Senior Machine Learning Scientist

📋 Description

• • Shape the future of therapeutic discovery. At Matterworks, we are building AI tools that extract actionable insights from the ever-growing corpora of biological data, unlocking opportunities across therapeutic discovery, development, and manufacturing. Our mission is to transform raw mass-spectrometry signals into predictive models of phenotype and behavior for biological systems, enabling scientists to make faster, more confident decisions.
• • Own and evolve our Large Spectral Model. As a Senior Machine Learning Scientist you will be a core contributor to our flagship deep-learning system. You will design, adapt, and optimize neural-network architectures that interpret complex, high-resolution mass-spectrometry data at scale. From convolutional encoders that learn subtle isotopic patterns to transformer-based decoders that predict molecular structure, you will push the boundaries of what is possible with spectral data.
• • Drive projects end-to-end. You will own significant model components and shepherd them from white-board sketches to production inference. Responsibilities include experiment design, data curation, model training, rigorous evaluation, and iterative refinement based on wet-lab feedback. Expect rapid iteration cycles—weekly model releases are the norm, not the exception.
• • Write high-velocity, high-quality code. We measure iteration velocity in hours, not weeks. You will author clean, well-tested PyTorch modules and NumPy utilities that enable reproducible research and seamless hand-off to MLOps. Code reviews are daily rituals; unit tests and type hints are non-negotiable.
• • Pioneer research at the intersection of AI and chemistry. Stay abreast of the latest advances in deep learning (graph neural networks, diffusion models, foundation models) and translate them into novel applications for spectral analysis, structure prediction, and molecular representation learning. You will publish findings at top-tier venues such as NeurIPS, ICML, or ACS journals and file patents where appropriate.
• • Collaborate across disciplines. Work shoulder-to-shoulder with analytical chemists who generate the data, software engineers who build the data platform, and product managers who translate model outputs into user-facing features. You will present results to both technical and non-technical audiences, ensuring that insights are actionable and interpretable.
• • Optimize for real-world impact. Your models will directly influence drug-discovery pipelines, bioprocess optimization, and quality-control workflows. You will monitor performance in production, design active-learning loops to capture edge cases, and continuously retrain to maintain state-of-the-art accuracy.
• • Champion best practices. Establish internal benchmarks, model cards, and documentation standards that accelerate onboarding and ensure scientific rigor. Mentor junior scientists and interns, fostering a culture of curiosity, craftsmanship, and ethical AI.
• • Embrace flexibility. Matterworks operates in a hybrid model that accommodates fully remote team members as well as those who prefer our Somerville, MA office. While occasional synchronous collaboration is expected, asynchronous workflows and flexible hours are the default.
• • Thrive in a mission-driven environment. Every line of code you write contributes to therapies that reach patients faster and more safely. You will see your work cited in regulatory filings, peer-reviewed publications, and investor briefings—tangible proof that AI can accelerate life-saving innovation.