Senior Director, Cell Therapy Discovery

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

Job Function
Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development

Job Sub Function
Biotherapeutics R&D

Job Category
People Leader

All Job Posting Locations:
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, Remote (US), Spring House, Pennsylvania, 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

We are searching for the best talent for the best Senior Director, Cell Therapy Discovery (Cell & Genetic Medicines) to be in Spring House, PA or Cambridge, MA. Remote work options may be considered on a case-by-case basis and if approved by the Company.

Purpose
We are seeking a Senior Director of Cell Therapy Discovery to lead and accelerate innovative research efforts in the field of CAR T cell therapies. This leadership role is pivotal in shaping the future of our pipeline and advancing cutting-edge treatments. The ideal candidate will possess extensive expertise in cellular immunology and therapeutic development, with a proven track record of leading discovery teams and delivering impactful results.

You Will Be Responsible For

• Strategic Leadership: Drive the overall strategy and scientific direction of the cell therapy discovery pipeline, aligning with corporate strategy and industry trends.
• Team Management: Mentor discovery project leaders, and foster a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, and continuous learning. Drive talent development to build capabilities in cutting-edge cell therapy technologies.
• Scientific Innovation: Identify and execute novel approaches for cell therapy research, including gene editing, innovative transgene design, and delivery strategies.
• External Partnerships: Establish and manage strategic collaborations with academic institutions, biotech partners, and external CROs to supplement internal expertise, access novel technologies, and accelerate discovery efforts.
• Pipeline Advancement: Oversee the progression of early-stage discovery programs from ideation through validation, ensuring pipeline robustness and innovation.
• Regulatory & Compliance: Ensure all research activities adhere to regulatory standards, ethical guidelines, and safety protocols.
• Budget & Resource Planning: Oversee departmental budgets, resource allocation, and project prioritization to maximize research productivity.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent experience in Cell Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of overall experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or related academia environments is required; ideally leadership experience in cell therapy discovery is preferred.
• Proven track record of innovative scientific contributions, including advancing discovery programs through R&D milestones.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of development considerations in early-stage programs.
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills.
• This role may require 10-20% travel.

Johnson & Johnson is an 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, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson and Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants' needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, please email the Employee Health Support Center (ra-) or contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Required Skills
Preferred Skills:
Cell and Gene Therapy, Drug Discovery Development, Drug Discovery Research, Scientific Innovation

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :
$193,000 to $333,500

Additional Description For Pay Transparency
Additional Description for Pay Transparency 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)).
• Employees are eligible for the following time off benefits: o Vacation – up to 120 hours per calendar year o 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 o Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays – up to 13 days per calendar year o 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.