Distinguished Scientist/Director, Cell Therapy

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com

Job Function:

Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development

Job Sub Function:

Biotherapeutics R&D

Job Category:

Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America

Job Description:

About Innovative Medicine

Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.

Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.

Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine

We are searching for the best talent for the best Distinguished Scientist/Director, Cell Therapy to be in Cambridge, MA. 

Purpose:

 

We are looking for a dynamic and strategic Distinguished Scientist to lead and elevate our Cell Therapy initiatives. In this pivotal role, you will serve as a recognized technical authority, driving scientific strategy, experimental rigor, and data-driven decision-making across discovery programs, in addition to leveraging your expertise to collaborate with cross-functional teams, guiding discovery activities that propel our mission forward.

 

The ideal candidate brings a robust background in immunology or related fields, alongside extensive experience in the development and execution of cell therapy discovery projects. Your leadership skills will be crucial in mentoring team members and fostering a collaborative environment that drives scientific excellence. This is a unique opportunity to make significant contributions to groundbreaking advancements that have the potential to transform patient care.

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a recognized Cell Therapy subject-matter expert influencing scientific direction at the program, platform, and portfolio level.

• Shape scientific strategy through expert evaluation of complex datasets, experimental approaches, and emerging technologies.

• Provide authoritative scientific input into candidate selection, development strategy, and risk assessment, including contributions to milestone decisions

• Anticipate scientific challenges and proactively propose innovative solutions aligned with organizational priorities and needs.

• Design and interpret sophisticated experimental strategies with a strong emphasis on rigor, reproducibility, and decision relevance.

• Author and/or critically review key technical documents, data packages, and scientific presentations intended for internal governance and decision-making.

• Support talent development by reviewing experimental plans, offering technical guidance, and helping to elevate scientific storytelling and decision-making quality.

• Contribute to a culture of scientific excellence, collaboration, and constructive feedback.

• Operate effectively in highly matrixed environments and partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g. nonclinical safety, manufacturing, strategy, etc.)

 

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Cell Biology, or related field with 8+ years of relevant industry experience in cell therapy, immuno-oncology, or T cell biology.

• Deep domain expertise with a track record of independent scientific leadership and strategic influence.

• Deep understanding of CAR-T cell design and function, including assay systems used to evaluate CAR potency, persistence, and phenotype is required.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-tech