Manager, External Innovation - MedTech Surgery

Johnson & Johnson • Raritan, NJ

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, External Innovation - MedTech Surgery will drive the external innovation strategy by scouting and evaluating new technologies and partnerships, and leading technical due diligence for collaborations and investments. This role involves building and managing relationships with external partners, developing strategic roadmaps, and creating evaluation frameworks to enable confident early-stage technology decisions. The position is located in Raritan, NJ, and will operate on a hybrid schedule with three days per week onsite.

Requirements

• PhD in a scientific or technical discipline (e.g., 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 is required.
• Strong scientific judgment, with experience assessing technology fit, feasibility, and commercialization potential is required.
• Experience managing external vendors and collaborators, including defining scopes of work and overseeing execution is required.
• 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 is required.

Nice To Haves

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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 (e.g., 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 (e.g., 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 escalate risks, highlight opportunities, and monitor timelines and go/no-go decisions.
• Map and maintain the external ecosystem; track market trends and competitor activity related to target areas and the portfolio.

Benefits

• Consolidated retirement plan (pension)
• Savings plan (401(k))
• Vacation – 120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year (varies by state)
• 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 period
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree