Senior Software Engineer

About Formation Bio

Formation Bio is a tech and AI driven pharma company differentiated by radically more efficient drug development. 

Advancements in AI and drug discovery are creating more candidate drugs than the industry can progress because of the high cost and time of clinical trials. Recognizing that this development bottleneck may ultimately limit the number of new medicines that can reach patients, Formation Bio, founded in 2016 as TrialSpark Inc., has built technology platforms, processes, and capabilities to accelerate all aspects of drug development and clinical trials. Formation Bio partners, acquires, or in-licenses drugs from pharma companies, research organizations, and biotechs to develop programs past clinical proof of concept and beyond, ultimately helping to bring new medicines to patients. The company is backed by investors across pharma and tech, including a16z, Sequoia, Sanofi, Thrive Capital, Sam Altman, John Doerr, Spark Capital, SV Angel Growth, and others. 

You can read more at the following links:

• Our Vision for AI in Pharma
• Our Current Drug Portfolio
• Our Technology & Platform

At Formation Bio, our values are the driving force behind our mission to revolutionize the pharma industry. Every team and individual at the company shares these same values, and every team and individual plays a key part in our mission to bring new treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.

About the Position

As a Senior Software Engineer you will be a major contributor to the tech future for FormationBio. This position will involve interacting with a wide variety of code, tools, and stakeholders. As we expand into an AI enabled world, we are ensuring our fundamentals are excellent, and this role will help bolster that effort. You will build tools that are used by our in-house experts, leveraging traditional automation, cutting edge LLM integrations, and everything in between. You will be an integral voice in product development and execution, leading the creation of innovative and solid software to accelerate the drug development process.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with engineers, product managers, and domain experts in the drug development field to design, build, and implement systems that will significantly enhance the capacity of teams to make strategic and operational drug development decisions swiftly and effectively. You’ll not only develop high-quality software but also help drive the strategic direction of our projects.

This position is ideal for the delivery-focused engineer who is passionate about leveraging technology for meaningful and impactful applications. Your expertise in software development will be instrumental in driving FormationBio’s mission to bring new treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of software solutions that leverage AI and LLM technologies in the strategic drug development process.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product managers and domain experts, to discover, build, and iterate on products and tools to empower our users.
• Ensure the scalability, security, and performance of our software systems in a cloud-based user-focused environment.
• Rapidly develop and iterate on product deliverables in alignment with strategic objectives in drug development.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends and advancements in AI, LLMs, and software development to continually enhance our product offerings.
• Act as an internal evangelist for use of AI and LLMs, providing expert guidance and insights to other teams within the organization.

About You

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in software development, with a demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguous and rapidly-changing environments, with a proven track record of contributing significantly to the successful launch and scaling of new and innovative products, especially in a 0-1 setting.
• Exceptional collaboration and communication skills to effectively engage and work alongside stakeholders from diverse disciplines and varying levels of technical expertise. Ideally, adept at translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for all audiences.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and the full end-to-end process of modern software deployment (e.g., containerization, CI/CD).
• Experience with AI technologies particularly in LLMs and machine learning is a plus, but not required.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry is a plus, but not required.

What You'll Do

• Engineer the Future: Lead the design, development, and deployment of cutting-edge software solutions using AI/LLM technologies to revolutionize decision-making in drug development.
• Collaborate to Innovate: Partner with cross-functional teams—product managers, engineers, and domain experts—to build and refine user-focused tools that truly empower.
• Own the Challenge: Ensure our software systems are scalable, secure, and built to perform seamlessly in a complex cloud environment.
• Prototype Fearlessly: Rapidly develop proofs-of-concept to test bold ideas and iterate toward transformative solutions.
• Stay Ahead: Harness emerging AI trends and advancements to drive the evolution of our product offerings.
• Champion Change: Act as an evangelist for AI and LLMs, inspiring teams across the organization to embrace their potential.

Who You Are

• Trailblazer: You hold a Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field—or equivalent experience—and thrive in ambiguous, fast-changing environments.
• Proven Builder: With 6+ years of software development experience, you’ve launched and scaled groundbreaking products, especially in 0-1 environments.
• AI Enthusiast: Expertise in AI technologies, particularly LLMs and machine learning, sets you apart.
• Cloud Savvy: You’re fluent in cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP) and modern deployment pipelines (containerization, CI/CD).
• Exceptional Communicator: You simplify the complex, delivering technical insights that resonate with everyone from engineers to executives.
• Pharma Curious: Experience in Biotech or Pharma is a bonus but not a dealbreaker—you’re ready to learn and make an impact.

Formation Bio is headquartered in New York City, with plans to build a larger team and presence in Boston. We are prioritizing hiring in these areas, with an expectation for NYC-based employees to work in the office at least two days per week. While our primary focus is on candidates in NYC (including the Tri-state Area) and Boston, we may consider remote candidates from specific geographies based on qualifications, skills, and business needs. We believe that in-person collaboration is essential for breaking down silos, fostering cross-functional teamwork, and embedding our company values into daily work. All employees located outside of the NYC Metro Area will be expected to travel to the NYC office at least four times per year for company events and team-specific meetings or activities.

Compensation:

Salary ranges are informed in part by geographic location, in addition to other factors. The target salary ranges for this role are: 

• NYC Metro Area, Boston Metro Area, SF Bay Area: $190,000 - $230,000
• All Other Eligible Remote Locations: $180,000 - $218,000

The ranges provided above include base salary only. In addition to base salary, we offer equity, generous perks, hybrid flexibility, and comprehensive benefits.

If this range doesn’t match your expectations, please still apply because we may have something else for you.

**Eligible Remote Locations:
Alabama (AL), Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Connecticut (CT), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Pennsylvania (PA), South Carolina (SC), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Virginia (VA), and Washington, D.C. (DC).

You will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

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