Senior Manager, Vector Biology

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 jnj.com

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world.  We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual.  At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function:

Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development

Job Sub Function:

Biological Research

Job Category:

People Leader

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 a Senior Manager, Vector Biology to be in Cambridge, MA.

Purpose:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager to oversee a multidisciplinary team responsible for advancing viral vector biology, vector design improvements, assay development, and optimization of lentiviral vectors for in vivo cell targeting. In this role, you will provide technical leadership and strategic direction to drive the team's research and development efforts, with a focus on enhancing cell-specific transduction capabilities.

You will be responsible for:

• Manage a team of scientists and engineers focused on viral vector biology, vector design, and assay development

• Oversee the team's work to improve lentiviral vector design and performance for in vivo cell targeting, including:

  • Identifying optimal target molecules and cell surface receptors for efficient vector binding and entry

  • Leveraging expertise in cell biology to understand and enhance vector-cell interactions for improved cell type-specific transduction

  • Designing and validating assays to characterize vector tropism, cell binding, internalization, and transduction efficiency

• Develop and implement strategies to optimize lentiviral vectors for specific cell type transduction

• Ensure the team designs and validates robust assays to test key assumptions about vector biology, cell targeting, and overall performance

• Collaborate cross-functionally with other R&D teams to integrate vector innovations into cell and gene therapy programs

• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction to drive the team's research and development efforts

• Manage budgets, timelines, and resources to deliver on team objectives

• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and strong scientific rigor

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in molecular biology, virology, bioengineering, or a related field with 6-8+ years of relevant industry experience in cell and gene therapy, with a strong background in viral vector development

• Deep expertise in lentiviral vector biology, design, and optimization for in vivo applications, including strong knowledge of cell biology principles to enable efficient cell targeting

• Extensive experience developing and validating assays to characterize vector tropism, cell binding, internalization, and transduction efficiency

• Demonstrated track record of leveraging cell biology insights to engineer improved cell-targeting capabilities of viral vectors

• Thorough understanding of cell surface receptor biology, cell signaling pathways, and intracellular trafficking mechanisms to inform vector design and optimization

• Pr