Lead TCR Optimization Scientist

Moderna Therapeutics; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 143,000 - 257,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare

Well-being resources

Paid time off

Job summary

Moderna Therapeutics seeks a Principal Scientist to build and optimize TCR workflows for next-generation therapeutics. You will lead scalable platforms advancing affinity, developability, and functional potency across TCR modalities.

Working with TCR discovery, protein engineering, AI/ML, and preclinical teams, you will design libraries, interpret complex datasets, and drive iterative optimization to deliver optimized TCR candidates for therapeutic evaluation.

Qualifications

• PhD in immunology, protein engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related fields.
• 5+ years post-PhD in TCR engineering or related therapeutic discovery.
• Experience linking binding, stability, and functional potency data.
• Hands-on with display technologies and library design.
• Ability to lead complex experimental workflows and deliver data on timelines.
• Collaborates with computational biology, AI/ML, and preclinical teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Build and optimize scalable TCR optimization workflows using display and directed evolution.
• Create end-to-end TCR optimization pipeline from design to lead selection.
• Design rational TCR libraries informed by sequence and pHLA biology.
• Lead multi-parameter optimization balancing affinity, specificity, stability, and developability.
• Collaborate with AI/ML and computational teams to integrate data.
• Interpret complex datasets to prioritize candidates and strategies.
• Support TCR therapeutic programs with optimized binders for evaluation.
• Evaluate new display, screening, and protein engineering technologies.
• Communicate strategy and results to cross-functional teams.

Skills

TCR engineering

Directed evolution

Display technologies

Cross-reactivity screening

Biophysical characterization

Data interpretation

Team collaboration

Experimental design

Education

PhD in immunology, protein engineering, or related

Job description

Moderna Therapeutics seeks a Principal Scientist to build and optimize TCR workflows for next-generation therapeutics. You will lead scalable platforms advancing affinity, developability, and functional potency across TCR modalities.

Working with TCR discovery, protein engineering, AI/ML, and preclinical teams, you will design libraries, interpret complex datasets, and drive iterative optimization to deliver optimized TCR candidates for therapeutic evaluation.