Sr. Scientist, Therapeutics & Translational Bioinformatics

BioSpace; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 234,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare

Voluntary benefit programs

Well-being resources

Generous paid time off

Location-specific perks

Job summary

Moderna is seeking a Senior Scientist to lead computational efforts in translational bioinformatics for mRNA therapeutics and vaccines. You will apply advanced analytics to bulk and single-cell data, TCR/BCR repertoires, and multi-omics to uncover targets, mechanisms, and biomarkers.

The role emphasizes collaboration across R&D teams, data sharing with external collaborators, and translating insights into actionable recommendations for program decisions and study designs.

Qualifications

• PhD in computational immunology, bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, or a related quantitative discipline with at least 2 years of postdoctoral or industry experience.
• Strong foundation in computational biology and immunology, connecting molecular findings to immune mechanisms and therapeutic development.
• Experience applying computational analyses to human, preclinical and in vitro datasets to support therapeutic development and translational decision-making.
• Experience with immune-mediated diseases, oncology, infectious diseases, immunotherapy, or mRNA therapeutics or vaccines.
• Strong programming in R and/or Python, with Linux environments and data-science workflows.

Responsibilities

• Lead the computational effort for therapeutic and translational programs from discovery through early clinical development.
• Lead integrated multi-omics analyses of data from human clinical and translational studies, preclinical models, and in vitro experiments.
• Perform rigorous bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses including QC, cell-type annotation, differential expression, and cross-study integration.
• Analyze TCR/BCR repertoire data including clonotype diversity and associations with phenotypes.
• Develop or apply ML/AI approaches to identify biomarkers, patient stratification, and therapeutic targets.

Skills

Computational biology

Immunology

Machine learning / AI

Advanced statistical methods

Bulk and single-cell transcriptomics

TCR/BCR repertoire analysis

R and Python programming

Leadership / mentorship

Education

PhD in Computational Immunology, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Engineering, or related quantitative discipline

Tools

AWS

GitHub / GitLab

Jupyter

Nextflow

Docker

Linux

Job description

The Role

Moderna is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Scientist, Therapeutics & Translational Bioinformatics, to join a multidisciplinary team supporting the discovery and development of mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines.

The role will advance early therapeutic development through computational analysis of human, clinical, and preclinical data while deepening our understanding of mRNA platform immunology through translational studies. This person will apply expertise in computational biology, immunology, machine learning/AI, and advanced statistical methods to identify therapeutic targets, biological mechanisms, biomarkers, response signatures, and patient-level factors that inform program strategy. The successful candidate will have strong hands-on experience with bulk and single-cell transcriptomics and TCR/BCR repertoire analysis, integrated multi-omics, and machine-learning or deep-learning approaches. The person will lead the computational effort for therapeutic or platform programs, partnering with multidisciplinary teams, and external collaborators to define scientific questions, guide study design, lead analyses, and translate biological data into actionable next steps.

The successful candidate will be scientifically curious, quantitatively rigorous, comfortable operating in an interdisciplinary and rapidly evolving environment, and motivated by the opportunity to translate complex data into therapeutic impact.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Lead the computational effort for therapeutic and translational programs, partnering with Research, Translational Medicine, and Clinical Development teams to define computational strategies, data requirements, and analysis plans from discovery through early clinical development.
• Lead integrated multi-omics analyses of data from human clinical and translational studies, preclinical models, and in vitro experiments to generate system-level biological insights.
• Perform rigorous bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses, including QC, cell-type annotation, differential expression, trajectory inference, cell–cell communication, and cross-study integration.
• Analyze bulk and single-cell TCR/BCR repertoire data, including clonotype diversity, expansion, convergence, lineage relationships, and associations with cellular phenotypes.
• Develop or apply machine-learning and deep-learning approaches to high-dimensional biological and clinical data for biomarker discovery, patient stratification, response and safety prediction, disease-state characterization, and therapeutic target prioritization.
• Analyze and integrate immune-assay data, including flow cytometry, cytokine and chemokine measurements, serology, ELISpot, intracellular cytokine staining, and other immune readouts.
• Translate computational findings into testable biological hypotheses and actionable recommendations for target and treatment modality selection, indication prioritization, MoA studies, biomarker strategies, patient selection, and study design.
• Leverage AI tools to develop and maintain scalable, reproducible, and well-documented analytical algorithms and pipelines using modern data science best practices.
• Clearly communicate findings through presentations, technical reports, publications, study summaries, and regulatory or clinical-development documents.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior computational scientists and contribute to the development of shared analytical standards, pipelines, and best practices.

Here’s What You’ll Bring To The Table

• PhD in Computational Immunology, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline, with at least 2 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience.
• Strong scientific foundation in both computational biology and immunology, with the ability to connect molecular and cellular findings to immune mechanisms, human disease biology, and therapeutic development.
• Demonstrated experience applying computational analyses to human, preclinical and in vitro datasets to support therapeutic development, early drug discovery, and translational decision-making.
• Relevant experience in immune-mediated diseases, oncology, infectious diseases, immunotherapy, or the development of mRNA therapeutics or vaccines.
• Strong expertise in processing, analyzing, and biologically interpreting bulk and single-cell transcriptome and integration with multiple omics modalities.
• Strong experience analyzing single-cell TCR or BCR repertoire data, including integration of V(D)J information with cellular phenotypes and transcriptomic states.
• Demonstrated experience developing or applying machine-learning methods and advanced statistical models, such as mixed-effects and Bayesian approaches, to biological, immunological, or clinical datasets.
• Experience analyzing immune-assay data, with a strong understanding of experimental design, statistical inference, biological variability, and data quality.
• Strong programming skills in R and/or Python, with experience in Linux environments, computational biology packages and workflows, and the use of AI-enabled tools for code and pipeline development.
• Experience with cloud-based computing and data science platforms, such as AWS, GitHub or GitLab, Jupyter, Nextflow, Docker, or similar technologies.
• Proven ability to independently lead complex computational projects, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality analyses within program timelines.
• Strong written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, including comfort presenting scientific findings and recommendations to program teams and leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with experimental scientists, clinicians, translational researchers, data scientists, and other cross-functional stakeholders.
• Record of scientific contributions demonstrated through publications, conference presentations, therapeutic program impact, analytical method development, or other relevant accomplishments.

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 $145,900.00 - $234,200.00. 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.

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.

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].