Research Associate, Protein Expression and Purification

at  Moderna

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline
Experience with bacterial and mammalian cell culture techniques preferred
Experience with design and cloning of protein expression constructs preferred
Experience using standard methods to express and purify recombinant preferred
Experience in biochemical characterization of proteins (e.g., SDS-PAGE, analytical SEC, western blot, thermal melt)
Ability to participate in multiple collaborative projects in a cross-functional team environment
Ability to multi-task to meet technology development and research goals
Strong quantitative analysis skills
Excellent written and oral communication
Co-op/intern industry experience in protein biochemistry or similar laboratory preferred
Experience operating and performing basic maintenance on FPLC systems preferred
This position is site-based, requiring you to be at Moderna’s site full-time. This position is not eligible for remote work.
Moderna is pleased to provide you and your family with a comprehensive and innovative suite of benefits, including:
Highly competitive and inclusive medical, dental and vision coverage options
Flexible Spending Accounts for medical expenses and dependent care expenses
Lifestyle Spending Account funds to help you engage in personal enrichment and self-care activities
Family care benefits, including subsidized back-up care options and on-demand tutoring
Free premium access to fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes
Exclusive preferred pricing on Peloton fitness equipment
Adoption and family-planning benefits
Dedicated care coordination support for our LGBTQ+ community

THE ROLE:

Moderna is seeking a Research Associate to join the Protein Sciences group at their Cambridge, MA site. The candidate will support recombinant protein production needs for diverse functional groups across the company by expressing, purifying, and characterizing recombinant proteins for development of mRNA therapeutics, vaccines, platform technology and manufacturing. Specifically, the candidate will use bacterial, mammalian, and insect cell culturing techniques for protein expression, chromatographic methods for protein purification, and will perform standard biochemical techniques for characterization of purified proteins. In addition to established methods, the candidate will also research and develop new expression/purification techniques to deliver on difficult protein targets. The candidate will communicate with stakeholders to align on project goals, present data/results/progress, and deliver high-quality recombinant proteins to meet tight project deadlines.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Molecular cloning, plasmid preparation and propagation
Protein expression primarily in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells; occasional expression in yeast, insect cells, other bacterial hosts, and cell-free systems
Protein purification by chromatography-based methods (affinity, ion exchange, size-exclusion, use of FPLC systems for semi-automated purifications)
Testing and optimizing expression/purification conditions
Research and develop new expression/purification techniques
Characterization of proteins by standard biochemical techniques (SDS-PAGE, western blots, thermal melts, activity assays, binding assays)
Effectively communicate project goals, timelines, progress, and results across functional groups
Manage an inventory of laboratory reagents and support logistics of external receipts/shipping for partnered programs
Interpret, summarize, and present experimental data and results at group meetings, project meetings and department meetings