Terrana Biosciences, Inc Cambridge, MA ; Durham, NC ML​/AI Integration and Enablement Spe

ML/AI Integration and Enablement Specialist (Contract)

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Founded through Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, Terrana Biosciences is a cutting-edge agricultural biotechnology company developing innovative RNA-based products to address global agricultural challenges. We are committed to advancing sustainable farming solutions through precision technologies that ensure environmental safety and regulatory compliance.

THE ROLE

The ML/AI Integration and Enablement Specialist is responsible for driving innovation and execution at the intersection of science, ML/AI, and Software. The role requires a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership to develop, implement, and oversee cutting‑edge software, ML, and AI systems that promote and accelerate discovery and development within Terrana’s scientific teams. The position will serve as a bridge between technical specialists and scientific research groups, translating complex needs into scalable software and ML/AI solutions.

The ideal candidate will mentor team members, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and work closely with leadership to drive and align initiatives with Terrana’s strategic goals.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop a good working understanding of the science domain to identify opportunities where ML, AI, software, and data systems can significantly enhance team performance and scientific outcomes
• Develop and execute a comprehensive ML, AI and software integration strategy, identifying key challenges and defining measurable objectives for technology‑driven improvements
• Design, develop, deploy, and integrate ML, AI, and software tools and systems to automate and optimize the R&D pipeline and operations, transforming them into high throughput platforms
• Promote AI fluency and data‑driven decision‑making across the company through the selection and deployment of key tools and the associated technical mentorship

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 2+ years of experience in ML/AI software development, preferably in a biotech or life sciences environment
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or similar for developing scalable software solutions
• Hands‑on experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., Tensor Flow, PyTorch, Scikit‑learn) and data engineering pipelines
• Strong understanding of data structures, software architecture, and algorithmic optimization
• Familiarity with cloud computing, MLOps, and deployment environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
• Experience developing and maintaining APIs, databases, and automated data pipelines for scientific applications.
• Knowledge of bioinformatics tools, computational biology data formats, and workflows (FASTA/FASTQ, BLAST, RNA‑Seq, etc.)
• Proven track record of leading interdisciplinary projects involving research teams
• Excellent communication skills and ability to convey complex technical concepts to non‑technical audiences
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively

LOCATION: Cambridge, MA or Durham, NC

The pay range for this role is $52 - $72 per hour and the contractor will be employed by a third‑party staffing company. Certain employee benefits may be available to the contractor through the staffing company after meeting minimum criteria. Compensation and benefits information is based on Terrana Biosciences, Inc.’s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

We are an equal opportunity employer
. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification
. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.