Associate Director, Expression Sciences

Johnson & Johnson•Spring House, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, Expression Sciences will integrate target biology insights with state-of-the-art recombinant expression screening and analytics to streamline and accelerate protein production for assay development, high-throughput screening (HTS), pharmacological profiling, biophysics and structural biology (X-ray crystallography, Cryo-EM, HDX-MS and NMR) to advance the discovery portfolio. As a key member of the Structural and Protein Sciences group, this position will play a critical role in partnering with the Protein Chemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology teams to contribute towards protein design & engineering, streamlining recombinant protein expression and production of novel protein targets and applying innovative tools to express the most complex targets including membrane proteins to accelerate target-to-lead timelines. We are seeking a scientifically thorough and collaborative leader who can work across discovery teams to drive impact across a diverse portfolio. Success will require the ability to operate effectively within a highly matrixed, fast-paced environment, while contributing both strategically and hands-on to program advancement.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, with a minimum of 10+ years of relevant industry experience (or M.S./B.S. with commensurately greater years of experience) is required.
Demonstrated hands-on expertise in recombinant protein expression across multiple heterologous systems (E. coli, insect cells, mammalian cell lines, and/or cell-free systems).
Proven experience designing and executing high-throughput expression screening campaigns, including automation/liquid-handling platforms (e.g., Tecan, Hamilton, or similar).
Prior people-management experience, including direct supervision, mentoring, and performance management of scientific staff.
Strong track record of cross-functional collaboration with Structural Biology, Protein Chemistry, Biophysics, and Therapeutic Area discovery teams in a drug discovery setting.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical data to both scientific and management audiences.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing external vendor/CRO relationships for recombinant protein production is strongly preferred.
Experience with membrane protein expression and purification strategies.
Familiarity with AI/ML-driven construct design or protein engineering tools and rapid screening strategies enable AL/ML driven workflows.
Experience contributing to LIMS/database implementation for expression screening data management.
Established record of scientific publications, conference presentations, or patents in protein science.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and manage a team of scientists and associate scientists responsible for high-throughput expression screening across bacterial, insect, and mammalian expression systems, including performance management and career development conversations.
Define and execute the strategic vision for the HT expression screening platform, aligning capacity, automation investment, and technology roadmap with departmental and portfolio priorities.
Design and implement high-throughput construct and expression screening strategies to rapidly identify optimal expression conditions for challenging soluble and membrane protein targets.
Drive automation of expression screening workflows using liquid-handling robotics and laboratory information management systems to increase throughput, reproducibility, and data quality.
Partner with Therapeutic Area discovery teams, Protein Chemistry, and Structural Biology leads to translate program needs into feasible expression screening plans, timelines, and risk-mitigation strategies.
Evaluate, pilot, and implement new technologies and platforms (e.g., novel expression hosts, cell-free systems, AI/ML-guided protein screening) to continuously improve screening throughput and success rates.
Oversee data analysis, interpretation, and reporting of expression screening results, ensuring timely, data-driven recommendations are communicated to project teams and management.
Manage vendor and CRO relationships for externalized expression screening activities, including technology transfer, scope definition, and quality oversight.
Ensure compliance with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN), and other regulatory/documentation standards.
Represent the expression screening platform in cross-functional forums and contribute to departmental goals, budget planning, and resource allocation.
Integrate Johnson & Johnson's Credo and Leadership Imperatives into team goals, decision-making, and day-to-day interactions.