Sr. Scientist, Antibody Discovery and Engineering

The Role

Moderna is seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join the Antibody Discovery team within Therapeutics Research. Therapeutics Research generates innovative therapeutic concepts and advances them from early scientific idea through First-in-Human studies. The Antibody Discovery team plays a central role in discovering engineering and optimizing antibody-based therapeutic molecules that enable new treatment strategies across Modernas therapeutic pipeline.

This Senior Scientist will be a hands-on scientific contributor focused on protein and antibody engineering with particular emphasis on yeast display-based discovery and optimization. The role will contribute to antibody discovery programs across oncology and autoimmune disease applying experimental protein engineering from library and construct design through selection characterization optimization and lead identification.

The successful candidate will bring strong expertise in antibody/protein engineering molecular biology yeast display library design and experimental characterization. This individual will work closely with protein design computational biology structural biology antigen design and project teams to translate design hypotheses and computational outputs into experimentally testable molecules and libraries and to use experimental data to guide iterative design-build-test-learn cycles.

This is a hands-on scientific role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced innovative and highly collaborative environment. The Senior Scientist will independently design and execute complex experiments lead experimental workstreams within discovery programs contribute to scientific strategy and problem solving and help advance differentiated antibody-based therapeutics toward lead nomination.

Heres What Youll Do

• Contribute to integrated antibody discovery and engineering campaigns with primary responsibility for experimental protein and antibody engineering workstreams from design and library strategy through selection characterization optimization and lead identification.

• Design build and execute yeast surface display workflows for antibody discovery and engineering including library design and construction FACS-based selections affinity maturation specificity and cross-reactivity optimization and multi-parameter lead enrichment.

• Partner closely with computational protein design bioinformatics structural biology and antigen design teams to translate in silico designs sequence/structure hypotheses and model predictions into experimentally testable constructs or libraries and to use experimental results to inform subsequent design cycles.

• Apply molecular biology and protein engineering approaches including cloning mutagenesis sequence analysis construct design format conversion expression and purification across IgG Fab scFv VHH bispecific/multispecific T cell engager TCR engager CAR-related and other therapeutic formats.

• Characterize engineered candidates using biochemical biophysical display-based and functional assays to assess binding affinity specificity epitope diversity expression stability developability potency and mechanism of action as appropriate.

• Analyze yeast-display selection data sequence and NGS datasets and orthogonal characterization data to identify structure-function relationships nominate follow-up variants and support data-driven lead selection.

• Independently formulate hypotheses design complex experiments troubleshoot technical challenges and adapt experimental approaches to address critical program questions and scientific risks.

• Evaluate and implement new antibody/protein engineering methods display technologies and analysis approaches that can strengthen discovery quality throughput or molecular optimization.

• Communicate experimental plans results and recommendations clearly to cross-functional scientific teams and contribute to technical reports project updates and presentations.

• Coordinate effectively with internal collaborators and external partners and provide scientific guidance or mentorship to research associates or junior colleagues as appropriate.

Heres What Youll Need (Basic Qualifications)

• PhD in protein engineering molecular biology biochemistry immunology cancer biology or a related discipline with 2 years of relevant post-PhD industry experience in antibody discovery protein engineering antibody engineering or biologics discovery.

• Strong hands-on experience with yeast surface display for antibody or protein engineering including library design/construction FACS-based screening or selection affinity maturation and/or specificity optimization.

• Strong technical foundation in antibody/protein structure-function relationships and the application of engineering approaches to improve binding specificity stability expression developability or molecular format.

• Demonstrated experience collaborating with computational protein design bioinformatics structural biology or related teams to translate computational/design hypotheses into experimental constructs or libraries and to provide experimental feedback that informs iterative design.

• Strong molecular biology and protein engineering skills including cloning mutagenesis library construction sequence analysis expression construct design protein/antibody expression purification and analytical characterization.

• Experience analyzing sequence-rich datasets generated from display selections or screening campaigns; familiarity with NGS-based library or repertoire analysis is strongly valued.

• Experience with antibody/protein characterization methods such as affinity determination epitope binning competition assays specificity profiling developability assessment Biacore Carterra Octet ELISA MSD flow cytometry or related technologies.

• Demonstrated ability to independently design execute interpret and troubleshoot complex experiments and to draw clear conclusions and next steps from multidisciplinary datasets.

• Experience working effectively across multidisciplinary teams and integrating experimental results with structural computational biochemical and/or functional data.

• Ability to contribute to multiple projects simultaneously coordinate experimental priorities and timelines and communicate scientific risks tradeoffs and recommendations to project stakeholders.

• Excellent analytical organizational written oral and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to present complex scientific findings clearly to diverse scientific audiences.

• Collaborative proactive resourceful approach to working in a fast-paced cross-functional matrixed research environment.

Heres What Youll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications)

• Additional experience with advanced yeast or mammalian display approaches including focused or combinatorial library design deep sequencing multiplexed selections or high-throughput variant characterization.

• Experience working in iterative computational/experimental protein design workflows including structure-guided design de novo protein or binder design AI/ML-enabled design tools or developability prediction platforms.

• Experience engineering advanced antibody-based therapeutic formats such as T cell engagers TCR engagers bispecific or multispecific antibodies ADCs CAR-T or CAR-NK-related formats or other non-canonical architectures.

• Experience with immunization-based or B cell-based antibody discovery including antigen strategy single-cell screening sequence recovery or repertoire analysis.

• Familiarity with functional cell-based assays immune-cell biology primary-cell assays or immune-cell redirecting therapeutic mechanisms.

• Experience applying antibody or protein engineering approaches across oncology autoimmune infectious disease or other therapeutically relevant areas.

• Track record of scientific impact through therapeutic discovery programs publications patents presentations implementation of new engineering technologies or mentorship of junior scientists.

• A desire to make an impact as part of a high-growth transformational company that is Bold Relentless Curious and Collaborative.

Our Working Model

As we build our company we have always believed that an in-person culture is critical to our success. This role is 100% onsite reflecting the importance of being physically present to support the work collaborate closely with colleagues and contribute to our site-based operations.

Working onsite enables real-time collaboration strong team connections direct mentorship and the hands-on partnership needed to deliver our mission. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn contribute and make a meaningful impact.

Moderna is a smoke-free alcohol-free and drug-free work environment.

Pay & Benefits

At Moderna we believe that when you feel your best you can do your best work. Thats why our benefits and well-being resources are designed to support youat work at home and everywhere in between.

• Competitive healthcare plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs
• A holistic approach to well-being with access to fitness mindfulness and mental health support
• Family planning benefits including fertility adoption and surrogacy support
• Generous paid time off including vacation volunteer days sabbatical global recharge days and a discretionary year-end shutdown
• Savings and investments to help you plan for the future
• Location-specific perks and extras

The salary range for this role is $130800.00 - $209400.00. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An individuals position within the salary range will be based on several factors including but not limited to specific competencies relevant education qualifications certifications experience skills performance and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus other incentive compensation or equity award subject to company plan eligibility criteria and individual performance.

About Moderna

Since our founding in 2010 we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered and a world-class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world.

By living our mission values and mindsets every day our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients our employees the environment and our communities.

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators and a Great Place to Work in the U.S.

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine we invite you to visit to learn more about our current opportunities.

Equal Opportunities

Moderna is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a persons race color sex gender identity or expression age religion national origin ancestry or citizenship ethnicity disability military or protected veteran status genetic information sexual orientation marital or familial status or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable is a place where everyone can grow. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for the role and you would be excited to contribute to our mission every day please apply!

Moderna is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories consistent with legal requirements.

Accommodations

Were focused on attracting retaining developing and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences backgrounds and ideas we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best.

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations team at .

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