Scientist, In Vitro Biology Full-time NEW

Scientist, In Vitro Biology

ModernaTX, Inc. seeks a Scientist, In Vitro Biology for its Cambridge, Massachusetts location.

Here's What You'll Do:

• Manage technical oversight and troubleshooting of various types of laboratory equipment, particularly for high-content confocal microscopy.
• Propose, establish and implement a wide range of optical microscopy and imaging techniques to investigate the in vitro pharmacology of nucleic acid and LNP delivery systems.
• Investigate a variety of molecular biology and cell engineering methods to generate relevant in vitro model systems to interrogate nucleic acid and LNP delivery systems.
• Manage and oversee the technical work of co-ops or junior staff by providing scientific guidance and training.
• Develop quantitative methods to measure specific biomolecules of interest within cultured and primary cells, and tissues, as well as methods to study mRNA endosomal escape, and mRNA and protein subcellular localization, mRNA half-life, and protein translation.
• Independently conceptualize, generate and assemble in vitro cell-based data packages to support the advancement of Moderna's nucleic acid and LNP delivery platforms and therapeutic pipeline.
• Identify, introduce, and validate new technical capabilities from regular review of the primary scientific literature for relevant biological applications.
• Identify and explore novel, quantitative 3-dimensional and single-cell image analyses techniques for nucleic acid, protein and lipid nanoparticle visualization.
• Identify, initiate and foster research collaborations with nucleic acid delivery systems for infectious disease, oncology, immune disorders and rare disease indications, across the internal and external ecosystem to enhance the understanding of Moderna's technology platform.
• Effectively communicate scientific concepts, experimental approaches, and data analysis to multiple key research and development stakeholders across the company.
• Design and leverage immune activation assays to characterize nucleic acid cargo and LNP delivery systems.
• Develop and validate new tools to quantitatively measure intact LNP delivery with various routes of administration (with specific emphasis on nebulization).
• Serve as a technical and scientific subject matter expert for confocal imaging and cell-based assays with respect to nucleic acid delivery across cross-functional teams, and provide supervision and training to new employees and non-subject matter experts on developed methods when necessary.

Here's What You'll Bring to the Table:

Minimum Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Biotechnology, Biology, Biochemistry, or related field and 6 years of post-baccalaureate progressive experience as a Principal Research Associate, Senior Research Associate, Biomanufacturing Specialist, Research Assistant, or related position within the Biotechnology industry.
• Must have 6 years of experience with:
• Confocal Microscopy;
• Conjugation of nucleic acids and antibodies;
• Quantitative Image Analysis Pipelines (HALO, FIJI, Opera/Harmony Revvity); and
• Immunofluorescence/IHC and Fluorescence in situ hybridization.
• Must have 4 years of experience with:
• Practical experience with cell biology including cell culture, cell line development, cell panning and advanced optical microscopy techniques including super-resolution, high-content, live-cell, 3-D and single-cell imaging;
• High-throughput in vitro cell-based imaging assay development and liquid-handler automation;
• In vitro pharmacology and mechanism-of-action characterization of LNP and mRNA, and Nebulized LNP delivery;
• RNA Endosomal Escape quantification via single molecule imaging, galectin recruitment and qPCR;
• Characterizing mechanism-of-action for biological drug products; and
• Managing and overseeing the technical work of co-ops/interns and junior staff by providing scientific guidance and training.

The salary range for this role is $109,200 to $174,600. This range reflects the lowest to highest salary we, in good faith, believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. The minimum target pay for this particular position, based on its primary location, is $143,300 to $174,600. An individual's placement within the range will depend on several factors, including but not limited to specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, performance, and business or organizational needs.