Sr. Automation Engineer

Moderna Therapeutics; Norwood (MA); On-site; USD 122,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare

Well-being programs

Family planning benefits

Generous paid time off

Discretionary bonus eligibility

Job summary

Moderna Therapeutics is seeking a Senior Engineer I to drive automated bioassay workflows from prototype to GMP-ready systems. You will partner with scientists to translate cell-based assays into scalable automation while maintaining sterility and data integrity, supporting both clinical and commercial programs.

The role requires strong experience with laboratory automation, liquid handling, and working in regulated environments.

Qualifications

• BS with 8 years of relevant experience, MS with 5 years, or PhD in Engineering, Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or related discipline.
• Hands-on experience with cell-based bioassays or sample preparation workflows.
• Experience in regulated laboratory environments (GLP/GMP).
• Experience programming and developing with laboratory automation software/hardware and liquid handlers.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and hardening of automated bioassay workflows for GMP-ready systems.
• Translate cell-based bioassays into automation solutions considering cell health, sterility, and timing.
• Design automation strategies for cell handling workflows (maintenance, passaging, transfection, assay execution).
• Own technical execution across projects: requirements, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment.
• Collaborate across analytics and operations to enable transfer of systems into regulated environments.

Skills

Cell-based bioassays

Regulated environments

Automation programming

Liquid handling systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Biology/Bioengineering

MS in Engineering/Biology/Bioengineering

PhD in Engineering/Biology/Bioengineering

Tools

Laboratory automation software

Liquid handlers

Hamilton STAR/Vantage

HighRes Cellario / Thermo CRS Momentum

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Engineer I to join the Automated Systems Engineering team within Applied Technologies, focused on translating early-stage automation into robust, scalable, GMP-ready solutions for bioassay workflows. In this role, you will bridge development and regulated environments by hardening automated systems for deployment into GMP settings. You will lead technical execution across the automation lifecycle, including design, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment, ensuring systems meet requirements for data integrity, traceability, and operational robustness. This role requires a strong understanding of cell-based bioassays and their constraints under automation, including workflows such as cell maintenance, transfection, assay execution, and sample preparation. You will partner across engineering, assay development, quality, and operations to deliver automation solutions that maintain biological integrity while enabling reliable, high-throughput execution in support of clinical and commercial programs.

Here's What You'll Do

Lead the development and hardening of automated bioassay workflows, transforming early-stage prototypes into robust, scalable, GMP-ready systems. Collaborate with scientists to translate cell-based bioassays and sample preparation workflows into automation solutions, accounting for biological constraints such as cell health, sterility, and timing sensitivity. Design and implement automation strategies for cell handling workflows (e.g., maintenance, passaging, transfection, assay execution) to ensure reproducibility and assay integrity at scale. Own technical execution across projects, including requirements definition, system integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment. Partner cross-functionally with Analytical Development, Applied Technologies, Analytical Sciences & Technology, Digital, and QC Operations to enable successful transfer and deployment of systems into regulated environments. Develop automation solutions that meet GMP expectations, including data integrity, traceability, and audit readiness. Troubleshoot complex issues across biological performance, liquid handling, and system integration layers, including investigation of assay variability and automation-induced bias. Drive standardization and continuous improvement of automation platforms and workflows to support scalability across programs.

Here's What You'll Bring to the Table (Basic Qualifications)

BS with 8 years of relevant experience, MS with 5 years of relevant experience or PhD in Engineering, Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or related discipline. Hands-on experience supporting or working with cell-based bioassays or sample preparation workflows. Experience working in or supporting regulated laboratory environments. (GLP/GMP) Experience programming and developing with laboratory automation software/hardware and liquid handlers. This position is site-based, requiring you to be at Moderna's site full-time. This position is not eligible for remote work.

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

Experience supporting or deploying automation systems into GMP or regulated environments, including: Validation support (IQ/OQ/PQ) Change control and lifecycle management Documentation aligned with regulatory expectations. Experience developing and supporting automation for: Mammalian cell culture workflows (maintenance, passaging, expansion). Transfection or cell treatment processes. Plate-based bioassay sample preparation workflows (e.g. ELISA). Experience with 3rd party automation hardware such as cobot arms, decappers, centrifuges, dispensers, sealers/peelers, etc. Direct experience configuring and optimizing Hamilton STAR/Vantage automated liquid handling systems. Experience with workcell based automation equipment controlled by scheduling software such as HighRes Cellario, Thermo CRS Momentum, etc.

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 $121600.00 - $194500.00. 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

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’ve 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.

Reasonable Accommodation Notice

We’ll make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. Please inform the company's personnel representative by calling 6174609346 or emailing [e-mail] if you need assistance completing any forms or otherwise participate in the application process. 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.