Manager, External Innovation - MedTech Surgery

Johnson & Johnson MedTech; Raritan (NJ); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 201,250; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation – 120 hours per calendar year

Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of a child's birth/adoption/foster care

Sick time – 40 hours per calendar year

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson MedTech in Raritan, NJ, is seeking a Manager of External Innovation to lead innovative strategies in the medical device industry. You will scout and evaluate new technologies, manage partnerships, and contribute to the advancement of surgical solutions.

This position requires a PhD in a related scientific field and at least 6 years of experience. Responsibilities include executing strategic innovation plans and collaborating cross-functionally. Hybrid work schedule available.

Qualifications

• PhD in a scientific or technical discipline is required.
• Minimum 6+ years of experience in the medical device industry with end‑to‑end product development.
• Demonstrated experience in external innovation for early to mid‑stage technologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an external innovation strategy to identify high-potential technologies.
• Evaluate external opportunities through an integrated technical and market lens.
• Lead technical due diligence for licensing and collaboration opportunities.

Skills

Compliance Management

Product Development

Leadership

Research and Development

Technical Credibility

Education

PhD in a scientific or technical discipline

Tools

SAP Product Lifecycle Management

Job description

Manager, External Innovation - MedTech

Location: Raritan, NJ. Hybrid schedule: 3 days per week onsite.

Job Function

R&D Product Development

Job Sub Function

Multi-Family R&D Product Development

Job Category

People Leader

All Job Posting Locations

Raritan, New Jersey, United States of America

Job Description

We are developing next‑generation smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments. As a key member of our Surgery team, you will help deliver surgical technologies and solutions to surgeons and healthcare professionals worldwide. You will contribute to treating conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Our portfolio includes surgical staplers, clip appliers, trocars, and sealing devices used across minimally invasive and open procedures.

Purpose

Drive external innovation strategy by scouting and evaluating new technologies and partnerships. Lead technical due diligence for collaborations and investments. Build and manage external partner relationships, develop strategic roadmaps, and create evaluation frameworks to enable confident early‑stage technology decisions.

You Will Be Responsible For

• Develop and execute an external innovation strategy to identify high‑potential technologies, startups, academic laboratories, and service providers aligned to commercial and technology targets.
• Evaluate external opportunities through an integrated technical and market lens, assessing scientific validity, technology readiness, risk, timelines, and product‑market fit.
• Lead technical due diligence for licensing, collaboration, and investment opportunities, partnering with cross‑functional stakeholders to prepare concise assessments for senior leadership.
• Design, coordinate, and execute evaluation frameworks (e.g., preclinical assays, in‑vitro methods, or equivalent) to de‑risk early‑stage technologies and inform go/no‑go decisions.
• Manage external partnerships and vendors (e.g., CROs, contract developers, academic collaborators), including scopes of work, budgets, milestones, and governance.
• Coordinate with cross‑functional teams (R&D, Medical, Clinical, Regulatory, Commercial, BD, Legal) to support external innovation initiatives.
• Track and report portfolio metrics and outcomes for external collaborations and projects; identify and escalation opportunities, monitor timelines, and drive go/no‑go decisions.
• Map and maintain the external ecosystem; track market trends and competitor activity related to target areas and the portfolio.

Qualifications And Requirements

• PhD in a scientific or technical discipline (biology, chemistry, materials science, engineering, or related field) is required.
• Minimum 6+ years of experience in the medical device industry with end‑to‑end product development.
• Demonstrated experience in external innovation (scouting, partnerships, licensing, collaborations) for early‑ to mid‑stage technologies is required.
• Proven ability to work at the interface of market and technology strategy, translating market needs into technical requirements and vice versa.
• Strong scientific judgment, with experience assessing technology fit, feasibility, and commercialization potential.
• Experience managing external vendors and collaborators, including defining scopes of work and overseeing execution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to produce clear technical and commercial materials for senior leadership.
• Ability to influence and lead cross‑functional teams without formal authority in a matrixed environment.
• Basic understanding of preclinical, clinical, and regulatory requirements to support 510(k) and PMA product submissions and approvals.
• Experience developing due diligence materials to support external opportunity evaluation is preferred.
• Experience leading a team through development and approval of a PMA medical device is preferred.
• Demonstrated track record of designing testing strategies and endpoints to evaluate early‑stage technology efficacy and safety is preferred.
• Experience building scientific communication packages that summarize results and support decision‑making is preferred.
• Demonstrated success influencing cross‑functional resource allocation and securing funding for priority initiatives is preferred.
• Up to 10% travel both international and domestic.

Required Skills

Compliance Management, Developing Others, Entrepreneurship, Inclusive Leadership, Leadership, Performance Measurement, Process Improvements, Product Development, Product Development Lifecycle, Product Strategies, Quality Assurance (QA), Research and Development, Research Ethics, Resource Allocation, SAP Product Lifecycle Management, Team Management, Technical Credibility, Versatility.

Preferred Skills

Compliance Management, Developing Others, Entrepreneurship, Inclusive Leadership, Leadership, Performance Measurement, Process Improvements, Product Development, Product Development Lifecycle, Product Strategies, Quality Assurance (QA), Research and Development, Research Ethics, Resource Allocation, SAP Product Lifecycle Management, Team Management, Technical Credibility, Versatility.

Pay Transparency

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $117,000.00 – $201,250.00. Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).

Benefits

• Vacation – 120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time – 40 hours per calendar year (48 hours for Colorado residents; 56 hours for Washington residents)
• Holiday pay, including floating holidays – 13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time – up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of a child's birth/adoption/foster care
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member; 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52‑week rolling period (10 days)
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time‑Off – 80 hours per calendar year

Equal Opportunity Statement

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. We are committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation, please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers or contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.