Research Scientist, Synthetic Organic Chemistry

About us

We're reverse-engineering the origin of life — one of the great unsolved problems in science, and one we think AI finally makes tractable. Understanding this transition, from geochemistry to biochemistry, is what will let us orchestrate molecular networks and build systems that are more capable, adaptive, and efficient.

If we succeed, the applications are vast: catalysis, green synthesis, ab initio synthetic biology, programmable matter. Understanding and harnessing these processes could let ten billion of us thrive on this planet — and let life keep evolving beyond it.

We're a small, diverse team of AI engineers, computational scientists, and bench scientists. We hold ourselves to the rigor of a research institute, but we ship like an engineering firm. Global team, HQs in Cambridge, MA and London, UK.

The role

We're looking for a chemist who combines organic synthesis with strong analytical expertise. You'll synthesise biological molecules — including peptides, nucleic acid derivatives, and modified building blocks — and develop methods to understand how they behave in chemical and biochemical reactions.

Analytical method development is a central part of the role. You'll use chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify products, quantify reaction progress, and resolve complex mixtures. Working closely with our enzymologists and computational scientists, you'll help decide what to make, how to measure it, and what the results tell us about the underlying chemistry.

What you'll do

• Design and execute syntheses of biological molecules and their derivatives, optimising reaction conditions and purification strategies.

• Develop and troubleshoot LC-MS/MS methods, particularly triple-quadrupole methods for targeted quantification of substrates and products.

• Apply Orbitrap-based proteomics workflows to characterise peptides, proteins, and their modifications.

• Establish compound identity and purity using chromatography, NMR, and mass spectrometry.

• Work with experimental and computational colleagues to design assays, test proposed chemistry, and investigate unexpected results.

• Build reproducible synthetic and analytical workflows, with appropriate controls, calibration, and clear documentation.

Essential experience

We're interested in what you've made and measured, and how you approached the chemistry. We care about:

• Practical experience in organic synthesis of biological molecules, particularly peptides and/or nucleic acid derivatives.

• Strong analytical method development skills, including sample preparation, chromatographic separation, and quantitative mass spectrometry.

• Hands-on experience with triple-quadrupole LC-MS/MS and Orbitrap-based proteomics.

• The ability to independently troubleshoot synthetic and analytical problems, from poor reaction yields to ambiguous spectra or matrix effects.

• Sound scientific judgement about experimental design, data quality, and what your measurements can support.

Highly preferred

• Experience with solid-phase peptide or oligonucleotide synthesis, bioconjugation, or non-canonical building blocks.

• Familiarity with acoustic ejection technologies for sample handling or mass spectrometry.

• Experience developing high-throughput analytical workflows or integrating methods with laboratory automation.

• Experience characterising enzyme-catalysed reactions or working closely with chemical biologists and enzymologists.

Logistics

Compensation is highly competitive. We're also able to sponsor visas for the right candidate.