Postdoctoral Scholar, Bioanalytical Discovery & Development Sciences

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine • Spring House, PA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Bioanalytical Discovery and Development Sciences (BDDS) department within Johnson & Johnson’s Preclinical Sciences & Translational Safety (PSTS) organization seeks a postdoctoral scholar to develop and validate an open, amplification-coupled immunoaffinity platform for reliable quantification of low-abundance protein biomarkers using standard laboratory equipment. The role addresses key analytical gaps in next-generation therapeutics by delivering fit-for-purpose assays, validation-ready documentation, and transferable methods to support PK/TE/biomarker decisions and translational studies. This hands-on role includes assay and reagent design, systematic optimization, analytical characterization, benchmarking against orthogonal and commercial platforms, and preparation of SOPs and tech-transfer materials. The postdoc will collaborate with PK/PD and translational teams, communicate results through reports and publications, and help expand the use of ultrasensitive assays in preclinical and clinical programs.

Requirements

• A PhD in Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Immunology, Analytical Chemistry, or a related field is required.
• Hands‑on experience developing and optimizing immunoassays or nucleic‑acid amplification assays (e.g., qPCR, digital PCR, NGS) is required.
• Practical knowledge of Immuno‑PCR, proximity ligation/extension strategies, or related amplification‑coupled immunoaffinity techniques is required.
• Strong molecular biology skills: PCR/qPCR assay design and optimization, UMI/barcode strategies, NGS library preparation workflows, template purification and contamination control is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Ability to work in cross-functional teams and present technical results to diverse audiences is required.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with antibody/protein engineering, including optimizing affinity, stability, fragment design, and tagging, which directly enhances assay sensitivity and minimizes off-target binding is preferred.
• Prior experience measuring CNS biomarkers (e.g., tau species, neurodegeneration biomarkers) or working with low‑abundance protein analytes is preferred.
• Familiarity with bioanalytical platforms for ultrasensitive detection and an understanding of their strengths/limitations is preferred.
• Knowledge of PK/PD/TE study design as well as assay validation and how bioanalytical data informs translational decision making is preferred.
• Hands on experience with electronic lab notebook (ELN) systems and laboratory informatics platforms for experiment documentation, reagent/inventory tracking, and maintaining data integrity (e.g., commercial ELNs and signals style lab notebook systems) is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leading the design, development, and optimization of ultra-sensitive, amplification coupled immunoaffinity assays to enable reliable quantification of low abundance biomarkers (targeting sensitivity down to fg/mL) using standard laboratory instrumentation.
• Leading head‑to‑head benchmarking of in‑house assays against orthogonal methods (LBA, LC‑MS) and commercial ultra‑sensitive platforms to compare LOD/LLOQ, precision, sample requirements, and tech‑transfer readiness.
• Collaborating with cross‑functional teams (PK/PD, bioinformatics, translational science, and external partners) to integrate biomarker data into study design and decision making, and to benchmark methods against orthogonal platforms.
• Producing and maintaining clear technical documentation, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), reagent quality control (QC) criteria, validation plans/reports, and method transfer packages to support reproducibility and technology dissemination.
• Communicating findings through written reports, presentations, and contributions to manuscripts; providing training and technical support for method transfer and laboratory adoption.

Benefits

• inclusive work environment
• respect the diversity and dignity of our employees
• recognize their merit

What This Job Offers

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