Senior Lead, Antibody Discovery & Engineering

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare

Well-being resources

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Moderna is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead integrated antibody discovery and engineering efforts across oncology and autoimmune programs. You will guide concept-to-lead initiatives, oversee B cell discovery, display campaigns, and sequence analyses, and collaborate with antigen design, structural biology, and computational teams to strengthen therapeutic discovery.

This hands-on scientific leadership role requires independent judgment, a track record in antibody engineering, and the

Qualifications

• PhD in immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry, protein engineering, cancer biology, or related discipline with 5+ years post-PhD experience.
• Proven track record independently leading therapeutic antibody discovery campaigns from concept through lead identification, optimization, or nomination.
• Deep technical expertise in antibody biology, structure, function, and discovery platforms.
• Hands-on experience with immunization-based antibody discovery, including antigen design, B cell screening, single-cell sorting, and repertoire analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead integrated antibody discovery and engineering campaigns from early concept through lead identification, optimization, and nomination.
• Develop discovery strategies with target 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, screening, affinity maturation, and characterization.
• Engineer antibodies across formats (IgG, Fab, scFv, bispecifics, T cell engagers, CAR-T related formats).
• Characterize candidates using biochemical, biophysical, and functional assays for binding, developability, and mechanism of action.
• Partner with antigen design, structural and computational biology to progress programs to lead molecules.
• Analyze datasets, identify risks, and develop mitigation strategies guiding program decisions.
• Monitor advances in antibody discovery technologies and translate into actionable ideas.
• Prepare technical reports, project plans, and presentations for teams and leadership.
• Lead cross-functional discussions and mentor scientists and associates.

Skills

Antibody discovery

Antibody engineering

Immunology

Team leadership

Education

PhD in Immunology or related field

Tools

Biacore

Carterra

Next-gen sequencing

Yeast display

Job description

Moderna is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead integrated antibody discovery and engineering efforts across oncology and autoimmune programs. You will guide concept-to-lead initiatives, oversee B cell discovery, display campaigns, and sequence analyses, and collaborate with antigen design, structural biology, and computational teams to strengthen therapeutic discovery.

This hands-on scientific leadership role requires independent judgment, a track record in antibody engineering, and the