Associate Director, R&D Quality

The Role:

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Associate Director to join Research & Development Quality with a focus on vendor quality. The role owns Quality Agreements (drafting through periodic review), manages vendor quality metrics and governance, and plans/leads risk‑based audits with durable CAPA follow‑through. The successful candidate will strengthen inspection readiness, harmonize processes and job aids, and enable data‑driven oversight of vendors in a fast‑moving environment.

Here’s What You’ll Do:

• Own the lifecycle of Quality Agreements (scope, drafting/redlining, execution, periodic review, and change control).

• Establish and maintain a vendor quality metrics framework, dashboards, and governance cadence; trend and escalate risks.

• Lead and/or oversee risk‑based vendor audits (GCP/GLP/GCLP as applicable); plan, conduct, report, and verify CAPA effectiveness.

• Partner with stakeholders to prioritize and qualify/approve vendors.

• Lead or contribute to cross‑functional teams with Procurement and Legal to align MSAs/SOWs with Quality Agreements.

• Author or update SOPs, work instructions, and job aids to harmonize vendor quality processes across RDQ&C.

• Utilize quality systems (e.g., Veeva QMS/QualityDocs, eTMF, issue/deviation management) to manage agreements, audit records, and performance.

• Provide training and coaching to study and functional teams on vendor quality obligations and audit/inspection behaviors.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance vendor oversight practices and foster continuous improvement.

• Ability to travel 10–30% (domestic and international).

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table:

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related field required.

• 8+ years of experience in R&D Quality, Quality Assurance, or related discipline within the pharmaceutical/biotech industry

• Proven track record drafting and negotiating Quality Agreements with Legal/Procurement and external partners.

• Demonstrated experience planning/leading GxP audits and driving effective CAPAs to closure.

• Strong working knowledge of ICH E6 (R2/R3), GCP/GLP/GCLP, data integrity principles, and 21 CFR Part 11/EU Annex 11.

• Comfort with quality systems and metrics (e.g., Veeva, reporting/visualization tools); concise, executive‑ready communication.

• Excellent stakeholder management and influence skills; ability to operate in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.

• Preferred: vendor oversight across clinical and nonclinical domains (e.g., CROs, central/specialty labs, eClinical/data platforms).

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

• Best-in-class healthcare coverage, plus a suite of voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs
• A holistic approach to well-being, with access to fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support
• Lifestyle Spending Accounts to personalize your well-being journey
• Family planning and adoption benefits
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown
• Savings and investment opportunities
• Location-specific perks and extras

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. 

Our Working Model 

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