Description

The Role: 

We are seeking a highly innovative and motivated Senior Scientist to join Generate’s Prototyping Lab. This group operates at the crossroads of synthetic biology (DNA library design and ultra–high-throughput screening technologies) and machine learning, building groundbreaking biological and biochemical workflows that power large-scale data generation.

We are looking for a candidate with a strong record of achievement in experimental synthetic biology, ideally complemented by expertise in computational modeling and/or statistical analysis. This role will focus on conceiving and executing next-generation pooled functional screening strategies, enabling the interrogation of hundreds of thousands of protein variants in a single experiment.

You will thrive in a world-class environment for technology development, working collaboratively with Generate’s Protein Sciences and Machine Learning teams to design approaches that maximize the informational and quantitative yield of our experiments. This is a rare opportunity to lead highly original technology development with significant intellectual freedom, while benefiting from the collaborative, cutting-edge atmosphere of a well-funded biotech startup.

This role is onsite at our Somerville, MA location, Monday through Friday.

Here's how you will contribute:

Partner with Synthetic Biology, Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, and Mass Spectrometry teams to design and implement state-of-the-art pooled experiments.
Apply pooled protein display technologies for screening applications—from conceptualization and experimental design through execution and data analysis.
Collaborate with Protein Sciences colleagues to identify optimal assay formats and analytical frameworks, ensuring smooth technology transfer into project teams.
Generate bold, creative, and unconventional experimental ideas, delivering robust data packages to support intellectual property filings.
Communicate results and insights effectively within cross-functional teams, incorporating feedback with strong scientific presentation and writing skills.
Ground experimental plans with theoretical analyses, modeling, and critical review of relevant literature.

Requirements

The Ideal Candidate will have:

PhD with 4+ years of experience, or BSc/MSc with 10+ years, in a relevant discipline (synthetic/systems biology, (bio)physics, biomedical engineering, or related fields).
Demonstrated expertise in designing and executing pooled protein binding and functional assays, ideally spanning both in vitro and cell-based systems.
Proficiency with pooled DNA library design/construction and NGS-based enrichment screening methods.
Familiarity with recombinant protein library purification, liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry-based proteomics sample preparation is a plus.
Comfort analyzing complex datasets, including writing custom scripts in Python (or similar), and familiarity with modern AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., Cursor, LLM-based platforms).
Strong quantitative mindset, with demonstrated scientific intuition and rigor.
Proven ability to drive applied biology projects from conception through completion.
Self-motivated, intellectually curious, and eager to both learn from and mentor colleagues.
Who will love this job:

Creative scientists who are passionate about building next-generation experimental platforms.
Biologists who excel at working synergistically with computational partners to solve ambitious problems.