Senior Scientist, Discovery- Oncology In Vivo
About The Position
Johnson & Johnson is seeking a Senior Scientist for its Oncology In Vivo team in Oncology Discovery, Innovative Medicine, based in Spring House, Pennsylvania. The role focuses on characterizing and developing small molecules, biologics, radioligands, antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapies, and immune modulators for cancer treatment. The scientist will coordinate cross-functional teams, ensure regulatory compliance, and lead in vivo and ex vivo studies across multiple research programs to advance innovative therapies. The position requires independent design, execution, and interpretation of in vivo pharmacology studies, development and optimization of cancer models, and analysis and communication of scientific findings. The Senior Scientist will manage multiple projects, collaborate across functions, mentor junior scientists, and contribute to ex vivo assays and imaging studies as needed. Occasional weekend, evening, and holiday dosing or animal monitoring is required. Some onboarding training may take place at the Spring House site.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a life science field and at least 10 years of relevant pharmaceutical, biotech, laboratory, or academic experience; or a master’s degree and at least 7 years of relevant experience; or a PhD and 1–3 years of relevant post-graduate experience.
- Ability to culture cancer and immune cells.
- Experience with oncology-relevant xenograft and syngeneic mouse models.
- Experience with small molecules and/or biologics.
- Strong skills in tumor implantation techniques, dosing, therapeutic handling, tumor measurement, health monitoring, and data collection and analysis.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage several projects simultaneously; detail orientation and excellent record keeping.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with matrixed teams, internally and externally.
- Excellent data management and record-keeping skills.
- Ability to effectively present scientific data and concepts to colleagues and teams; experience presenting at external meetings is also required.
- Proven track record of adherence to animal welfare and compliance regulations.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with primary grafts, orthotopic models, humanized models, or genetically engineered tumor models.
- Experience with immune-modulatory agents, vaccines, or cell therapies such as CAR-Ts.
- Experience with bioluminescent imaging, flow cytometry, IHC, ELISA, RT-PCR, Westerns, or Luminex.
- Experience mentoring or managing direct reports.
- Experience writing technical drafts for patent filings, IND (US-FDA) filings, or CTA (EMA) filings.
Responsibilities
- Design, execute, and independently interpret in vivo pharmacology studies to validate and characterize oncology targets and therapeutic agents.
- Develop and optimize in vivo models for efficacy, mechanism of action, PK/PD biomarker studies, and dose and schedule evaluations across diverse cancer models.
- Develop and adapt research methods from literature or internal innovation to improve existing models.
- Perform and oversee complex in vivo preclinical cancer studies, ensuring scientific rigor, regulatory compliance, internal quality standards, and timely delivery.
- Analyze data using appropriate statistical methods and present results in formats suitable for internal stakeholders and external publications.
- Collaborate across functions, contribute to projects beyond the scientist’s own area, and serve as a scientific resource and thought leader.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously and coordinate with project leaders and external partners as needed.
- Mentor and supervise junior scientists, supporting technical excellence and professional growth.
- Contribute to ex vivo analyses, including flow cytometry, IHC, ELISA, RT-PCR, and Luminex, and imaging studies such as bioluminescent imaging for metastatic disease models, as required.
- Stay current with oncology and tumor immunology literature and integrate emerging insights into research strategies.
- Deliver clear, professional presentations and reports to internal teams and external audiences.
- Perform occasional weekend, evening, and holiday dosing or animal monitoring.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
