Senior Director, R&D Data Science

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Research & Development is recruiting for Sr. Director, Data Science & Digital Health, Discovery Product Development and Supply (DPDS) Data Science, reporting to the Chief R&D Data Science Officer. This position is flexible to remote locations, New Brunswick, NJ; Titusville, NJ; Raritan, NJ; Spring House, PA; San Francisco, CA; San Diego, CA; Cambridge, MA; preferred home office location is Spring House, PA. Up to 15% domestic and international travel.

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine develops treatments that improve the health of people worldwide. Research and development areas encompass oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, immunology, pulmonary hypertension, retinal disorders, and neuroscience. Our goal is to help people live longer, healthier lives. We have produced and marketed many first-in-class prescription medications and are poised to serve the broad needs of the healthcare market – from patients to practitioners and from clinics to hospitals.

About the Role:

We are looking for a seasoned professional with deep experience in data science, target identification, pre-clinical development, process development, and manufacturing. This individual must have a strong strategic perspective, desire to drive innovation and inform discovery & development projects through the application of data science and AI/ML approaches.

The Sr. Director, DPDS Data Science, reporting to the Chief Data Science Officer in R&D, will be a key leader in a highly matrixed environment – developing, implementing and managing our overall Data Science strategy in that area. This leader will work closely with the Janssen Discovery, Product Development & Supply team and across therapeutic areas including Oncology, Immunology, and Neuroscience within Janssen. This individual must be “bilingual” in both data science and fluent in Drug Development.

The Sr. Director, DPDS Data Science will:

• Develop and execute data science strategy aligned with Discovery, Product Development and Supply’s (DPDS) overall vision and goals, partnering closely with DPDS teams in Preclinical Sciences and Translational Safety (PSTS) and Therapeutics Development & Supply (TDS) to align data science initiatives, assess needs, and create a roadmap outlining both short-term and long-term data science projects.
• Collaborate with DPDS senior leadership team to identify key areas where data science can deliver significant business value and innovation, ensure scientific impact and alignment with DPDS goals & objectives.
• Drive a strong interface between data scientists within the DSDH and DPDS teams, manage and be accountable for data science portfolio for DPDS including project prioritization, resource allocation, and deliverables.
• Partner closely with scientists in PSTS and assure their ability to drive biological insights and data analytics integrating molecule attribute data from across DPDS as well as biology related to on and off-target pathways and PK, derived from in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical data with the aim to inform translational PK-PD and safety.
• Partner closely with scientists in TDS and assure their ability to drive biological and technological insights and data analytics integrating mechanism of action understanding, process and scale-up data, clinical supply & distribution from across DPDS and IMSC to drive increased product knowledge, faster process and supply chain optimization and assist with adaptive process control.
• Partner closely with the DPDS and DSDH External Innovation and Alliance team to identify, evaluate, and collaborate with academic and external partners aimed at gaining valuable insights from state-of-the-art data and analytic approaches.
• Collaborate with other leaders in data science in DSHS and DPDS to deliver therapeutic programs to the clinic and to industrialize the process of doing so with machine-learning driven optimization of each stage.
• Partner and lead in a highly matrixed environment with cross functional teams, DPDS and TA teams, scientists, data scientists, engineers, external partners (when relevant); create a strong strategic partnership with R&D IT.
• Play a leadership role in the J&J IM R&D data science community.

• A minimum of 8 years of experience relevant to discovery and development, specifically in a biopharma industry or academic setting is required.
• Experience with and a vision for transforming discovery, development, and supply, predictive biology, including target identification, validation, disease mechanism understanding, with the use of computational modeling and machine learning (AI/ML).
• Master’s degree is required, PhD or MD is highly preferred.
• Experience as a member or leader on multiple active discovery/preclinical candidate program teams, collaborating with leaders across disciplines.
• Experience hiring, managing, and mentoring teams engaged in target discovery and development activities in a matrixed environment is required.
• Working knowledge and proven experience with the drug discovery, development, and manufacturing process.
• Proven project leadership and the ability to influence and engage with strategic and technical/scientific stakeholders is required.
• Strong track record of collaboration and leadership in matrix organizations.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and written skills.
• Broad understanding and application of machine learning and AI algorithms (supervised, unsupervised learning, deep neural network, large language models, etc.) in biomedical research and/or healthcare settings.
• Ability to travel both domestic and international on an as-needed basis (up to 15% yearly).

Preferred:

• This is a target discovery and product development-focused role, and candidates are expected to have industry experience. Experience in clinical development, post-marketing data science, or data analytics and infrastructure is preferred but not required, though an appreciation of how data must be handled in a regulated environment is important.
• Broad knowledge of applications of AI/ML de-novo & applied algorithmic development.
• Expertise in current AI/ML methodologies, including but not limited to: a range of deep learning architectures (e.g. Transformers, encoder-decoders, CNNs); generative AI applied to multiple modalities (NLP, imaging, genomics); graph ML, causal inference; and other techniques such as one-shot learning, transfer learning, diffusion models, reinforcement learning, systems modeling, and active learning applied to the field of target discovery and development.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is 173000 to 299000. California Bay Area - The anticipated base pay range for this position is 200000 to 343850.

The Company maintains highly competitive, performance-based compensation programs. Under current guidelines, this position is eligible for an annual performance bonus in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan. The annual performance bonus is a cash bonus intended to provide an incentive to achieve annual targeted results by rewarding for individual and the corporation’s performance over a calendar/performance year. Bonuses are awarded at the Company’s discretion on an individual basis.

• Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company sponsored employee benefit programs: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, business accident insurance, and group legal insurance.
• Employees may be eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).
• This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive program.
• Employees are eligible for the following time off benefits: - Vacation – up to 120 hours per calendar year.
• Sick time - up to 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington – up to 56 hours per calendar year.
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays – up to 13 days per calendar year of Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year.

Additional information can be found through the link below.

The compensation and benefits information set forth in this posting applies to candidates hired in the United States. Candidates hired outside the United States will be eligible for compensation and benefits in accordance with their local market.

At Johnson & Johnson, we’re on a mission to change the trajectory of health for humanity. That starts by creating the world’s healthiest workforce. Through cutting-edge programs and policies, we empower the physical, mental, emotional, and financial health of our employees and the ones they love.

Johnson & Johnson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

We offer expansive benefits including competitive compensation, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid family/work time, 401(k) matching, and short- and long-term incentives tied to performance.

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