Principal Scientist, Process Development (Expression Systems)

Role: Lead microbial host strain, vector, and expression system strategy for E. coli-based production of recombinant enzymes and plasmids supporting Moderna’s pipeline. Responsibilities: design, screening, and selection of scalable, high-yield host/vector/expression systems; develop high-throughput workflows; optimize expression parameters; troubleshoot expression issues; collaborate with process development and analytical teams; support regulatory and CMC documentation; mentor in microbial genetics and molecular biology. Requirements: PhD in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, or related field with 5+ years’ industry experience, expertise in E. coli engineering, molecular biology, and screening workflows; strong experimental design and data interpretation skills. Preferred: experience in enzyme/recombinant protein expression, process development knowledge, and regulatory support. High-value specifics: focus on microbial expression platforms for biologics, early to late-stage development, with an emphasis on stability, productivity, and manufacturability. Work setup: likely hybrid in the US with some cross-functional interaction.