Principal Scientist, Multiomics
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine in Cambridge, MA seeks a Principal Scientist to lead development of spatial omics and functional genomics platforms. This individual contributor role combines scientific leadership with hands-on experimental innovation to advance therapeutic discovery across programs.
You will build integrated workflows, collaborate with computational teams, and scale laboratory capabilities while guiding external partners and CROs.
Qualifications
- PhD in Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Systems Biology, Bioengineering, Computational Biology or related discipline.
- Minimum of 6 years in biotechnology or pharmaceutical translational research environments.
- Deep expertise in spatial omics or functional genomics with cross-domain experience.
- Proven experience in experimental design, assay development, and platform deployment.
Responsibilities
- Lead development and deployment of massively parallel reporter assays and spatial omics across programs.
- Design workflows integrating perturbation, reporter assays, molecular profiling, and spatial analysis.
- Evaluate technologies to advance therapeutic mechanism understanding and translational research.
- Serve as SME in spatial biology, functional genomics, and high-content screening.
- Collaborate with computational teams to build scalable data standards and pipelines.
- Manage external collaborations and CROs to support discovery programs.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
At Johnson & Johnson,we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build aworld where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured,where treatments are smarter and less invasive, andsolutions 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.
Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development
Biological Research
Scientific/Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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 Principal Scientist, Multiomics to join our team in Cambridge MA or Spring House, PA.
Purpose: We are seeking an exceptional Principal Scientist to develop, validate, and apply the next-generation of spatial omics and massively parallel functional genomics platforms to advance therapeutic discovery across therapeutic areas. This is an individual contributor position that requires deep technical expertise supporting the efficient execution of complex projects.
This role sits within Multiomics Discovery and combines scientific leadership with hands‑on experimental innovation. The successful candidate will be responsible for building and deploying integrated platforms that connect genetic perturbation, genetic element function, cellular phenotypes, and tissue context. Areas of focus include spatial transcriptomics, spatial proteomics, massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs), pooled genetic screening, CRISPR‑based perturbation systems, and emerging spatially resolved functional genomics approaches.
The Principal Scientist will lead the design and execution of experimental workflows spanning perturbation library development, reporter assay engineering, cellular model generation, spatial molecular profiling, and multiomic data generation. The role will play a key part in identifying regulatory mechanisms, target‑effector relationships, disease‑associated cellular programs, and therapeutic opportunities by combining functional perturbation with pooled, single cell and high‑content spatial readouts.
The successful candidate will establish and scale laboratory capabilities, deliver on key objectives as an individual contributor, evaluate emerging technologies, manage external collaborators and CROs, and serve as a scientific partner supporting multiple discovery programs. The position offers unique opportunities to develop novel approaches that integrate functional genomics with single cell and spatial biology and to work closely with computational scientists to transform complex datasets into actionable biological insights.
We are seeking a highly innovative scientist with expertise in million‑to‑billion scale MPRAs and either spatial omics or functional genomics. A strong desire to build integrated solutions that bridge these rapidly evolving fields is required.
- Lead the development, optimization, and deployment of advanced massively parallel reporter assays and in combination with single cell and spatial omics across discovery programs.
- Design and implement innovative experimental workflows that integrate genetic perturbation, reporter assays, molecular profiling, and spatial analysis.
- Evaluate, establish, and scale emerging technologies that enhance therapeutic pathway discovery, mechanism‑of‑action studies, and translational research.
- Serve as a subject matter expert in spatial biology, functional genomics, and high‑content genomics screening technologies.
- Design and execute workflows involving in situ hybridization, microscopy, spatial transcriptomics, spatial proteomics, high‑resolution imaging, and sequencing.
- Develop and optimize spatial assays using platforms such as Bruker CosMx, 10x Genomics Visium, Xenium, and emerging technologies.
- Apply spatial approaches to characterize cellular interactions, tissue architecture, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic responses.
- Develop and deploy massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) to investigate protein elements, disease‑associated variants, transcriptional control mechanisms, and cell‑state specific regulatory programs.
- Design and execute pooled functional genomics studies, including CRISPR‑based perturbation screens, barcode‑enabled assays, and genetic screening workflows.
- Lead experimental design for library construction, vector engineering, cellular model generation, assay validation, and screening campaigns.
- Develop novel approaches that integrate perturbation, reporter activity, and transcriptional profiling within complex cellular systems.
- Familiarity with Antibody structure and Biologics Discovery is highly preferred.
- Build workflows that connect functional perturbation data with spatial phenotypes and tissue‑level biology.
- Partner with computational scientists to develop data standards, quality‑control frameworks, and scalable analytical pipelines.
- Collaborate with platform and therapeutic area scientists to translate multiomic findings into actionable biological insights and therapeutic hypotheses.
- PhD in Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Systems Biology, Human Biology, Bioengineering, Computational Biology, or a related discipline.
- Postdoctoral training is preferred. Equivalent industry experience with a strong record of scientific achievement will also be considered.
- Minimum of 6 years of biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry experience, or equivalent experience in highly technical translational research environments.
- Demonstrated scientific leadership with a strong record of publications, presentations, patents, or major technology contributions.
- Deep expertise in at least one of the following domains, with demonstrated experience working across both:
- Spatial omics and molecular imaging technologies
- Functional genomics, pooled screening, and massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs)
- Proven experience in experimental design, assay development, technology optimization, and platform deployment.
- Experience generating and interpreting complex multiomics datasets.
- Ability to work effectively across biology, technology, computational science, and therapeutic area teams.
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to apply innovative approaches to address complex biological questions.
- Experience with spatial transcriptomics, spatial proteomics, single‑cell genomics, or multimodal profiling technologies.
- Experience developing or applying MPRAs, CRISPR screens, Perturb‑seq, pooled screening technologies, or regulatory genomics approaches.
- Familiarity with genomics library design, barcode‑based assays, viral vector systems, and cell engineering.
- Experience with programming and data analysis in R and/or Python.
- Knowledge of neuroscience, oncology, immunology, or translational research applications.
- Experience managing multiple collaborations, external partners, and technology evaluations.
- Ability to serve as a scientific bridge between experimental and computational teams.
- Big Data Management
- Critical Thinking
- Data Reporting
- Data Savvy
- Drug Discovery Development
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Organizing
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology
- Problem Solving
- Product Knowledge
- Project Reporting
- Project Schedule
- Research Proposals
- Scientific Research
- Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
- Standard Scientific Processes and Procedures
- Strategic Thinking
- Sustainability
$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)).
This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long‑term incentive program.
- Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
- Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
- 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 the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
- 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 period10 days
- Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
- Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year
- For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits
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 & 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, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers , internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.
If you are under 18 years of age you (the candidate) may need to obtain the necessary working papers or other documentation required by state law to start the assignment, as well as get a parent’s consent for the background check.
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