Senior Engineer I, Process Engineering

Moderna Therapeutics; Norwood (MA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Well-being programs

Fertility/adoption/surrogacy support

Generous paid time off

Savings and investments

Location-specific perks

Job summary

Moderna is seeking a Global Engineering Technical Authority SME to provide advanced technical expertise across Drug Substance process technologies, ensuring designs are robust, compliant, and scalable for commercial and clinical production of mRNA and LNP platforms.

You will collaborate with R&D, MS&T, and Manufacturing to apply standardized design practices and deliver innovative solutions aligned with Moderna’s engineering standards, while mentoring junior engineers and driving continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, or related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• 7–10 years of process engineering or manufacturing science experience in biopharmaceutical, biotech, or sterile manufacturing.
• Hands‑on experience with Drug Substance processes such as IVT, chromatography, TFF, and LNP systems.
• Proven ability to support process design and equipment specification in a regulated manufacturing setting.
• Demonstrated experience in process simulation and modeling to support design, capacity analysis, and technology transfer.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical SME for Drug Substance processes (IVT, chromatography, TFF, LNP).
• Design, scale-up, and implement modular small-scale process skids meeting GxP requirements.
• Develop PFDs, P&IDs, URS, and FRS for Drug Substance manufacturing systems.
• Contribute to CIP system design and optimization for safety, efficiency, and reliability.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and vendors to ensure equipment specs and automation meet objectives.
• Support root cause investigations, deviations, and CI projects to improve performance.
• Contribute to technical reviews, design evaluations, and standardization under Technical Authority governance.
• Ensure compliance with GxP/GMP and Moderna quality systems.
• Maintain training, documentation, and audit readiness.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

IVT processes

Chromatography

TFF (Tangential Flow Filtration)

LNP formulation

GxP compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical/Biochemical Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Job description

The Role

The candidate in this position will provide advanced technical expertise within the Global Engineering Technical Authority, supporting the design, implementation, and optimization of Drug Substance process technologies across Moderna’s global manufacturing network. This role focuses on ensuring process and equipment designs are robust, compliant, and scalable for commercial and clinical production of mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug substance platforms. The individual will act as a process engineering subject matter expert (SME), collaborating with cross-functional teams in R&D, MS&T, and Manufacturing to apply standardized design practices and deliver innovative solutions aligned with Moderna’s engineering and quality standards.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Serve as a technical SME for key Drug Substance processes, including In Vitro Transcription (IVT), Chromatography, Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF), Lipid Mixing (LMX), and Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) formulation.
• Support the design, scale-up, and implementation of modular and small-scale process skids in alignment with GxP requirements and Moderna’s global standards.
• Participate in the development of process flow diagrams (PFDs), P&IDs, User Requirement Specifications (URS), and Functional Requirement Specifications (FRS) for Drug Substance of manufacturing systems.
• Contribute to Clean-In-Place (CIP) system design and optimization, focusing on process safety, efficiency, and reliability.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and vendors to ensure equipment design specifications and automation strategies meet performance, quality, and safety objectives.
• Support root cause investigations, deviation analysis, and continuous improvement projects to enhance process performance and reliability.
• Contribute to technical reviews, design evaluations, and standardization initiatives under Moderna’s Technical Authority governance model.
• Ensure compliance with GxP/GMP regulations and Moderna’s quality and documentation systems.
• Maintain required training, documentation, and audit readiness.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the continuous improvement of technical and operational excellence within Global Engineering.

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

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, or a related field required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in process engineering or manufacturing science roles in a biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, or sterile manufacturing environment.
• Hands‑on experience with Drug Substance processes such as IVT, chromatography, TFF, and LNP systems.
• Proven ability to support process design and equipment specification in a regulated manufacturing setting.
• Demonstrated experience in process simulation and modeling (e.g., mass and energy balances, scale‑up modeling, dynamic or steady‑state process simulation) to support process design, capacity analysis, and technology transfer.

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

• Familiarity with bioprocess skid design, automation, and process analytical technologies (PAT).
• Experience supporting or leading cross-functional technical projects.
• Exposure to personalized medicine or individualized manufacturing processes (e.g., INT).
• Certifications/Training: GxP/GMP compliance training.
• Strong understanding of FDA, EMA, and ICH regulations.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across functional teams and organizational levels.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple technical priorities within a fast‑paced, matrixed environment.
• Proven problem‑solving and analytical skills to identify and resolve complex technical issues.
• Commitment to data integrity, safety, and quality excellence in all work activities.

Pay & Benefits

• 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 $109,200.00 - $174,600.00. 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.

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. 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 [e-mail].

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.

Our Mission and Vision

At Moderna we are pioneering the development of a new class of drugs made of messenger RNA (mRNA). This novel drug platform builds on the discovery that modified mRNA can direct the body’s cellular machinery to produce nearly any protein of interest, from native proteins to antibodies and other entirely novel protein constructs that can have therapeutic activity inside and outside of cells. We have a clear mission to propel the field of mRNA science forward and deliver new medicines to patients and a unique vision for how to achieve this mission.

• Our Mission: To deliver on the promise of transformative messenger RNA (mRNA) science to bring new medicines to patients.
• Our Vision: To unlock the potential of mRNA by establishing an ecosystem of teams and partners that will work together to develop the broadest possible array of drugs, across diverse therapeutic areas and routes of administration, for serious diseases that are not treatable today.

Third Party Staffing Agencies

Moderna does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates. For the protection of all parties involved in the recruiting process, resumes will only be accepted from recruiters/agencies if a signed agreement is in place at the inception of the recruiting effort and authorized for a specified position. Unsolicited resumes sent to Moderna from recruiters/agencies do not constitute any type of relationship between the recruiter/agency and Moderna and do not obligate Moderna to pay fees if we hire from those resumes.

Examples of reasonable accommodation

Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.