Director – Facilities & Engineering

The Role:

Joining Moderna offers the unique opportunity to be part of a pioneering team that's revolutionizing medicine through mRNA technology, with a diverse pipeline of development programs across various diseases.

As an employee, you'll be part of a continually growing organization, working alongside exceptional colleagues and strategic partners worldwide, contributing to global health initiatives.

Moderna's commitment to advancing the technological frontier of mRNA medicines ensures a challenging and rewarding career experience, with the potential to make a significant impact on patients' lives worldwide.

Moderna's mission is to establish a leading-edge research, development, and manufacturing facility at Harwell, as part of a long-term commitment to onshore mRNA vaccine production for respiratory diseases. This initiative will create a multitude of highly skilled jobs and foster collaboration with academic, NHS and government partners across the UK. We're looking for global experts eager to join us in this endeavour, contributing to a future where access to life-saving vaccines is a reality for all.​

Moderna is seeking a seasoned and strategic Director, Site Engineering to lead Engineering and Facilities at the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) in Harwell, Oxfordshire. Reporting to the Site Head with a dotted line to the SVP of Global Engineering, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of this newly operational site, which includes GMP drug substance manufacturing and a co-located R&D laboratory facility.

As a key member of the Site Leadership Team, you will be responsible for directing engineering strategy and operations across infrastructure, utilities, facilities, metrology, and process engineering. With a focus on enabling new technologies, maintaining compliance, and fostering technical excellence, this role offers the chance to influence Moderna’s global engineering strategy while directly supporting the growth and evolution of one of our most critical facilities.

Here’s What You’ll Do:

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Represent Engineering and Facilities as a member of the Site Leadership Team, contributing to cross-functional decisions.

• Lead technical execution and strategic alignment of engineering operations across manufacturing and R&D facilities.

• Ensure robust and compliant performance of all infrastructure and utilities systems, including HVAC, clean utilities, power, WFI, and steam.

• Guide the successful deployment of new technologies and equipment in collaboration with global partners, including MS&T and Platform Technology.

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement focused on process robustness, asset reliability, and operational efficiency.

• Own the delivery of hard and soft facility services in alignment with Moderna’s global strategy.

• Ensure adherence to MHRA, EMA, FDA, and internal regulatory standards across all systems and practices.

Your responsibilities will also include:

• Lead lifecycle management for site equipment and systems, ensuring performance, safety, and reliability.

• Develop site-wide preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to maximize uptime and asset longevity.

• Oversee all engineering compliance documentation, including deviations, CAPAs, SOPs, and change controls.

• Support audits and inspections by ensuring systems and records are always inspection-ready.

• Collaborate across Quality, Digital, EHS, and Manufacturing teams to support seamless execution of site initiatives.

• Actively engage in network-wide forums to align site operations with global engineering standards and drive Moderna-wide best practices.

The key Moderna Mindsets you’ll need to succeed in the role:

• We act with dynamic range, driving strategy and execution at the same time at every step.
  This role requires someone who can seamlessly shift from developing strategic frameworks to managing hands-on engineering execution, ensuring daily operational excellence while future-proofing the site.

• We obsess over learning. We don’t have to be the smartest; we have to learn the fastest.
  You’ll need to stay ahead of rapidly evolving technologies in GMP manufacturing and R&D settings, learning fast to integrate innovative tools and systems—especially in a collaborative environment with global peers and platform teams.

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

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, or related field) required; Master’s degree preferred.

• 15+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or other regulated GMP manufacturing environments.

• 7+ years of engineering leadership experience, including management of multidisciplinary technical teams.

• Demonstrated expertise in process engineering, with hands-on experience supporting process introduction, troubleshooting, and optimization.

• Proven experience in technology transfer, equipment commissioning, and implementation of new manufacturing technologies.

• Strong track record of managing facilities and utilities operations, including preventive maintenance and infrastructure lifecycle management.

• Familiarity with regulatory expectations (MHRA, EMA, FDA) and experience supporting inspections and audits.

• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without authority across global, matrixed organizations.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills.

• As part of Moderna’s commitment to workplace safety, this role may require an enhanced pre-employment check.

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work.  That’s why our global benefits and well-being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Quality healthcare and insurance benefits
• Lifestyle Spending Accounts to create your own pathway to well-being
• Free premium access to fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes
• Family planning and adoption benefits
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, bank holidays, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown
• Savings and investments
• Location-specific perks and extras!

The benefits offered may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Moderna and the country where you work.

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. 

As we build our company, we have always believed an in-person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in-office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in-office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact. 

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. 

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

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 committed to equal opportunity in employment 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. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 

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 accommodation or adjustments to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation or adjustment 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 and Adjustments team at [email protected]. 

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