Associate, Origination

THE ROLE

At Flagship Pioneering, we don’t wait for the future—we build it. Our origination model is like a startup foundry for breakthrough science and technology: we dream up bold ideas, pressure-test them fast, and launch entirely new ventures from scratch. Think of it as startup creation in extreme mode—where the whiteboard is blank, the questions are audacious, and the upside is industry-shaping.

We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative individual to join our interdisciplinary team. As an Origination Associate, you will contribute at the confluence of biomedical engineering, applied physics, devices and chemistry—what matters is curiosity, creativity, and the drive to turn bold ideas into reality. You’re excited not just to invent products, but to help create entirely new companies from the ground up.

The individual will ideate/research/refine novel venture hypotheses, develop the technical roadmap and business case and, and co-lead new company origination from the very early stage. A successful candidate will be a knowledgeable practitioner tuned into the latest developments in technical disciplines relevant to the life sciences, a strategic thinker with keen acumen on value creation in biotechnology driven by innovative engineering and computation, and an entrepreneur comfortable with technical and business uncertainty.

• Explore white spaces
  :
  Identify and investigate emerging frontiers in AI, computation, and technology that could unlock entirely new markets and industries
• Hypothesize & stress-test
  :
  Generate bold venture hypotheses, run rapid experiments (conceptual, computational, or prototype-driven), and rigorously pressure-test assumptions
• Design venture blueprints
  :
  Help translate early-stage concepts into venture designs—including technical thesis, product architecture, and potential go-to-market approaches
• Shape new companies
  :
  Contribute directly to the conception and launch of high-potential ventures, with a hands-on role in their earliest stages.
• Collaborate across disciplines
  :
  Work closely with scientists, engineers, product thinkers, and entrepreneurs to fuse technical insights with market potential
• Synthesize insights
  :
  Translate complex technical trends into clear, actionable insights for Flagship’s venture creation process
• Push the frontier
  :
  Stay ahead of emerging AI and tech advances, bringing creativity and critical thinking to areas others overlook

• Advanced degree (PhD or equivalent experience) in a technical, scientific, or quantitative field — particularly among engineering, applied physics, medical devices, chemistry, and related disciplines. We welcome diverse academic backgrounds that bring new ways of thinking
• 2+ years of experience in research, technology, startups, or other environments that demand both analytical rigor and creative problem-solving
• Demonstrated ability to build or develop technically challenging projects
  —whether in academia, industry, or entrepreneurial settings
• Comfort working across disciplines and rapidly learning unfamiliar technical domains
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling written narratives and presentations
• Proven ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving, entrepreneurial contexts
  ; able to prioritize, pivot, and push forward without a playbook
• Genuine passion for innovation, venture creation, and exploring uncharted technological spaces

LOCATION:

Cambridge, MA. This position is full-time, on-site.

Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies 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…