Associate Director, Immuno-Oncology Research

Moderna • Cambridge, MA

6h • $142,500 - $256,500 • Onsite

About The Position

Moderna’s Research and Early Development team is seeking an experienced Associate Director to lead Immuno-Oncology Research programs focused on emerging T cell engager (TCE) and in vivo cell therapy programs. The role provides scientific and organizational leadership for scientist-level research leads advancing therapeutic concepts from target and modality strategy through candidate selection and preclinical development, emphasizing T cell and tumor biology, translational relevance, and rigorous experimental decision-making.

The successful candidate will bring expertise in immuno-oncology, immune cell-directed therapeutics, functional assays, and in vivo models, along with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through complex research programs. The position partners closely with Therapeutics Research, Platform Science, Nonclinical Sciences, CMC, Development, Regulatory, and external partners.

This is a 100% onsite role. Moderna describes its workplace as smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free. The salary range is $142,500 to $256,500. The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, other incentive compensation, or an equity award, subject to plan eligibility criteria and individual performance.

Requirements

• PhD in immunology, oncology, or a related biological sciences discipline.
• At least 7 years of relevant post-PhD experience; biotechnology or pharmaceutical experience is preferred.
• Deep expertise in immuno-oncology and immune cell biology.
• Substantial experience advancing immune cell-directed therapeutic programs, such as T cell engagers, CAR-T, TCR-based therapies, CAR-M, or closely related modalities.
• Experience managing scientists or research associates in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities, execute multiple research workstreams in parallel, and develop talent.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience designing, leading, and interpreting hypothesis-driven research integrating functional assays, mechanistic studies, in vivo PKPD and efficacy models, and translational data to support therapeutic candidate decisions.
• Strong understanding of TCE, CAR-T, and CAR-M biology, including target selection, immune synapse formation, immune cell activation and cytotoxicity, activation thresholds, exhaustion or dysfunction, trafficking, persistence, resistance mechanisms, and safety considerations.
• Experience assessing therapeutic index and modality-specific liabilities, including target expression and normal-tissue biology, cytokine release, off-tumor activity, and immune cell fitness.
• Experience collaborating across multidisciplinary discovery and development teams, including protein or cell engineering, computational biology, translational research, nonclinical sciences, CMC, clinical biomarker, clinical development, and external partner functions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, matrixed therapeutic research programs with multiple internal and external dependencies, establish scientific priorities, and drive data-based decisions across teams and functions on accelerated timelines.
• Contributions to high-impact publications, patents, conference presentations, development candidates, or platform technologies in immunology, oncology, cell therapy, or related fields.
• Excellent written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to influence, align, and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and interface with senior leadership.
• Scientific curiosity and creativity, independence in execution, and adaptability and persistence in pursuing successful outcomes for novel immuno-oncology therapeutics.
• Desire to make an impact as part of a high-growth, transformational company that is Bold, Relentless, Curious, and Collaborative.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and people leadership for 1–2 scientist-level research leads responsible for emerging TCE and in vivo cell therapy programs, setting priorities, experimental strategies, and decision points across multiple programs.
• Lead programs from early conceptualization and target assessment through mechanism-of-action studies, lead optimization, candidate selection, and preclinical development readiness.
• Define and challenge therapeutic hypotheses, target-product concepts, and program strategies by integrating tumor biology, T, NK, and myeloid cell biology, translational evidence, modality attributes and liabilities, and patient-selection considerations.
• Guide the design and interpretation of in vitro and in vivo studies characterizing potency, selectivity, mechanism of action, resistance mechanisms, durability, and safety-related biology.
• Partner with the antibody engineering team to optimize therapeutic design, including architecture, binding properties, valency, avidity, and activation thresholds.
• Anticipate efficacy and safety risks for immune cell-directed therapeutics and guide experiments to characterize on-target/off-tumor activity, cytokine biology, immune cell dysfunction or exhaustion, and other modality-relevant liabilities.
• Establish stage-appropriate research plans, success criteria, and data packages to progress programs from discovery into formal preclinical and development activities.
• Lead cross-functional research teams and program reviews, ensuring key scientific questions are addressed with fit-for-purpose experiments and that data inform clear program decisions and next steps.
• Identify and evaluate new immuno-oncology targets, combination strategies, and therapeutic concepts to expand the emerging portfolio and address limitations of existing approaches.
• Collaborate across computational biology, protein engineering, cell engineering, mRNA and delivery sciences, nonclinical safety, translational medicine, CMC, clinical development, and external partners.

Benefits

• Competitive healthcare and voluntary benefit programs.
• 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 employees plan for the future.
• Location-specific perks and extras.
• Potential eligibility for an annual discretionary bonus, other incentive compensation, or equity award, subject to plan criteria and individual performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree