Sr. Director, Litigation

BioSpace; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 209,000 - 376,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Best-in-class healthcare coverage

Holistic well-being resources

Generous paid time off

Job summary

A leading biotechnology company in Cambridge, MA, is seeking a Senior Director, Litigation to shape its global litigation strategy. This role requires over 15 years of experience in the biotech or pharmaceutical sectors, managing complex litigation and government investigations. Ideal candidates will have a Juris Doctor and an active U.S. law license, paired with strong leadership and strategic risk assessment abilities. The position offers significant influence and visibility within the company, along with competitive benefits and compensation.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of litigation experience, especially in biotech or pharmaceutical sectors.
• Extensive hands-on experience with complex litigation matters.
• Ability to prepare employees for depositions and government investigations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute a global litigation strategy across diverse cases.
• Manage external counsel relationships strategically.
• Develop internal protocols for litigation responses.

Skills

Litigation experience

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Strategic risk assessment

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Active license to practice law in the U.S.

Job description

The Role

Moderna is seeking a Senior Director, Litigation to lead and manage complex global litigation matters, including product liability defense, government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and commercial disputes. This role requires a seasoned litigator with a proven ability to assess, prioritize, and respond to legal risk in a strategic and scalable manner in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life sciences industries. You will be a key legal strategist, advising leadership on high‑exposure litigation risks and regulatory challenges while ensuring resources are deployed effectively based on the level of risk. Hands‑on in‑house experience managing high‑stakes government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and external counsel in complex litigation is critical. You’ll also provide strategic foresight— not just responding to today’s risks, but helping the business anticipate and prepare for tomorrow’s legal challenges in an increasingly complex global environment. This high‑impact role offers meaningful visibility to executive leadership and significant opportunity to shape Moderna’s long‑term litigation strategy.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Lead and execute Moderna’s global litigation strategy, overseeing a diverse portfolio of cases, including product liability, commercial disputes, and government investigations.
• Assess and prioritize litigation risk, ensuring that responses are proportionate to the level of risk and impact on the business, and advising leadership on when immediate, high‑level engagement is required versus when a measured response is appropriate.
• Act as a lead strategist and decision‑maker in high‑exposure government investigations, subpoenas, and regulatory enforcement actions, ensuring Moderna’s responses are comprehensive, strategic, and aligned with business priorities.
• Demonstrate extensive hands‑on litigation experience, including working directly with outside counsel, overseeing discovery, managing case strategy, and guiding settlement negotiations.
• Prepare and support Moderna employees for depositions, government interviews, and investigations, ensuring they are well‑informed, protected, and aligned with legal strategy.
• Develop and implement internal protocols for handling subpoenas, regulatory inquiries, and litigation responses to ensure swift, effective decision‑making.
• Proactively assess, prioritize, and mitigate legal risks, collaborating with internal stakeholders in Compliance, Regulatory Affairs, R&D, and Commercial to ensure legal strategies support Moderna’s business objectives.
• Advise senior leadership on high‑profile legal matters, litigation trends, and evolving impacts on the company’s global operations.
• Become a leader in leveraging generative AI and other advanced technologies in litigation strategy, discovery, and cost management—partnering with external counsel to implement forward‑thinking, tech‑enabled approaches that drive efficiency, enable favorable outcomes, and surface actionable insights.
• Manage external counsel relationships strategically, ensuring alignment with business goals and optimizing litigation outcomes while maintaining cost‑effectiveness.

Here’s What You’ll Bring To The Table

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and an active license to practice law in the U.S.
• 15+ years of litigation experience, with significant in‑house experience at a biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life sciences company and a top‑tier law firm specializing in life sciences litigation.
• Extensive, hands‑on experience managing complex litigation matters, including product liability, commercial disputes, and regulatory enforcement actions.
• Proven success leading responses to government investigations, regulatory inquiries, and enforcement actions from agencies such as the DOJ, FDA, SEC, and foreign regulatory bodies.
• Exceptional ability to assess, prioritize, and respond to legal risks in a strategic and scalable manner, ensuring the right level of response for each situation.
• Experience preparing and guiding employees through depositions, government interviews, and internal or external investigations.
• Track record of leading and managing external counsel, including budget oversight, litigation strategy, and case resolution.
• An innovation mindset and curiosity around how emerging legal technologies—particularly AI—can be used to reduce cost, improve discovery processes, and surface novel insights.
• Ability to lead with confidence, discretion, and pragmatism in a high‑visibility role where sound judgment and business acumen are paramount.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to advise and influence executive leadership and cross‑functional teams in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.

Pay & Benefits

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work. That’s why our US benefits and global well‑being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Best‑in‑class healthcare coverage, 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 investment opportunities to help you plan for the future
• Location‑specific perks and extras

The salary range for this role is $209,000.00 – $376,000.00. 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.

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine, we invite you to visit modernatx.com/careers to learn more about our current opportunities.

Our Working Model

As we build our company, we have always believed an in‑person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in‑office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in‑office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact.

Moderna is a smoke‑free, alcohol‑free, and drug‑free work environment.

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. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for the role and you would be excited to contribute to our mission every day, please apply!

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. Only U.S. persons (U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, asylees, or refugees) are currently eligible to access such information without an export license. Candidates who do not meet these criteria may still be considered, contingent on the company’s ability to obtain any required export control license.