AI Biologist - Proteomics

AI Biologist - Proteomics

Latch builds rigorous scientific benchmarks (benchmarks.bio http://benchmarks.bio) for AI agents across biology. We work with frontier labs and pharma to measure whether agents can handle real biological workflows: the messy, multi-layer reasoning that matters in the field.

We’re seeking an AI Biologist to join our Proteomics team, pushing what AI can achieve across proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics.

About the Role. You will be the scientific authority on ground truth, testing whether agents can reason like an expert mass spectrometrist. AI agents today struggle to interrogate raw mass spec data, separate real biological signal from artifacts of sample prep, instrument behavior, and processing, and reach conclusions an expert would stand behind. You will work with software engineers and scientists to build the tasks and datasets behind our proteomics benchmarks, and over time lipidomics and metabolomics. Your judgment will set the standard agent outputs are held to, including:

Build the task

• Define what expert reasoning looks like for a mass spec question, and write gold-standard answers with the rationale an experienced mass spectrometrist would defend

• Design realistic scenarios across the workflow: sample prep, acquisition, identification, quantification, and biological interpretation

• Curate mass spec datasets across proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics, alongside antibody-based and sequencing data where relevant

• Partner with software engineers to turn your judgment into new workflows

Set the hard calls

• Test whether agents can tell true biological signal from batch effects, contamination, poor identifications, or processing artifacts

• Adjudicate ambiguous results: decide what the data supports, what it doesn’t, and which experiment would settle the question

Judge the agent

• Interrogate agent reasoning step by step, and challenge conclusions that sound right but wouldn’t survive lab meeting or peer review

• Pinpoint where agents go wrong, what an expert would do instead, and what evidence would change the call

• Score agent confidence, rewarding explicit uncertainty over overconfident calls

Requirements

• PhD in proteomics, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field

• Hands-on mass spectrometry experience with first-hand data analysis and a publication record

• Mass spec experience beyond proteomics alone: lipidomics or metabolomics strongly preferred

• Strong command of experimental design and statistics

• AI-ready from day one: daily use of Claude, Cursor, or similar agents, with the judgment to spot where model reasoning is technically correct but scientifically unsound

• Confidence to overrule an AI agent when the evidence demands it, and the openness to update when shown wrong

• Bonus: protein sequencing or antibody experience

Culture @ Latch

How we work. We practice radical transparency: you’ll know how the company is doing, what’s working, and what isn’t. It’s always us against the problem, never each other. We’re respectfully opinionated, we respect each other’s time, and we think through possible solutions before we bring a problem to anyone. Most of the team arrives between 7 and 10am and leaves between 4 and 7pm. Nobody tracks when you’re in, but we give each other a heads-up on Slack when we’re running later than usual. We judge output, not time in a seat, and the only fixed meeting are a few pod check-ins per week. We use AI constantly, so we reward original expert judgment, not AI output passed off as your own. You’ll start on the bench that fits your expertise and can move across teams as you build a track record.

Outside of work. Company outings most months, team offsites, and a community that does cycling, soccer, figure skating, boxing, running, martial arts, music, books, and game nights.

Compensation & Logistics (US)

• Pay: $140K–$180K OTE, a mix of base & uncapped performance pay. Split varies by state.

• Performance pay is based on weekly quota attainment.

• If we pull you onto a special project, you’re paid full OTE for its duration.

• If the platform goes down, you’re paid full OTE for that day.

• Ramp: full OTE for your first 4 weeks while we onboard you into our workflows.

• Employment: full-time W-2

• Health, dental, vision: 100% covered for you, 50% for dependents

• 401(k) (no match)

• PTO: 12 days to start, more as you’re promoted

• Growth: promotions are based on output, not tenure, with OTE rising at each level.

• Location: remote, hybrid, or onsite in SF. Onsite is preferred: waterfront office in Mission Bay, catered lunch and dinner, unlimited snacks.

• Work authorization: we sponsor H-1B (incl. transfers), O-1, TN, and support STEM OPT.

Interview Process

Timeline: We move fast: no longer than 2 week interview process

• Apply

• Take-Home Project HackerRank

• Latch Intro - Talent Team

• Technical Interview - Member of Technical Staff

• Culture Interview - C-Suite

• Offer

• Background Check