Apriori Bio: Protein Science Co-Op

Location: Cambridge, MA USA Department: Co-Ops & Internships

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.

Join Our Innovative Team at Apriori Bio!

Are you ready to be part of a pioneering biotech company on the frontline of developing solutions against rapidly evolving viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2? At Apriori Bio, we're creating a safer world through resilient vaccines and advanced antibody therapeutics using our cutting-edge Octavia™ platform.

About Flagship Pioneering

Apriori Bio was founded by 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 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 Co-Op Program

Welcome to the 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 learn 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 pioneers new ventures that change the world.

The Role

As a member of our protein science team, you’ll help turn computationally designed vaccine immunogens into well-characterized proteins. Our team produces antigens in multiple formats for antigen validation and in-vivo studies, and develops the assays used to characterize and functionally validate them.

We're Looking For

Highly motivated and enthusiastic co-op students for a six-month position, eager to dive into hands-on protein science.

Individuals with a background in biochemistry, molecular biology, or bioengineering and a desire to master protein expression, purification, and characterization.

What You'll Do

Express recombinant vaccine antigens and antibodies in mammalian expression systems, including small-scale transient transfection and scale-up.

Purify proteins using affinity and size-exclusion chromatography on ÄKTA systems.

Characterize protein quality and stability using SDS-PAGE, analytical SEC, and thermal stability methods such as DSF.

Contribute to the development and execution of binding and functional assays, including ELISA and bio-layer interferometry (BLI), to assess antigenicity against panels of monoclonal antibodies.

Document experiments in our electronic lab notebook (Benchling) and present results at team meetings.

Qualifications

Pursuing a BS or MS in Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, or a related field

Hands-on laboratory experience (coursework or research), such as SDS-PAGE, solution preparation, and accurate pipetting

Experience with mammalian cell culture and aseptic technique

Preferred: exposure to protein purification/chromatography or plate-based assays such as ELISA

Strong organizational, record-keeping, and communication skills

Why Join Us?

Be part of an inspiring mission to protect against viral threats globally.

Collaborate with a dynamic team of experimental and computational scientists.

Gain hands-on experience across the full path from computational antigen design to validated protein ready for in-vivo studies.

Develop a diverse skill set and gain unparalleled experience in cutting-edge research.

Embark on an exhilarating journey with Apriori Bio, where your contributions can transform the future of disease prevention. Are you ready to make a difference?

Our Values

We're guided by three core values, and we look for people who bring them to everything they do:

Agile mindset - we adapt quickly, stay curious, and move with our fast-evolving science.

Relentless drive – we're passionately dedicated to our mission and push to make the impossible possible.

Grit – we stay determined through hard problems and see the work through.

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 a venture that is 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-ter