Empress: Genomics Co-Op

Job description

About Empress Empress is pioneering mechanistic intelligence for drug discovery — helping R&D teams understand what their molecules are doing, what is driving activity, what liabilities may emerge, and which candidates are best positioned to advance. By integrating multi-omics, chemoproteomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, computational inference, knowledge graphs, and CRISPR-based functional validation, Empress turns biological complexity into clearer development decisions. Our platform gives discovery teams access to capabilities that would otherwise require years, specialized infrastructure, and rare cross-functional expertise to build internally. Empress is a privately held biotech conceived by Flagship Pioneering, which brings the courage, long-term vision, and resources needed to realize unreasonable results. The Role We're looking for a Co-op to join our Genomics team and contribute to the development of Empress's Integromyx and Perturb-seq platforms. This is a real opportunity to do meaningful bench work. You'll design and execute molecular cloning workflows, maintain mammalian cell cultures, and apply qRT-PCR for transcriptional profiling, with the potential to get hands-on with CRISPR-Cas9 cell line engineering. You'll work as part of a cross-functional team where your contributions matter from day one. We're looking for someone who is curious, detail-oriented, and excited to develop their skills in a fast-moving environment. Key Responsibilities • Design, generate, and validate plasmids using Golden Gate cloning and other synthetic biology methodologies • Maintain mammalian cell cultures; perform transductions, transfections, and routine cell culture husbandry • Produce lentiviral vectors to support cell line engineering workflows • Apply qPCR/qRT-PCR and other molecular biology techniques to support research objectives • Contribute to CRISPR-Cas9-based mammalian cell line engineering experiments • Present findings in team and cross-functional meetings; maintain meticulous electronic lab notebook records Basic Qualifications • Currently enrolled in a B.S. or M.S. program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, or a related field • Coursework or hands-on laboratory experience in molecular biology, nucleic acid manipulation, or synthetic biology Preferred Qualifications • NGS sample preparation experience, including Illumina and/or Oxford Nanopore platforms • Familiarity with R, Python, or strong interest in learning informatics tools • Interest in lab automation instrumentation • Prior experience with mammalian cell culture About Flagship Pioneering Flagship Pioneering is a bioplatform innovation company that invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health or sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in more than $90 billion in aggregate value. Many of the companies Flagship has founded 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 positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Learn more about Flagship at www.flagshippioneering.com. Flagship Pioneering is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. The pay range for this role is $25 - $35 per hour. This role is a short-term engagement that is not eligible for health and welfare benefits. Retirement benefits may be available after completing a set number of hours. Compensation and benefits information is based on Empress's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future. Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact [email protected].