Principal Engineer, Drug Product

The Role:

The Principal Engineer, Drug Product will provide technical leadership and expertise across Moderna’s global manufacturing network, including operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The role will focus on sterile drug product processes and associated manufacturing technologies, including filling, inspection, packaging, and labeling equipment. This individual will establish global engineering standards in the Technical Authority organization, and drive consistency across facilities, processes, equipment, and systems.

 

This position plays a key role in defining engineering best practices aligned with Moderna’s global manufacturing strategy and providing technical oversight across the manufacturing network. The Principal Engineer will support capital projects, continuous improvement initiatives, and resolution of complex technical challenges while ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and Moderna standards. The ideal candidate will demonstrate deep expertise in filling, inspection, labeling, and packaging equipment within a regulated environment and the ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams across global locations.

 

Key Responsibilities:

 

Global Technical Leadership:

• Lead the development of a Technical Authority organization to support manufacturing operations and provide expert guidance on engineering decisions for drug product processes globally.
• Act as the Global Subject Matter Expert (SME) in primary and secondary packaging, inspection, filling, labeling, closing equipment, and processes.
• Establish and maintain best practices and functional standards that enable global standardization of facilities, engineering processes, equipment, and systems.

Capital Project Leadership:

• Lead the Front-End Engineering for capital projects, including scope determination, design review, manufacturability assessments, cost analysis, risk evaluation, and schedule planning for Drug Product projects.
• Oversee and participate in the complete project lifecycle, including conceptual design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, start-up, commissioning, validation, and qualification of equipment.
• Ensure project documentation is accurate, comprehensive, and compliant with regulatory and internal standards, including URS, functional descriptions, and engineering drawings.

Equipment Specification and Vendor Management:

• Develop and own specifications for filling, inspection, labeling, and packaging equipment, leading the selection and assessment of equipment vendors.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define user requirements, design specifications, and process parameters, providing input into risk assessments (FMEA) and operational strategies.
• Drive the development of Engineering Turnover Packages, ensuring accurate documentation, operating manuals, and GMP compliance for all process equipment.

Regulatory Compliance and Testing:

• Ensure that all global manufacturing processes comply with regulatory requirements (e.g., GMP, FDA, ICH, EMA), including validation and qualification activities.
• Lead Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and commissioning of equipment at vendor locations and on-site.
• Support global qualification strategies, including vision systems for Automated Visual Inspection (AVI), and troubleshooting equipment failures while ensuring preventive maintenance and continuous improvement.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement:

• Drive innovation by identifying new technologies for filling and closing equipment, primary and secondary packaging, and vision inspection systems.
• Lead testing and evaluation of new technologies to support the global technical roadmap, providing solutions for emerging business needs and continuous process improvements.
• Act as a technical influencer, providing guidance to senior leadership on business initiatives and strategic capital investments.

Operational Excellence and Problem-Solving:

• Serve as a problem solver for complex engineering challenges, troubleshooting equipment, determining root causes of failures, and driving preventive maintenance initiatives.
• Support deviation investigations, change controls, and regulatory audits by providing expertise in process equipment and compliance.
• Lead the creation and optimization of machine recipes, and support re-qualification and inspections as needed across global sites.

Required Background:

 

Education:         

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred.

Experience & Requirements:

   

• 15+ years of experience in engineering roles within the pharmaceutical industry, specifically with drug product manufacturing equipment such as filling, packaging, and labeling systems.
• Proven experience managing large-scale, global capital projects, and leading cross-functional technical teams.
• Deep understanding of regulatory and performance requirements for sterile manufacturing processes, including experience in FAT/SAT, commissioning, validation, and qualification.
• Demonstrated success in driving innovation, managing equipment vendors, and developing engineering standards across global sites.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead global technical teams.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously while maintaining a focus on strategic objectives.

 

Our Working Model

As we build our company, we have always believed that an in-person culture is critical to our success. This role is 100% onsite, reflecting the importance of being physically present to support the work, collaborate closely with colleagues, and contribute to our site-based operations.

 

Working onsite enables real-time collaboration, strong team connections, direct mentorship, and the hands-on partnership needed to deliver our mission. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact.

 

Moderna is a smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free work environment.

Pay & Benefits

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work. That’s why our benefits and well-being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Competitive healthcare, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs
• A holistic approach to well-being, with access to 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 you plan for the future
• Location-specific perks and extras

The salary range for this role is $142,500.00 - $256,500.00. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An individual’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, performance, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, other incentive compensation, or equity award, subject to company plan eligibility criteria and individual performance.

About Moderna

Since our founding in 2010, we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform, the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered, and a world-class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world.  

By living our mission, values, and mindsets every day, our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together, we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients, our employees, the environment, and our communities. 

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in the U.S. 

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine, we invite you to visit modernatx.com/careers to learn more about our current opportunities. 

Equal Opportunities

Moderna is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, ethnicity, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable law.  Moderna is a place where everyone can grow. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for the role and you would be excited to contribute to our mission every day, please apply!

Moderna is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 

Accommodations

We’re focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best. 

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations team at [email protected]. 

Export Control Notice This position may involve access to technology or data that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such, employment is contingent upon the applicant’s ability to access export-controlled information in accordance with U.S. law. Due to the nature of the work and regulatory requirements, only individuals who qualify as U.S. persons (citizens, permanent residents, asylees, or refugees) are eligible for this position. For this role Moderna is unable to sponsor non-U.S. persons to apply for an export control license.

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