Sr Director, Head of Data Science & Digital Health -Therapeutics Discovery

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine • Cambridge, MA

3d • $196,000 - $342,700 • Hybrid

About The Position

At Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, we are seeking a Senior Director to lead our Data Science and engineering strategy for our R&D Therapeutics Discovery (TD) organization. This role will partner closely with TD leadership, data scientists embedded in the TD teams, and our IT partners to streamline Discovery data automation, deliver robust data products, and scale advanced analytics and AI capabilities across the portfolio. You will shape how discovery data is captured, integrated, and leveraged to accelerate decision-making and innovation. This position requires a visionary leader who can align TD’s data strategy while ensuring interoperability with other departments such as Preclinical Sciences & Translational Safety (PSTS), Therapeutics Development & Supply (TDS), and all our Therapeutic Areas.

Requirements

• PhD or equivalent experience in Computational Biology, Chemistry, AI/ML, Applied Math/Statistics or related field.
• 12+ years in data science for drug discovery, with experience leading teams in a matrix setting.
• Proven expertise in creating high impact R&D innovations through data science, data engineering, and automation within scientific domains.
• Strong experience leading the application/creation of ML/AI methods while demonstrating a deep understanding of drug discovery workflows.
• Demonstrated success in delivering interoperable data products and scalable analytics platforms.
• Excellent communication and matrix leadership across scientific, technical, and business stakeholders in a global organization.

Nice To Haves

• Strategic Vision: Ability to anticipate future trends in data science and drug discovery and translate them into actionable strategies.
• Collaborative Influence: Skilled at building consensus and driving alignment across diverse scientific and technical teams.
• Innovation Mindset: Passion for leveraging emerging technologies to solve complex scientific challenges.
• Talent Development: Commitment to mentoring and growing a high-performing team of data scientists and engineers.
• Communication Excellence: Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive data strategy for TD, focusing on advanced automation, data integration, and FAIR data practices; in close alignment with TD and IT.
• Lead the design and implementation of scalable data pipelines to support discovery workflows.
• Partner with TD leaders to build strong external partnerships with industry consortia and academic partners pertaining to Data Science needs for TD.
• Co-Champion data governance, analytics, model lifecycle management (MLOps), and Responsible AI standards into reusable capabilities that can be shared elsewhere in the organization.
• Lead a core team of data scientists and engineers to support TD in reaching its strategic goals.
• Collaborate with TD teams (such as: In Silico Discovery and Discovery Technologies & Molecular Pharmacology), IT, R&D Data Science, and external partners to jointly introduce emerging technologies such as generative and agentic AI, multimodal analytics, and advanced automation tools that benefit TD’s business objectives.
• Collaborate with TD teams (such as: In Silico Discovery and Discovery Technologies & Molecular Pharmacology), IT, R&D Data Science, and external partners to jointly introduce data and technology innovation standards.
• Works with peers across Discovery, Product Development, & Supply (DPDS) and our Therapeutic Areas to generate and analyze our data in the best way possible for opportunities in Therapeutic Discovery (for example: experiment design, molecule design, lab process automation, etc.)

Benefits

• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
• 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
• 10 days 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: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree