2026 Co-Op, Platform and TA Bioinformatics, Research Operations
About The Position
This is a Co-op opportunity in Cambridge, MA from July 13, 2026 – December 11, 2026 . Applicants must be available for the entire duration of the co-op. Start date will be July 13, 2026 . The Therapeutic Area Bioinformatics team at Moderna is seeking top talent in computational biology, bioinformatics, and data science to help advance our mission of delivering transformative mRNA medicines. As a Co-Op within the Autoimmune Therapeutic Area, you will be embedded in a high-performing, cross-functional research team working at the intersection of computational modeling and immunology. In this role, you will evaluate, develop, and apply quantitative and deep learning models to address key bioinformatics challenges related to target perturbation prediction and mechanistic modeling in autoimmune disease. You will work with multi-omic, transcriptomic, and functional genomics datasets to characterize target biology, predict downstream effects of genetic or pharmacologic perturbations, and support data-driven target prioritization strategies. This experience will provide hands-on exposure to cutting-edge computational approaches in drug discovery, deepen your understanding of immune system biology, and allow you to contribute directly to the identification and advancement of novel therapeutic targets in autoimmunity.
Requirements
- Current PhD student in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, Immunology (with strong computational focus), Biomedical Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline.
- Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or applying advanced statistical or deep learning models to biological datasets.
- Strong programming skills in Python and/or R, with experience writing reproducible, well-documented code.
- Experience working with high-dimensional biological data (e.g., transcriptomics, single-cell data, epigenomics, proteomics, CRISPR screens, or other functional genomics datasets).
- This position is site-based, requiring you to be at Moderna’s site full-time.
- This position is not eligible for remote work.
- Candidates must already hold work authorization in US and be able to maintain that status without the need for future sponsorship.
Nice To Haves
- Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate scientific literature and translate published computational or systems biology methods into practical, scalable implementations.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly present technical findings to both computational scientists and experimental/biological collaborators.
- Familiarity with advanced modeling approaches such as network modeling, perturbation modeling, causal inference, dynamical systems, multimodal integration, or predictive machine learning in biological contexts.
- Track record of scientific contribution, such as peer-reviewed publications, preprints, conference presentations, and/or publicly available code repositories (e.g., GitHub) demonstrating reproducible computational work.
- Domain knowledge in immunology and/or autoimmune disease biology, including familiarity with immune cell states, cytokine signaling, and mechanisms of immune dysregulation is preferred.
- Working knowledge of wet-lab experimental approaches (e.g., RNA-seq, single-cell sequencing, CRISPR screens, flow cytometry), enabling effective collaboration with experimental teams and informed interpretation of biological data is preferred.
- Experience working in cross-functional or interdisciplinary research environment is strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Work closely with a team of computational biologists, immunologists, and data scientists to rapidly gain familiarity with Moderna’s platforms, datasets, and modeling frameworks.
- Identify, evaluate, and synthesize foundational computational models from the academic literature relevant to target perturbation prediction, network biology, and autoimmune disease mechanisms, and assess their suitability for internal implementation.
- Adapt, implement, and benchmark selected models within Moderna’s computational ecosystem, ensuring robustness, reproducibility, and scalability across datasets.
- Develop and apply advanced statistical and deep learning approaches to analyze multi-omic, transcriptomic, and functional genomics data to predict downstream effects of genetic or pharmacologic target perturbations.
- Contribute to mechanistic and systems-level modeling efforts to better understand immune cell state transitions and pathway dynamics in autoimmunity.
- Perform rigorous model validation, sensitivity analyses, and comparative benchmarking to support data-driven target prioritization decisions.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with therapeutic area scientists and experimental teams to interpret computational findings and refine hypotheses.
- Prepare clear technical documentation, reproducible code, and formal reports summarizing methods, results, conclusions, and recommended next steps.
- Present findings and modeling strategies in cross-functional meetings, contributing to strategic discussions around target biology and therapeutic development.
Benefits
- Paid time off, including: Vacation, sick time, and observed Company-wide holidays
- Free premium access to fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes
- Free parking, subsidized parking, or subsidized commuter passes, depending on location.
- Location-specific perks and extras!
- Free premium access to meditation and mindfulness classes
- Subsidized commuter benefits
- Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick time, holidays, volunteer days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown
- Location-specific perks and extras
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
1,001-5,000 employees
