The Role

Moderna is seeking an accomplished and highly motivated Principal 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 Moderna's therapeutic pipeline.

This Principal Scientist will lead integrated antibody discovery and engineering campaigns across oncology and autoimmune disease programs. The role spans concept development through lead identification, including biological and therapeutic-area research, target and antigen strategy, immunization and B cell discovery campaign design, antibody screening, sequence analysis, engineering, characterization, and optimization.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in therapeutic antibody discovery, antibody engineering, immune repertoire mining, display technologies, and molecular-format optimization. This individual will operate with a high degree of independence, scientific judgment, and cross-functional influence while partnering with antigen design, structural and computational biology, Immuno-oncology and Autoimmune Therapeutics research leadership, project teams, and external CRO partners.

This is a hands-on scientific leadership role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative, and highly collaborative environment. The Principal Scientist will help shape differentiated antibody-based therapeutics from early idea to therapeutic lead nomination, strengthen discovery strategy, and contribute to Moderna's next-generation antibody capabilities.

Here’s What You’ll Do

Lead integrated antibody discovery and engineering campaigns from early concept through lead identification, optimization, and nomination.
Develop discovery strategies that incorporate target and antigen evaluation, immunization design, B cell screening, display-based engineering, sequence analysis, and data-driven lead selection.
Design, execute, and oversee antibody generation and optimization workflows, including immunizations, B cell discovery, yeast or other display campaigns, affinity maturation, humanization, format conversion, expression, purification, and characterization.
Engineer and evaluate antibodies across multiple therapeutic formats, including IgG, Fab, scFv, bispecific or multispecific antibodies, T cell engagers, TCR engagers, CAR-T-related formats, and other novel modalities.
Characterize antibody candidates using biochemical, biophysical, and functional assays to assess binding, affinity, specificity, epitope diversity, developability, potency, and mechanism of action.
Partner with antigen design, structural biology, computational biology, and project teams to move programs efficiently from scientific concept to actionable lead molecules.
Analyze complex datasets, identify scientific and technical risks, and develop practical mitigation strategies that guide program decisions.
Monitor emerging antibody discovery and engineering technologies and translate relevant advances into ideas that strengthen Moderna's therapeutic discovery capabilities.
Prepare clear technical reports, project plans, and presentations for internal teams, collaborators, governance forums, and leadership.
Lead cross-functional scientific discussions, manage external partners, and mentor scientists or research associates as appropriate.

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

PhD in immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry, protein engineering, cancer biology, or a related discipline, with 5+ years of relevant post-PhD industry experience in antibody discovery, antibody engineering, or biologics discovery.
Demonstrated track record independently leading therapeutic antibody discovery campaigns from concept through lead identification, optimization, or nomination.
Deep technical expertise in antibody biology, antibody structure and function, discovery platforms, and therapeutic antibody optimization.
Hands-on experience with immunization-based antibody discovery, including antigen design, immunization strategy, B cell screening, single-cell sorting, B cell culturing, antibody sequence recovery, and NGS-informed repertoire analysis.
Strong expertise in display technologies for antibody engineering, affinity maturation, specificity optimization, developability improvement, and molecular-format optimization.
Strong molecular biology and antibody engineering skills, including cloning, library construction, sequence analysis, expression construct design, antibody expression, purification, and analytical characterization.
Expertise in antibody characterization assays and platforms, including affinity determination, epitope binning, competition assays, specificity profiling, developability assessment, Biacore, Carterra, Octet, ELISA, MSD, multi-parameter flow cytometry, or related technologies.
Experience developing, executing, and troubleshooting functional cell-based assays relevant to therapeutic antibody discovery.
Proven ability to design, manage, and critically evaluate outsourced antibody discovery, engineering, and characterization workflows at CROs.
Strong project leadership skills, including the ability to manage multiple programs, timelines, stakeholders, datasets, and external partnerships simultaneously.
Excellent analytical, organizational, written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific issues into clear recommendations.
Collaborative, proactive, resourceful approach to working in a fast-paced, cross-functional, matrixed research environment.

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

PhD in relevant discipline and 7+ years of hands on antibody discovery and engineering including prior experience with yeast or mammalian display technologies for antibody discovery and optimization.
Experience with advanced antibody-based therapeutic formats, such as T cell engagers, TCR engagers, bispecific or multispecific antibodies, ADCs, CAR-T or CAR-NK-related approaches.
Familiarity with immune-cell biology, primary-cell assays, functional immunology assays, or immune-cell redirecting therapeutic mechanisms.
Experience applying antibody discovery or engineering approaches across oncology, autoimmune, infectious disease, or other therapeutically relevant areas.
Familiarity with antibody sequence analysis, bioinformatics, structural modeling, AI/ML-enabled discovery tools, or developability prediction platforms.
Track record of scientific impact through publications, patents, presentations, therapeutic discovery programs, or implementation of new discovery technologies.
Experience mentoring junior scientists, leading project teams, or influencing cross-functional scientific strategy.
A desire to make an impact as part of a high-growth, transformational company that is Bold, Relentless, Curious, and Collaborative.

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 $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.

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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About the company

Moderna develops medicines built on messenger RNA (mRNA). Its products use mRNA delivered into cells to instruct them to produce specific proteins that can prevent or treat disease, with vaccines being a primary example. In practice, a dose delivers engineered mRNA into the body, cells translate it into a target protein, and the immune system responds or the protein modulates biology to combat disease. Moderna differentiates itself through its focus on building a whole mRNA medicines platform and in-house capabilities for designing, manufacturing, and scaling mRNA therapies, including rapid development and large-scale production. Its goal is to create a new category of medicines based on mRNA that can improve how diseases are discovered, developed, and treated, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Founded

2010

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

September 2026 convertible notes raised $3 billion for oncology growth and debt flexibility.
April 21, 2026 European Commission approval made mCombriax the first authorized flu-COVID combo vaccine.
Second-quarter 2026 guidance targets up to 10% revenue growth and year-end cash of $4.7 billion.

What critics are saying

September 28, 2026, Delaware kept Bayer's mRNA patent case alive against Moderna.
July 15, 2026, Sanofi sued Moderna over COVID vaccine patents in New Jersey.
If intismeran fails beyond melanoma, Moderna remains a shrinking vaccine company.

What makes Moderna unique

Moderna's mRNA platform spans vaccines, oncology, and rare disease, unlike one-product peers.
September 30, 2026, Moderna added a COO to scale intismeran autogene manufacturing.
Bancel says Moderna owns mutation-selection software for personalized vaccines and synthetic, cell-free production.

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Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
Sabbatical Leave
Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth

Yahoo Finance

Oct 30th, 2026

ESMO market reaction: Moderna and Tango shares fall despite positive data, Xencor soars

Investors reacted sharply to cancer data at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting, and good results did not always lift shares. Moderna's shares fell by double digits after it and Merck & Co. presented details on their personalised cancer vaccine, intismeran autogene. Investors want more data on other tumour types and on the commercial outlook for a vaccine made through a complex, personalised process. Tango Therapeutics fell about 20% despite an 82% response rate for its pancreatic cancer drug combination. It also announced plans to lay off 14% of its workforce, and analysts cited rising competition. Xencor was a top winner. Its kidney cancer antibody, XmAb819, showed a 46% response rate at the highest dose tested.

Yahoo Finance

Oct 26th, 2026

ESMO 2026: Moderna vaccine debate, Roche's $3.6B KRAS bet and Amgen's lung cancer data

Three cancer drug trials drew attention at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting, with investors and analysts weighing the results. Moderna and Merck's vaccine intismeran autogene cut the relative risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 42% in a Phase 3 trial. Moderna's shares have still fallen by double digits since the results leaked early, as investors question its valuation and the vaccine's manufacturing and commercial potential. Roche's divarasib reduced the risk of death or disease progression by 42% in KRAS G12C lung cancer, beating Krazati and Lumakras. Patients lived a median of about 18 months, versus a year. Roche raised its peak sales forecast from 3.6 billion Swiss francs to 3 billion. Amgen's Imdelltra, combined with Imfinzi, cut the risk of death by 58% in small cell lung cancer. Median survival was 21.1 months, against 12.7 months for Imfinzi alone.

The Motley Fool

Oct 23rd, 2026

Moderna's stock just stumbled. Is it a buy on the dip?

Moderna's stock just stumbled. Is it a buy on the dip? The stock fell 17% in one trading session. By Adria Cimino - Oct 23, 2026 at 9:55AM EST Key points. * Moderna has soared this year amid optimism about its personalized cancer vaccine candidate. * Investors are closely following data from that candidate's phase 3 trial. * Motley Fool Issues Rare "Total Conviction" Buy Alert" You may know the name Moderna (MRNA -1.25%) very well thanks to the company's blockbuster coronavirus vaccine. That was the biotech's first commercialized product, highlighting its expertise in messenger RNA technology. This involves teaching the body to make proteins that will prevent or fight a certain disease. Moderna launched its coronavirus vaccine in early pandemic days and saw revenue and stock performance skyrocket. As demand declined later in the crisis, the company's earnings and stock price also suffered. But Moderna took steps to turn things around, including cost cuts, a focus on oncology and rare-disease candidates, and the release of new products. All of this boosted investor optimism, putting the stock on track for triple-digit gains this year. That's fantastic, but news this week prompted the stock to drop 17% in one trading session. After stumbling, is Moderna stock a buy on the dip? Let's find out. Moderna's coronavirus vaccine. First, a quick note on Moderna's path so far. As mentioned, the company jumped into the spotlight as it developed and commercialized a coronavirus vaccine. That product generated billions of dollars in revenue for the biotech and pushed it to profitability. As demand for vaccines declined, however, revenue slipped, Moderna swung to a loss, and investors turned away from the stock. Meanwhile, Moderna reduced costs within its vaccine program, launched new products such as the most recent - a flu vaccine for the current season - and used revenue from its respiratory vaccines to fund its robust pipeline. One particular area caught investors' attention, prompting them to return to Moderna stock, and that's oncology. And this brings me to the Moderna story in 2026. The company is studying its personalized cancer vaccine candidate, using the mRNA technology applied throughout its pipeline, in 10 clinical trials. The market has paid particular attention to the most advanced, a phase 3 trial combining Moderna's intismeran autogene with Merck's Keytruda. News back in August that the companies met primary endpoints pushed Moderna stock to a 180% gain in one trading session. Missed Nvidia in 2009? This rare signal is flashing again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. If you'd invested $5,000 then, you'd be sitting on $2,742,263 today.* Now, for the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. It's a key player in the $1.8 trillion space race, and with the stock recently sitting 20% off its highs, the window to get in early is closing fast. *Stock Advisor returns as of October 24, 2026. MRNA - Moderna. $200.10 -$2.53 (-1.25%) NASDAQ · As of 4:00 PM ET 10/23/26 MRNA · YTD +548.41% Key data points. Market cap $79.89B Day's range $183.00 - $206.97 52wk range $22.28 - $254.48 Volume 21.6M Avg volume 20.4M Gross margin 12.57% Data leaked from a Moderna study. Just this week, however, news of leaked data from the study had the opposite effect, resulting in a 17% drop in one session. That said, the leaked news wasn't negative. In fact, Moderna and Merck reported the drug combo reduced the risk of recurrence of death by 42% for certain melanoma patients - this is compared to treatment with Keytruda alone. After six months, this risk was reduced by 58%, the study showed. And Moderna and Merck's combined treatment cut the risk of cancer spreading to distant parts of the body by 38%. In August, the companies said they would speak with regulators regarding the filing of submissions for the treatment. So why did the stock fall on this week's news? Moderna shares are very sensitive to the release of trial data since the company is still in its early stages of commercializing products. Today, it has four products commercialized in the U.S., and they are all in the respiratory vaccine category. The idea of leaked trial data may have worried some investors before they even took a look at the data - and this may have prompted them to lock in gains on the stock after its fantastic run. Is Moderna stock a buy? So, right now, is Moderna a buy on the dip? It's important to keep in mind that the stock still has climbed more than 500% this year and is trading at about $200, well above the average Wall Street 12-month price estimate of $135. This allows The Motley Fool, LLC to put the recent decline into perspective. The dip represents a buying opportunity for the long-term investor aiming to open a position or add a few shares to a current holding. But Moderna could see other pullbacks ahead, considering the extent of its gain this year. As I mentioned above, the stock is sensitive to any clinical trial data reports - and given the number of candidates in the pipeline, many such reports lie ahead. It's important to be comfortable with the idea of potential volatility before investing in Moderna. Biotech investors who accept that may want to progressively build a position in this exciting player starting today and on future dips. Is Moderna a smart long-term play. Before you buy stock in Moderna, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Moderna wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of its recommendation, you'd have $355,124!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of its recommendation, you'd have $1,296,254!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 901% - a market-crushing outperformance compared to 210% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. *Stock Advisor returns as of October 24, 2026.

Yahoo Finance

Oct 23rd, 2026

Moderna sees $114.9M in net ETF buying as CGGO adds $121.1M stake

ETFs bought $114.9 million of Moderna stock on Wednesday, October 21, ending a one-day net selling streak. Twenty ETFs were buyers and 10 were sellers. CGGO led with 492,604 shares worth $121.1 million, a 1.06% portfolio weight. IBB added $2.0 million and QQQM $1.0 million. The flows followed a $7.5 million net outflow on October 20 and a $26.1 million net inflow on October 19. Over the last five reported days, ETFs were net buyers on three and net sellers on two. Moderna has a market cap of $80.9 billion. Its trailing 12-month revenue was $2.23 billion, down 27.3% over one year, and the shares have returned 587.11% so far this year.

Value the Markets

Oct 23rd, 2026

Moderna named a top employer by Science for twelfth consecutive year.

Moderna named a top employer by Science for twelfth consecutive year. By ValueTheMarkets Oct 23, 2026 Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) today announced it was ranked as a top employer in the global biopharmaceutical industry in Science and Science Careers' 2026 Top... CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 23, 2026 / Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) today announced it was ranked as a top employer in the global biopharmaceutical industry in Science and Science Careers' 2026 Top Employers Survey for the twelfth consecutive year. Moderna was recognized for its corporate image, leadership and direction, and work culture, reflecting its reputation for innovation and quality research, commitment to continuous improvement, and collaborative, data-driven environment. "At Moderna, we have always believed that the best science happens when talented people are given the opportunity to tackle important problems and make an impact," said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. "To be recognized by Science for twelve consecutive years is a testament to the thousands of people who have helped build and evolve this company. What continues to unite us is a shared determination to advance mRNA science and translate that work into meaningful advances for patients." In 2026, Moderna received approval for its fourth and fifth products. mCOMBRIAX(R), the Company's mRNA combination vaccine for the prevention of influenza disease and COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 was granted marketing authorization in the European Union in April 2026. mFLUSIVA(R), a new vaccine against seasonal influenza was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August 2026. In August 2026, Moderna and Merck announced positive topline results from the Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial evaluating intismeran autogene, an investigational individualized mRNA cancer therapy, in combination with KEYTRUDA(R) in patients with resected stage IIB-IV melanoma. As part of Moderna's ongoing commitment to social responsibility, the Company also marked the fourth anniversary of the Moderna Charitable Foundation and issued its fifth annual Impacting Human Health Report. "Being a top employer starts with the strength of our people and what we can accomplish together," said Tracey Franklin, Chief People and Digital Technology Officer of Moderna. "We are building an organization that brings together the expertise of our people with digital capabilities and AI to solve complex problems in new ways and create an even greater impact for patients." For more than 20 years, Science has surveyed its readership to identify and celebrate the top 20 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with the best reputation as employers. The 2026 survey's findings are based on approximately 5,100 completed surveys from readers of Science, and other survey invitees. A vast majority of the survey participants came from North America (71%), Europe (19%), and Asia/Pacific Rim (6%). For the complete feature along with individual company rankings, please visit: https://www.science.org/content/article/2026-s-top-employers-ai-i-do About Moderna Moderna is a leader in the creation of the field of mRNA medicine. Through the advancement of mRNA technology, Moderna is reimagining how medicines are made and transforming how Value The Markets treat and prevent disease for everyone. By working at the intersection of science, technology and health for more than a decade, the company has developed medicines at unprecedented speed and efficiency, including pioneering work on COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna's mRNA platform has enabled the development of therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases and autoimmune diseases. With a unique culture and a global team driven by the Moderna values and mindsets to responsibly change the future of human health, Moderna strives to deliver the greatest possible impact to people through mRNA medicines. For more information about Moderna, please visit modernatx.com and connect with Value The Markets on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. Moderna Contacts Media: Chris Ridley VP, Global Head of Communications +1 617-800-3651 [email protected] Investors: Lavina Talukdar Senior Vice President & Head of Investor Relations +1 617-209-5834 [email protected] A sharper way to see the markets in just 5 minutes. Same news, different lens. Value The Markets cut through the noise and hand you the overlooked ideas and the deeper read the crowd misses. Join 38,000+ investors seeing the markets differently. Important notice and disclaimer. This article does not provide any financial advice and is not a recommendation to deal in any securities or product. Investments may fall in value and an investor may lose some or all of their investment. Past performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Moderna

Principal Scientist - Antibody Discovery and Engineering

About the job

About the company

Get referred to Moderna

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

What critics are saying

What makes Moderna unique

Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth