-date understanding of customer workflows and applications in RNA-LNP characterisation; communicate emerging use cases, challenges, and insights internally.
• Act as the voice of the customer, relaying structured feedback to product and engineering teams to inform roadmap priorities and product improvements.
• Own the creation, iteration, and field-validation of technical documentation including application notes, protocols, training materials, and presentations.
• Participate in testing, validating, and promoting new software releases and product features in real customer environments.
• Represent Marama Labs at conferences, trade shows, workshops, and webinars.
• Define, implement, and continuously improve US-specific FAS workflows, recognising that many processes will initially be undefined.
• Perform backend administrative tasks including customer communication, CRM updates and inventory management.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and employee share options
• Opportunity for travel and deep engagement with leading biopharma organisations
• Work closely with globally recognised scientists and engineers
• Experience the reality — both the challenge and the reward — of working in a fast-paced, high-quality deep-tech startup environment

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level