Flagship Labs 111: Cell Biology Co-Op

This position is open exclusively to current Northeastern University Co-Op students.

Work Period: January 2027 to June 2027. This is a full - time, 40 hours per week position with 5 days in office.

Company Description   Flagship Labs 111 Inc. (FL111) is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology company pioneering a novel platform harnessing innovations in chemistry, computation, and data science to create new therapeutic modalities beyond traditional small molecules. FL111 is backed by Flagship Pioneering, bringing the courage, vision, and resources to guide FL111 from platform validation to patient impact. We are seeking collaborative, creative and relentless problem solvers that share our passion for impact to join us!

About Flagship Pioneering

Flagship Labs 111 is a product of Flagship Pioneering's venture creation engine 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 company’s 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  .

Flagship Pioneering Co-Op Program

Welcome to   Flagship Pioneering Co-Op Program for the cohort dreaming big and taking courageous leaps. You'll join fellow peers across our ecosystem of companies and learning firsthand how we build first-in-category companies. You’ll have access to  enrichment sessions , a  dedicated professional development track , and a  mentor that help guide you toward your next step. By the end, you will carry on a  meaningful project outcome , a  genuine network , and  a front-row view of how Flagship pioneer new ventures that change the world.

The Role

• Design and execute cell-based experiments characterizing novel heterobifunctional molecules in cancer cell models.
• Maintain, expand, and qualify a panel of cancer cell lines for ongoing studies.
• Plan and run compound treatment experiments, including concentration-response, time-course, and combination studies.
• Execute cell proliferation and viability assays to evaluate cellular response to treatment.
• Perform Western blotting, qPCR, ELISA, and other cell-based PD assays to assess target engagement, pathway modulation, and downstream molecular effects.
• Analyze data, generate figures and summaries, and interpret results against experimental hypotheses.
• Review results with the team; help identify follow-up experiments, controls, and troubleshooting steps.
• Develop, optimize, and document protocols to support reproducible execution across studies.
• Maintain complete, accurate records in an electronic lab notebook ( ELN) —  conditions, calculations, observations, deviations, raw data, and conclusions.
• Present findings to scientists and project teams; collaborate with biology and chemistry colleagues on experimental planning and molecule characterization.

Key Responsibilities

By the end of the co-op, you will have contributed to a reproducible experimental workflow generating decision-quality data, evidenced by:

• Cell lines consistently maintained and used with sound culture practice and documentation.
• PD datasets with appropriate vehicle and positive/negative controls, documented replicates, and fit-for-purpose data-quality checks.
• Clear analysis and interpretation of concentration-response and PD data.
• Protocols documented well enough for another scientist to reproduce.
• Complete, traceable ELN records from planning through analysis.
• Clear communication of findings, limitations, and recommended next steps.
• Growing independence in design, execution, troubleshooting, and interpretation.

Qualifications

Required

• Pursuing a BS or MS in Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, or related field.
• Hands-on mammalian cell culture experience, ideally with cancer cell lines.
• Experience running controlled cell-based experiments with small-molecule compound treatment.
• Hands-on experience with at least one of: Western blotting, qPCR, ELISA, cell proliferation/viability assays.
• Working knowledge of experimental controls, replicates, dilution calculations, and basic quantitative analysis.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to reproducible, high-quality data.
• Ability to follow and write   protocols, and   maintain accurate documentation.
• Ability to work independently at the bench while flagging observations, unexpected results, and uncertainties promptly.
• Strong organizational and communication skills; comfortable in a multidisciplinary research environment.

Preferred

• Prior industry, academic, or co-op experience with cancer cell models.
• Experience with concentration-response and time-course experiments.
• Experience generating and interpreting dose-response curves and PD datasets.
• GraphPad Prism or similar software experience.
• Familiarity with oncology drug discovery, targeted therapies, or heterobifunctional molecules.
• Experience troubleshooting and optimizing cell-based assays.

What We Offer

• Build alongside founders. You’ll work inside the same hypothesis-driven process Flagship uses to conceive and launch first-in-category companies.
• This can be the start of a longer story. Strong co-ops are considered for future opportunities across Flagship and its portfolio companies, not just for this one role.
• Work alongside people who left the safe path . Your colleagues are scientists, engineers, and operators who chose to build something new rather than join something already established.
• Take on real ownership. You're contributing to ventures that are still being defined. Your work can shape real decisions, not just support them.
• Be paid like the contributor you are. Compensation reflects the real work you take on.

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 FL111'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 View email address on job-boards.greenhouse.io.

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 FL111'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 View email address on job-boards.greenhouse.io.