Sr. Research Associate

Moderna; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 74,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare

Voluntary benefit programs

Well-being resources (fitness, mindful

Family planning benefits (fertility, 2

Generous paid time off

Savings and investments

Job summary

Moderna in Cambridge, MA seeks a Senior Research Associate for Immuno-Oncology Research to characterize mRNA products and biomarkers across in vitro and in vivo systems. You will contribute to early preclinical work and translational studies in a bench-focused role.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in molecular biology and immunology, with hands-on experience in flow cytometry, MSD/ELISA, and cell culture, and thrives in a fast-paced team environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 2+ years of experience.
• Technical experience in cell transfection, long-term immune cell cultures, co-culture assays, multi-color flow cytometry (standard and spectral), and protein detection methods (MSD, ELISA).
• Experience in assay development and troubleshooting, familiarity with qPCR and ddPCR.
• Self-motivated, flexible, and able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Use Moderna's mRNA products to demonstrate expression and characterize activity of immuno-oncology therapeutic proteins in relevant in vitro and/or in vivo experimental systems.
• Gain knowledge of preclinical cancer models and toxicology models.
• Perform and/or support experiments and assays such as immune cell isolation, cell culture, ELISA/MSD, flow cytometry, cell-based functional and reporter assays, sample processing and analysis for PK/PD studies.
• Work collaboratively within direct team, as well as with a cross-functional team of scientists.
• Maintain an organized work area and electronic lab notebook.
• Analyze, visualize, and summarize experimental data, including team meeting and cross-functional meeting presentations when relevant.

Skills

Cell transfection

Immune cell culture

Co-culture assays

Flow cytometry

Protein detection (MSD/ELISA)

qPCR/ddPCR

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

GraphPad Prism

Omiq

Job description

The Role

Immuno-Oncology Research at Moderna is seeking a talented and motivated Senior Research Associate to join our efforts in developing new mRNA-based drugs for cancer therapy. The successful candidate will use molecular biology and immunology techniques to characterize Moderna's mRNA products, their activity, and/or relevant biomarkers in vitro and in vivo to support early preclinical research, IND-enabling studies, and/or translational research. This is a bench-focused role requiring technical expertise and the ability to work within a cross-functional, fast-paced team. The successful candidate will execute in vitro and ex vivo experiments as part of a team and consistently deliver and present high quality, reproducible data.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Use Moderna's mRNA products to demonstrate expression and characterize activity of immuno-oncology therapeutic proteins in relevant in vitro and/or in vivo experimental systems.
• Gain knowledge of preclinical cancer models and toxicology models.
• Perform and/or support experiments and assays such as immune cell isolation, cell culture, ELISA/MSD, flow cytometry, cell-based functional and reporter assays, sample processing and analysis for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.
• Work collaboratively within direct team, as well as with a cross-functional team of scientists.
• Maintain an organized work area and electronic lab notebook.
• Analyze, visualize, and summarize experimental data, including team meeting and cross-functional meeting presentations when relevant.

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

• Bachelor's degree and 2+ years of experience.
• Technical experience in cell transfection, long-term immune cell cultures, co-culture assays, multi-color flow cytometry (standard and spectral), and protein detection methods (MSD, ELISA).
• Experience in the following areas is preferred: assay development and troubleshooting, familiarity with qPCR and ddPCR.
• The candidate should be self-motivated, flexible, and able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

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

• 1-3 years of relevant experience in an immuno-oncology setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as the ability to contribute to high performing teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with GraphPad Prism and Omiq for flow cytometry data analysis.
• A desire to make an impact as part of a high-growth, transformational company that is Bold, Relentless, Curious, and Collaborative.

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 $74,000.00 - $118,400.00. 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, w