Description

Glycobiology & Mass Spectrometry Scientist

Laboratory Head — Founding Scientific Role

Company: Zolexeon, Inc. - early-stage clinical glycoproteomics diagnostics

Location: Billerica, MA (on-site)

Start Date: Immediate

Employment Type: Full-time

Compensation: Competitive base salary + benefits + early-stage equity

Zolexeon: Pioneering Precision Glycomics at Clinical Scale
Glycosylation is arguably the most information-rich post-translational protein modification in human biology — yet, the diagnostics world has been largely asleep at the wheel. Most of the field still treats glycan structures as too complex, too variable, or too difficult to measure at clinical scale. We think that’s an outdated assumption, and Zolexeon is set to prove it.

Zolexeon is building the GlycoTyper™ platform—a cutting-edge, high-throughput clinical glycoproteomics engine that integrates next-gen MALDI-MS, liquid-handling automation, and machine learning to decode disease-specific glycan and glycoprotein structures and profiles directly from human clinical specimens. We’re translating this into clinically validated diagnostic tests for serious diseases where protein glycosylation patterns carry uniquely powerful diagnostic and prognostic signals that Zolexeon’s innovative platform detects and will leverage at scale.

Building on this advanced platform and on highly promising pilot results, our current pipeline targets cancer and autoimmune diagnostics, supported by collaborations with leading academic biobanks, clinical key-opinion-leaders, and with first-line access to today’s most advanced MALDI technology. We operate from a dedicated laboratory in Billerica, MA, with next-generation MALDI instrumentation and established infrastructure.

Your Mission/The Role
We’re hiring a founding laboratory scientist to lead bench-level MS and glycobiology work at Zolexeon. To be clear: this is not a narrow, pigeon-hole specialist position where someone hands you an SOP and asks you to process samples. This is a vital scientific leadership role in which you’ll drive the development of our core analytical platform from sample preparation through data output. You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with company leadership to turn prototype assays into bullet-proof reproducible, high-throughput clinical workflows.

This role is built for a PhD-level mass spectrometrist with strong protein biochemistry fundamentals who wants the authority, messiness, and upside of building something from the ground up — someone who embraces meaningful work and thrives in both academic and industry settings, is comfortable with early-stage ambiguity, and sees the chance to shape a laboratory, a platform, and a company as a rare and exciting scientific opportunity.

The Day-to-Day / What You’ll Actually Be Doing

• MALDI-MS Workflow Development: Design, optimize, and validate high-throughput, high specificity, and high-sensitivity MALDI-MS acquisition workflows for glycan and glycoprotein biomarker detection from human serum, plasma, and urine specimens.
• Sample Preparation & Glycochemistry: Develop and standardize protocols for glycan release (PNGase F, chemical cleavage), derivatization, enrichment, and purification, optimized for clinical-grade reproducibility.
• Automation & Throughput Engineering: Implement and optimize liquid-handling automation (96/384-well plate workflows) to achieve the throughput and reproducibility required for clinical sample processing.
• Data Processing & QC: Build downstream data processing pipelines for spectral QC, feature extraction, normalization, and reporting. You'll seamlessly fuse your MS data with bioinformatics and ML stacks developed by the wider team.
• SOPs & Regulatory Documentation: Author SOPs, validation protocols, and documentation meeting diagnostics-grade standards (CLIA/CAP framework) in anticipation of laboratory certification.
• Translational Assay Development: Drive clinical validation studies from analytical validation through early clinical concordance testing, partnering with our clinical and biostatistical allies.
• Laboratory Operations: Manage instrument uptime, consumables, vendor relationships, and laboratory safety in a BSL-2 environment. As the primary laboratory scientist, you’ll run day-to-day operations.
• Scientific Strategy: Contribute to experimental design, help write grants and manuscripts, and be a voice for Zolexeon at conferences.

Requirements

What We’re Looking For
The Non-Negotiables:

• PhD in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, mass spectrometry, glycobiology, or a closely related discipline.
•  3+ years of hands-on experience with MALDI-MS or high-resolution MS platforms in a research or clinical laboratory setting.
•  Strong protein/glycoprotein biochemistry skills — comfortable with enzymatic digestion, target protein purification, sample prep optimization, derivatization, and analytical troubleshooting
•  Experience with laboratory automation/liquid-handling platforms
•  Proficiency in Python, R, or similar tools for MS data processing and statistical analysis
•  Demonstrated ability to work independently, document rigorously, and manage multiple concurrent workflows
•  Track record of first-author or co-first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals

Desirable, not essential:

• Direct experience with glycan or glycoprotein mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF, ESI-MS/MS, or LC-MS glyco-profiling)
• Background in clinical assay development, diagnostics, or CLIA/CAP lab operations
• Familiarity with MALDI-TOF platforms used in high-throughput or clinical settings
• Experience in a startup environment with comfort managing ambiguity and wearing multiple hats
• Prior experience mentoring junior scientists or managing laboratory teams

What You Get

• Founding scientific role in a ground-breaking health care company.
• Access to next-generation MALDI instrumentation and a fully equipped BSL-2 laboratory facility.
• Cutting-edge translational science at the intersection of glycobiology, clinical proteomics, and precision diagnostics.
• Publication and visibility: Zolexeon values scientific communication — you will be encouraged to publish and present your work.
• Competitive base salary, medical/dental/vision benefits, PTO, and paid holidays.
• Meaningful equity participation commensurate with the early-stage risk and your contribution.
• Career trajectory: as Zolexeon scales, this role is positioned to grow into a senior level laboratory leadership position.

Why This Role, Why Now
Glycoproteomics is entering a translational inflection point. The analytical tools, automation platforms, and computational methods are finally converging to make glycan-level diagnostics feasible at clinical scale. That convergence doesn’t come around often, and Zolexeon is purpose-built to move on it.

If you’re a mass spectrometrist who’s ready to stop servicing other people’s projects and start driving the science that defines a company — we’d like to talk.

How to Apply
Send a brief note of interest and your CV to [email protected]. No need for a lengthy cover letter — just tell us who you are and what drew you to this.

Zolexeon, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We enthusiastically welcome candidates from all backgrounds and are especially interested in “bent arrow” scientists whose career paths—just like ours—don’t follow a single straight line.