Sr. Director, Translational Bioinformatics

Moderna Therapeutics; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 211,000 - 379,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare

Well-being resources

Generous time off

Equity/bonus potential

Job summary

Moderna Therapeutics seeks a Senior Director to lead Translational Bioinformatics for Cancer Vaccines and Bioinformatics Research. Define computational translational strategy across the oncology portfolio, guide a skilled team, and translate complex patient, molecular, and clinical data into actionable insights for development decisions.

The role emphasizes leadership in AI/ML, multi-omics integration, and cross‑functional partnerships to shape clinical strategies and future medicines.

Qualifications

• PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, immunology, cancer biology, biostatistics, CS, or related field.
• 11+ years of biotech/pharma or related translational experience.
• Proven leadership of computational or translational teams.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute translational bioinformatics vision, strategy, and priorities across the oncology portfolio.
• Lead integrated analyses of tumor, immune, multi-omic, and clinical data to understand pharmacodynamics and determinants of response.
• Build partnerships across Clinical Development, Translational Medicine, Biomarkers, Biostatistics, and other functions to align priorities.
• Represent Translational Bioinformatics in scientific forums and governance to support R&D milestones.
• Advance AI/ML and scalable analytics with reusable workflows, ensuring validation and reproducibility.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing team and foster collaboration, autonomy, and accountability.

Skills

Tumor immunology

Cancer genomics

Multi-omics

AI/ML

Python/R

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology/Immunology/Cancer Biology/Biostatistics/Computer Science or related

Job description

The Role Moderna is seeking a strategic and scientifically rigorous Senior Director to lead the Translational Bioinformatics team within Cancer Vaccines and Bioinformatics Research. This leader will define the computational translational strategy across Moderna’s oncology portfolio, lead a talented team of computational scientists and senior technical experts, and build the capabilities needed to translate complex patient, molecular, and clinical data into mechanistic insight and development decisions. This is a unique opportunity to define how a rapidly expanding portfolio of immuno-oncology therapeutics, including a personalized cancer vaccine with demonstrated clinical activity and emerging modalities such as multiplex T-cell engagers, drive anti-tumor activity in patients. The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in cancer biology and immunology together with cancer genomics, multi-omics, quantitative, and AI/ML approaches to elucidate mechanism of action and understand the determinants of response and resistance. They will set the analytical vision, define the critical translational questions, shape the data and analyses needed to answer them, and synthesize complex evidence into mechanistic insights that guide clinical development and the design of future medicines. They will build deep scientific partnerships across experimental, translational, and clinical disciplines and represent Translational Bioinformatics with key alliance partners. As a member of the Cancer Vaccines and Bioinformatics Research Leadership Team, they will also help shape the scientific direction, talent, and culture of the broader organization.

What You’ll Do

• Define and execute the Translational Bioinformatics vision, strategy, and priorities across the oncology portfolio, aligning capabilities, resources, and analytical approaches with current and emerging portfolio needs and focusing investment on the scientific questions and development decisions with greatest impact.
• Lead integrated analyses of tumor, immune, multi-omic, and clinical data to characterize treatment‑induced pharmacodynamic effects and mechanisms of action; identify baseline and on‑treatment determinants of response, resistance, and patient heterogeneity; and generate hypotheses for reverse translation and future therapeutic strategies.
• Act as the senior Translational Bioinformatics leader across key Research and Development interfaces, build strong partnerships across Clinical Development, Translational Medicine, Biomarkers, Biostatistics, Research, and other relevant functions; align scientific priorities, clarify roles and decision rights, resolve cross‑functional dependencies, and establish integrated ways of working that enable rigorous and timely development decisions.
• Represent Translational Bioinformatics in the appropriate scientific and strategic forums, anticipating emerging needs and shaping how the function supports critical R&D milestones and decisions.
• Advance fit‑for‑purpose AI/ML and scalable analytics, including reusable and automated workflows, while maintaining high standards for validation, reproducibility, interpretability, and scientific rigor.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing team of scientists and senior technical experts; set clear priorities, align capacity and resources, and establish standards and ways of working that foster scientific excellence, intellectual curiosity, collaboration, autonomy, and accountability.
• Serve as a trusted scientific thought partner to senior R&D leaders and represent the function in cross‑functional governance, translating complex evidence and uncertainty into clear recommendations.
• Represent Moderna’s translational science with alliance partners and external collaborators, building trusted relationships, shaping joint scientific strategies, and advancing partnerships that bring differentiated data, technologies, and expertise into the oncology portfolio.

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

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, Biostatistics, Computer Science, or a related discipline, plus 11+ years of relevant biotech/pharma or other directly relevant experience.
• Deep expertise in tumor immunology, including T-cell biology, antigen processing and presentation, HLA biology, tumor microenvironment, and mechanisms of immune escape.
• Demonstrated expertise in cancer genomics, translational bioinformatics, multi-omic integration, and analysis of clinical or translational datasets.
• Proven record of leading computational or translational teams in matrixed R&D environments and developing scientists and senior technical individual contributors.
• Demonstrated ability to influence program and portfolio strategy through rigorous interpretation of translational evidence and effective cross‑functional partnership.
• Exceptional communication, executive presence, and stakeholder‑management skills, with the ability to engage technical experts and translate complex science for senior decision-makers.

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

• Experience in personalized medicine, cancer vaccines, neoantigen biology, immunogenomics, or computational immunology.
• Experience supporting oncology programs across clinical development, including biomarker strategy, patient stratification, MoA and MoR analyses.
• Experience with emerging translational technologies such as single-cell or spatial profiling, immune‑repertoire analysis, immunopeptidomics, circulating biomarkers, or digital pathology.
• Track record of scientific impact through influential publications, presentations, collaborations, or development of novel computational approaches.
• Strong knowledge of statistical, machine‑learning, and AI approaches, with sufficient technical depth in Python and/or R and scalable computing environments to critically evaluate analytical strategies and guide their application to translational research.

Our Working Model As we build our company, we have always believed that an in‑person culture is critical to our success. This role is 100% onsite, reflecting the importance of being physically present to support the work, collaborate closely with colleagues, and contribute to our site‑based operations. Working onsite enables real‑time collaboration, strong team connections, direct mentorship, and the hands‑on partnership needed to deliver our mission. 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.

Pay & Benefits

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

• 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 $210,900.00 - $379,200.00. 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.

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. 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.

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

Reasonable Accommodation Notice Moderna will 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 617-460-9346 or emailing [e-mail] if you need assistance completing any forms or to 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.