Scientist, Analytical Development

The Role

In this role, you will develop, optimize, and implement sequencing-based analytical methods supporting mRNA-based vaccines, therapeutics, and emerging nucleic-acid modalities at various stages within Analytical Development. You will apply strong molecular biology and sequencing expertise across next-generation sequencing (NGS), Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long-read sequencing, Illumina short-read sequencing, and related emerging technologies to characterize DNA, RNA, and mRNA products, assess critical quality attributes, confirm identity and sequence integrity, and detect product- and process-related impurities and variants. Success in this role requires hands-on scientific strength in assay and workflow development, a strong understanding of sequencing fundamentals and nucleic-acid sample preparation, effective partnership with Moderna bioinformatics, and cross-functional collaboration. You will own defined method-development workstreams, build robust and phase-appropriate analytical procedures, and help establish sequencing platform methods that can be leveraged across programs and ultimately transitioned into the broader analytical and Quality Control network.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, optimize, and execute sequencing-based analytical methods using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), Illumina, and other appropriate next-generation or long-read sequencing platforms for early- and clinical-stage DNA, RNA, and mRNA products.
• Develop fit-for-purpose sequencing methods to assess relevant product quality attributes, including identity, sequence confirmation, sequence integrity, impurity profiles, structural variants, transcript heterogeneity, and other attributes requiring nucleotide-level or molecule-level resolution.
• Translate product and control-strategy needs into phase-appropriate assay performance requirements, selecting appropriate sequencing modality, sample-preparation and library-preparation approaches, controls, reference materials, run designs, and analysis strategies for the intended use of the method.
• Systematically optimize critical assay parameters including nucleic-acid extraction and handling, reverse transcription or cDNA generation where applicable, PCR or targeted enrichment, library preparation, input amount, sequencing chemistry, run conditions, basecalling, and data-processing settings to achieve robust analytical performance.
• Apply Design of Experiments where appropriate to understand assay robustness, establish specificity, accuracy, precision, linearity, range, detection capability, and other relevant performance characteristics, and identify scientifically justified operating ranges and controls.
• Develop and implement ONT workflows including direct RNA sequencing, cDNA sequencing, targeted sequencing, and other long-read approaches, while evaluating complementary short-read methods when they provide meaningful analytical value.
• Generate high-quality sequencing datasets and partner closely with bioinformatics scientists to establish fit-for-purpose analysis pipelines, quality metrics, variant-calling or sequence-comparison approaches, data-review standards, and reporting strategies.
• Troubleshoot complex sequencing and molecular-biology challenges and investigate unexpected analytical observations by integrating wet-lab, sequencing, bioinformatics, and orthogonal analytical data to develop scientifically sound hypotheses and solutions.
• Drive platform implementation by identifying opportunities to standardize and reuse sequencing assays, library-preparation workflows, controls, and analysis approaches across related products and modalities, reducing unnecessary method proliferation and accelerating future program development.
• Partner closely with Analytical Product Leads (APLs), Analytical Sciences, Product Characterization, Process Development, Research, Manufacturing Sciences, and other CMC partners to connect sequencing-method development with product understanding, process-development needs, comparability assessments, and evolving analytical control strategies.
• Collaborate with Analytical Technical Operations, Analytical Sciences & Technology (AST), Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, and Bbioinformatics partners to support method pre-qualification, qualification or validation, technical transfer, downstream implementation, and regulatory documentation; author and review methods, protocols, development reports, SOPs, technical summaries, and supporting documentation.

Here’s What You’ll Need (Basic Qualifications)

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Genetics, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field with 0-2 years of relevant experience; or M.S. with 8+ years; or B.S./B.A. with 10+ years of relevant industry experience. Strong hands-on experience with next-generation sequencing technologies, including Illumina and/or Oxford Nanopore sequencing, together with molecular biology and nucleic-acid sample-preparation experience, is required.

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications)

• Strong scientific foundation in next-generation and long-read sequencing, including sequencing chemistry, read-generation principles, sources of bias and error, assay controls, run-quality metrics, and the practical factors that drive analytical method performance and robustness.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience developing and optimizing Illumina and/or Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing methods; experience with direct RNA, cDNA, targeted, amplicon, or other application-relevant sequencing workflows is highly desirable.
• Strong expertise in molecular biology techniques including RNA and DNA handling, nucleic-acid purification, reverse transcription, PCR/qPCR, cloning or amplification strategies where appropriate, and sequencing library preparation.
• Experience developing sequencing-based methods for identity testing, sequence confirmation, impurity characterization, structural-variant detection, transcript or construct characterization, and/or sequencing-enabled multi-attribute analytical approaches.
• Experience supporting analytical development for mRNA, RNA, plasmid DNA, nucleic-acid therapeutics, vaccines, gene-editing or gene-therapy materials, or other advanced therapeutic modalities is preferred.
• Working knowledge of bioinformatics and sequencing data analysis sufficient to partner effectively with computational scientists on basecalling, alignment, consensus generation, variant detection, quality metrics, data visualization, and fit-for-purpose reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and execute assay-development experiments, interpret complex molecular and sequencing data, troubleshoot technical issues, and make data-driven recommendations within defined scientific objectives.
• Understanding of phase-appropriate analytical development and method lifecycle principles, including method development, robustness assessment, pre-qualification or qualification, technical transfer, validation, continued performance monitoring, and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with science- and risk-based analytical development principles, including ICH Q14/Q2 concepts, analytical target profile or intended-use thinking, structured experimental design, and establishment of appropriate assay controls, acceptance criteria, and system- or run-suitability metrics.
• Experience developing platform methods or implementing standardized sequencing, molecular-biology, or data-analysis approaches across multiple products, programs, laboratories, or modalities is highly desirable.
• Experience with sequencing instrumentation and associated software ecosystems, laboratory automation, liquid handling, LIMS or sample-tracking systems, and automated or reproducible data-processing workflows is a plus.
• Strong scientific curiosity, written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across Analytical Development, Bioinformatics, Process Development, APL, AST, QC, QA, Regulatory Affairs, and other multidisciplinary teams while maintaining scientific rigor, data integrity, laboratory safety, and high-quality documentation.

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.That’s why our benefits and well-being resources are designed to support you-at 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 $109,200.00 - $174,600.00. 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 individual’s 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 modernatx.com/careers 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 person's 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 law. Moderna 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

We’re 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 [email protected].

Export Control Notice This position may involve access to technology or data that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such, employment is contingent upon the applicant’s ability to access export-controlled information in accordance with U.S. law. Due to the nature of the work and regulatory requirements, only individuals who qualify as U.S. persons (citizens, permanent residents, asylees, or refugees) are eligible for this position. For this role Moderna is unable to sponsor non-U.S. persons to apply for an export control license.

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