mRNA Process Development Lead Scientist

Avantor; Bridgewater (MA); On-site; USD 108,000 - 173,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Wellness programs

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase program

11 paid holidays

18 PTO days annually

Volunteer time off

6 weeks paid parental leave

Job summary

Avantor is seeking a Senior Scientist with a strong background in mRNA Technology & Process Development to lead and support process development initiatives and manufacturing operations for excipients and reagents.

The role requires a Ph.D. with 5+ years in mRNA/process development, hands-on experience with IVT, purification, and scalable manufacturing, and strong collaboration across functions. Competitive pay and benefits apply, with focus on innovation and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Chemical/Biochemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology, or related field (required).
• Minimum of 5+ years of industry experience in mRNA, RNA, nucleic acid, Biologics, or pharmaceutical process development.
• Strong understanding of mRNA process development including DNA template generation, IVT, enzymatic processing, purification and analytical characterization.
• Experience with DOE, QbD, process characterization, scale-up, CPP/CQA relationships and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize end-to-end mRNA manufacturing processes including DNA template generation, IVT, enzymatic processing, purification and formulation interfaces.
• Develop robust, scalable workflows to improve mRNA yield, purity, quality, and manufacturability.
• Apply DOE, QbD, risk assessment, and statistical tools to build process understanding and link parameters to product quality attributes.
• Collaborate with Analytical Development to characterize mRNA identity, integrity, purity, potency attributes, and impurities.
• Mentor junior scientists and present findings and development strategies to project teams and leadership.

Skills

mRNA process development

Molecular biology techniques

Scale-up manufacturing

Data analysis

Cross-functional communication

Education

PhD in relevant field

Tools

DNA template generation

IVT (in vitro transcription)

HPLC/UPLC

qPCR/ddPCR

Job description

Avantor is seeking a Senior Scientist with a strong background in mRNA Technology & Process Development to lead and support process development initiatives and manufacturing operations for excipients and reagents.

The role requires a Ph.D. with 5+ years in mRNA/process development, hands-on experience with IVT, purification, and scalable manufacturing, and strong collaboration across functions. Competitive pay and benefits apply, with focus on innovation and continuous improvement.