Senior Scientist, Cell Therapy Genetic Regulation

Johnson & Johnson Co.; Spring House (PA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson in Spring House, PA seeks a Senior Scientist, Cell Therapy Genetic Regulation to advance CAR T cell programs using cutting-edge gene regulation tools. You will work with human T cells to design, optimize, and deploy genetic regulation strategies across discovery projects.

The role requires deep expertise in genetic engineering, independent lab work, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to drive program milestones and generate impactful data for advancement.

Qualifications

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Genetics or related field.
• Minimum 2 years of post-PhD biopharmaceutical or biotech experience.
• Strong knowledge in genetic regulation strategies and modulation technologies.
• Experience designing, screening, and validating genetic regulation tools in cell therapy context.
• Ability to independently perform lab-based responsibilities with limited guidance.
• Collaborative skills across teams and effective data exchange.
• Self-motivated, organized, and able to manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of genetic regulation tools for cell therapy platforms.
• Design, execute, and optimize screening workflows for gene modulation designs.
• Advance assay development and validation for on-target activity and specificity.
• Collaborate with team members and cross-functional groups to hit milestones.
• Stay current with advances in genetic regulation and cell therapy.
• Analyze data, prepare reports, and communicate results to leadership.
• Maintain detailed procedures and ensure lab safety compliance.

Skills

Genetic regulation

Gene modulation

Cell therapy

Lab independence

Cross-functional collaboration

Molecular biology

Data analysis

Education

PhD in Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Genetics or related

Tools

Flow cytometry

NGS

Molecular cloning

Lentiviral vectors

Viral transduction

Job description

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:

Biotherapeutics R&D

Job Category:

Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:

Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Job Description:

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.

We are searching for the best talent for a Senior Scientist, Cell Therapy Genetic Regulation to be located in Spring House, PA.

Purpose:

We are seeking a motivated and high performing Senior Scientist to join the Cell and Genetic Medicines group within Therapeutics Discovery (TD) to support the development of CAR T cell therapy programs. In this role, you will be applying cutting-edge genetic regulation approaches to develop and implement gene modulation strategies that enhance the safety, efficacy, persistence, and functionality of CAR T cell therapy platforms. You will work directly with human T cells - including culture, activation, expansion, and genetic modification - to design, optimize, and deploy genetic regulation tools and screening workflows that support the discovery and advancement of next-generation cell therapy programs. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical expertise in genetic engineering with the ability to work independently in the lab and collaborate across cross‑functional teams. This role is an exciting opportunity to join a diverse and ambitious discovery team and to work with innovative technology to create life‑changing therapies for patients.

You will be responsible for:

• Lead development of genetic regulation tools tailored for multiple cell therapy platforms.
• Design, execute, and optimize screening workflows to identify and validate gene modulation designs.
• Advance assay development and validation pipelines to ensure on‑target activity, specificity, and functional effects in relevant cell therapy platforms.
• Collaborate closely with other team members and cross‑functional teams to drive project milestones, produce shared data packages, and align experimental plans with program timelines.
• Stay current on the latest scientific and technological advancements in genetic regulation and cell therapy, incorporate new knowledge into ongoing projects, and propose new research directions.
• Analyze experimental data, prepare clear technical reports, and effectively communicate results to senior leadership, internal partners, and external partners as required.
• Maintain accurate and detailed experimental procedures, data, and results in an electronic laboratory notebook and ensure compliance with laboratory protocols and safety procedures.

Qualifications:

Required:

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Genetics or a related biological research discipline.
• Minimum 2 years of post-PhD experience (biopharmaceutical or biotech experience preferred).

• Strong knowledge in genetic regulation strategies and genetic modulation technologies.
• Demonstrated experience designing, screening, and validating genetic regulation tools in a cell therapy‑relevant context.
• Ability to independently perform lab-based responsibilities with limited guidance.
• Strong collaborative skills and experience coordinating experiments and data exchange across teams.
• Self-motivated, highly organized, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced discovery environment.

Preferred:

• Hands‑on experience in molecular cloning, including the design, construction, and screening of pooled libraries for high‑throughput assays.
• Experience with primary human T cell culture, expansion, and genetic engineering (viral transduction and/or non‑viral gene editing).
• Experience in lentiviral vector design and optimization experience is preferred.
• Familiarity with flow cytometry, next‑generation sequencing, and basic bioinformatics analyses.

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 ([e-mail]) or contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Preferred Skills:

Analytical Reasoning, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC), Coaching, Consulting, Critical Thinking, Drug Discovery Development, Emerging Technologies, Molecular Diagnostics, Pharmacogenetics, Pharmacovigilance, Process Improvements, Quality Assurance (QA), Relationship Building, Research Documents, Scientific Research, Technologically Savvy