Principal Scientist, Process Development (Expression Systems)

About the role

Moderna is seeking an Individual to lead host strain, vector, and expression system strategy for E. coli-based production of recombinant enzymes, plasmids, and related biological materials supporting Moderna’s technology platforms and pipeline programs.

Responsibilities

• Own the strategy for E. coli host strain, vector, and expression-system for recombinant enzymes, plasmids, and related biological materials.
• Design and execute screening cascades that identify production candidates with strong titer, yield, quality, genetic stability, robustness, and process-development potential.
• Define stage-appropriate decision criteria for host/vector selection, expression tuning, induction strategy, plasmid stability, growth, product quality, and manufacturability.
• Develop and optimize small-scale and high-throughput screening workflows, including shake flask, deep-well plate, ambr, or other scale-down systems where appropriate.
• Evaluate host strains, promoters, ribosome binding sites, copy number, plasmid architecture, induction systems, codon/design strategies, secretion or localization strategies where relevant, and expression timing.
• Use DOE and data-driven approaches to improve screening throughput, predictiveness, reproducibility, and translation to bioreactor performance.
• Lead or support strain and vector engineering to improve expression performance, stability, productivity, robustness, and manufacturability.
• Apply molecular biology, microbial physiology, and synthetic biology principles to troubleshoot poor expression, instability, toxicity, metabolic burden, inclusion body formation, degradation, or inconsistent performance.
• Define fit-for-purpose characterization and handoff packages for candidate strains and constructs, including strain/vector history, design rationale, screening data, stability observations, known risks, and recommended development paths.
• Partner with process development, analytical development, downstream purification, informatics, automation, and data science teams to ensure screening outputs are actionable and linked to relevant quality and process attributes.
• Support cross-functional troubleshooting, technical reports, development summaries, CMC-supporting documentation, and regulatory responses as needed.
• Lead or support microbial genetics, molecular biology, expression-system design, screening strategy, and data interpretation.

Requirements

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Chemical/Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, or a related discipline with 5+ years of relevant industry experience; or MS with 10+ years; or BS with 12+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Substantial industry experience with E. coli strain engineering, vector design, expression-system development, or microbial production screening.
• Hands-on expertise developing and executing microbial expression-screening workflows for recombinant proteins, enzymes, plasmids, or related biological products.
• Strong understanding of E. coli genetics, physiology, metabolism, plasmid biology, expression regulation, and genetic stability.
• Experience designing and interpreting experiments that connect host/vector/expression choices to titer, yield, quality, robustness, and manufacturability.
• Experience with small-scale or high-throughput screening systems and translation of screening data into process-development decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects, influence stakeholders across functions, and communicate clearly through technical writing, data analysis, and presentations.

Qualifications

• Direct experience developing E. coli expression systems for recombinant enzymes and/or plasmid production.
• Experience with strain engineering, promoter/RBS libraries, plasmid copy-number optimization, induction-system tuning, codon/design strategies, secretion/localization approaches, or protein solubility optimization.
• Experience building screening cascades that balance speed, throughput, biological relevance, and scale translation.
• Working knowledge of fermentation process development, downstream interfaces, and analytical methods used to assess expression, identity, purity, activity, plasmid quality, host-cell impurities, nucleic acid burden, or product-related impurities.
• Experience supporting CMC-facing documentation, technical reports, regulatory questions, and operation as either a senior technical individual contributor or manager of a small technical team.

Pay & Benefits

The salary range for this role is $142,500.00 - $256,500.00. 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.

Best-in-class healthcare coverage, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs.
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 investment opportunities to help you plan for the future
Location-specific perks and extras

The salary range for this role is $142,500.00 - $256,500.00. 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.

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.

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.