Team Lead, Quality Control, Raw Materials & Environmental Monitoring

The Role:

Joining Moderna means advancing mRNA science to transform medicine. Work with exceptional global teams on a broad pipeline and build a career that makes a real difference for patients.

Moderna is strengthening its presence in Melbourne, a leading biotech hub in Australia. Our team drives commercial operations to bring our mRNA medicines to patients nationwide. We welcome global professionals committed to making a meaningful impact.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Quality Control, you will lead critical QC operations overseeing raw materials, environmental monitoring, and critical utilities within a cGMP environment.

You will operate at the intersection of quality, manufacturing, and innovation enabling compliance while enabling the speed and scale of mRNA production.

This afternoon-shift leadership role offers the opportunity to drive operational excellence, mentor high-performing teams, and contribute to next-generation digital and AI-enabled quality systems.

Here's What You'll Do:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of QC analysts, fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture grounded in accountability and continuous learning.
• Oversee raw material and consumable sampling and testing activities, ensuring full compliance with cGMP and global regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate and optimize scheduling and prioritization of QC testing activities to meet dynamic production timelines.
• Manage Environmental Monitoring (EM) and Critical Utilities (CU) programs, including sampling, testing, data trending, and reporting.
• Ensure compliant and efficient shipment of samples to external laboratories, maintaining regulatory and quality standards.
• Review and approve analytical data within electronic laboratory systems, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and data integrity.
• Lead timely execution of investigations, deviations, CAPAs, and change controls, consistently meeting KPI expectations.
• Identify operational risks proactively and implement robust mitigation strategies to ensure uninterrupted quality operations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, MS&T, and external partners to ensure seamless operations.
• Author, review, and approve SOPs and work instructions, ensuring documentation remains current and compliant.
• Support regulatory inspections and audits, acting as a subject matter expert for raw materials, EM, and CU programs.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging digital tools and emerging technologies—including opportunities to integrate AI-driven insights—to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Ensure strict adherence to safety, quality, and documentation standards across all QC activities.
• Support method transfers, validation, and qualification activities as required to enable process scalability and robustness.
• Provide flexible support across broader QC functions to meet evolving operational needs within Moderna’s manufacturing environment.
• Operate effectively on an afternoon shift, ensuring extended coverage for manufacturing and QC activities.

The key Moderna Mindsets you’ll need to succeed in the role:

“We act with urgency; Action today compounds the lives saved tomorrow.”

“We digitize everywhere possible using the power of code to maximize our impact on patients.”

Here’s What You’ll Need (Basic Qualifications) 

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline with 10+ years QC experience in a cGMP environment.
• Proven leadership experience with the ability to motivate, develop, and manage high-performing teams.
• Strong knowledge of environmental monitoring programs and raw material testing requirements.
• Demonstrated decision-making capability in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
• Proactive mindset with the ability to anticipate issues and drive solutions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Passion for quality, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Willingness to learn and adapt in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to efficiently prioritize and complete multiple projects and tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to conduct investigations.
• Experience with regulatory inspections and audit readiness.
• This position is site-based, requiring you to be at Moderna’s site full-time. This position is not eligible for remote work.
• As part of Moderna’s commitment to workplace health and safety, this role may be subject to pre-employment and periodic medical assessments, in line with relevant legal and operational requirements.

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 building benefits, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, bank holidays, 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 benefits offered may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Moderna and the country where you work.

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. 

As we build our company, we have always believed an in-person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in-office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in-office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact. 

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. 

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

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 committed to equal opportunity in employment 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. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 

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 accommodation or adjustments to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation or adjustment 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 and Adjustments team at leavesandaccommodations@modernatx.com. 

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