At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com
As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.
Job Function:
Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical DevelopmentJob Sub Function:
Biological ResearchJob Category:
Scientific/TechnologyAll Job Posting Locations:
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of AmericaJob Description:
About Innovative Medicine
Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.
Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.
Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine R&D is recruiting for a Senior Principal Scientist, Aging and Metabolism. This position is a hybrid role and can be located in Spring House, PA or Cambridge, MA.
Reporting to the Head of Aging and Metabolism within the Cardiopulmonary Therapeutic Area, the Senior Principal Scientist will provide scientific and strategic leadership for in vitro and translational pharmacology across a portfolio of innovative therapeutic programs targeting sarcopenia, muscle dysfunction, age-related diseases, metabolic disorders, and associated cardiovascular complications. This individual will drive translational research strategies that connect human disease biology, pharmacology, biomarkers, and clinical outcomes to support candidate selection, portfolio decisions, and clinical development strategies.
Principal Responsibilities:
Project and Portfolio Leadership:
Lead translational pharmacology activities across multiple Aging and Metabolism programs from target validation through candidate selection and early clinical translation.
Drive scientific strategy and critical decision-making through integration of disease biology, pharmacology, biomarkers, human genetics, and clinical data.
Contribute to portfolio prioritization, governance reviews, and evaluation of external innovation opportunities.
Establish and manage collaborations with academic institutions, Contract Research Organizations (CROs), biotechnology companies, and other external partners.
Present scientific strategies and recommendations to senior leadership and governance committees.
In Vitro and Translational Pharmacology:
Provide leadership for target validation, mechanism-of-action studies, assay development, candidate profiling, and translational pharmacology activities.
Develop biomarker strategies, translational packages, and pharmacology plans supporting proof-of-mechanism and proof-of-concept studies.
Guide the application of human disease models, pharmacodynamic biomarkers, and Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) frameworks to support dose selection and patient stratification.
Integrate receptor pharmacology, G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) biology, cell signaling, and translational science to maximize probability of technical and clinical success.
Serve as a subject matter expert, ensuring scientific rigor, quality, reproducibility, and translational relevance across programs.
Cross-Functional Leadership:
Collaborate closely with Discovery, DPDS, Biomarkers, Clinical Pharmacology, Quantitative Sciences, Translational Medicine, Regulatory, and external partners.
Provide scientific mentorship and leadership across matrix teams.
Foster a culture of innovation, scientific excellence, accountability, collaboration, and patient-focused decision making.
Qualifications:
A minimum of a Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Physiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline is required.
A minimum 10 years of pharmaceutical or biotechnology experience is required.
Demonstrated experience in the following is required: in vitro pharmacology; target validation; assay development; mechanism-of-action studies; translational research.
Strong knowledge of the following is required: receptor pharmacology; GPCR biology; cell signaling; biomarkers; PK/PD; translational medicine.
Experience in the following is preferred: muscle biology; aging biology; metabolism; obesity; cardiovascular disease; heart failure.
Experience supporting the following is preferred: biologics; multi-specific antibodies; peptide therapeutics; RNA-based medicines; gene-silencing technologies; targeted delivery platforms.
Experience evaluating external innovation and business development opportunities is preferred.
Proven ability to provide leadership within multidisciplinary drug discovery teams is required.
Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Must be strategic with a strong scientific mindset.
The ability to operate effectively within a highly coordinated, fast-paced matrix environment is required.
#LI-Hybrid
Required Skills:
Preferred Skills:
Big Data Management, Data Reporting, Data Savvy, Drug Discovery Development, Molecular Diagnostics, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Problem Solving, Product Development, Product Knowledge, Project Reporting, Research Proposals, Scientific Research, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Strategic Thinking, Sustainability, Tactical Planning, Technical CredibilityThe anticipated base pay range for this position is :
$137,000.00 - $235,750.00Additional Description for Pay Transparency:
Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive program.
Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off 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 period10 days
Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year
For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits
Skills Required
- Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Physiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, or related scientific discipline.
- Minimum 10 years of pharmaceutical or biotechnology experience.
- Experience in in vitro pharmacology.
- Experience in target validation.
- Experience in assay development.
- Experience in mechanism-of-action studies.
- Experience in translational research.
- Strong knowledge of receptor pharmacology.
- Strong knowledge of GPCR biology.
- Strong knowledge of cell signaling.
- Strong knowledge of biomarkers.
- Strong knowledge of PK/PD.
- Strong knowledge of translational medicine.
- Proven ability to provide leadership within multidisciplinary drug discovery teams.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strategic mindset with strong scientific judgment.
- Ability to operate effectively within a highly coordinated, fast-paced matrix environment.
- Experience in muscle biology, aging biology, metabolism, obesity, cardiovascular disease, or heart failure.
- Experience supporting biologics, multi-specific antibodies, peptide therapeutics, RNA-based medicines, gene-silencing technologies, or targeted delivery platforms.
- Experience evaluating external innovation and business development opportunities.
Johnson & Johnson Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Johnson & Johnson and has not been reviewed or approved by Johnson & Johnson.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is characterized as comprehensive across medical, dental, and vision, with added supports like onsite clinics, fitness centers, and Employee Assistance resources. Mental-health services and wellbeing reimbursements are also described as meaningful components of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are portrayed as a major differentiator, combining a 401(k) with employer matching and an employer-funded pension plan. Stock options and other long-term financial supports are also positioned as part of the broader rewards mix.
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Parental & Family Support — Family-related benefits are presented as notably strong, including paid parental leave for all new parents and additional leave types for caregiving and bereavement. Financial assistance for adoption, fertility treatment, and surrogacy is highlighted as a significant support.
Johnson & Johnson Insights
What We Do
Profound Change Requires Boldness. Johnson & Johnson is the largest and most broadly based healthcare company in the world. We’re producing life-changing breakthroughs every day, and have been for the last 130 years. The combination of new technologies and your expertise enables amazing things to happen. Teams from J&J’s consumer business are creating digital tools to help people track the health of their skin. Those working in medical devices are 3-D printing artificial joints personalized for each patient, while researchers in pharmaceuticals use AI to discover lifesaving drugs. Imagine what the rest of our team of 134,000 people at 260 companies in more than 60 countries across the world is accomplishing. We redefine what it means to be a big company in today’s world. Social Media Community Guidelines: http://www.jnj.com/social-media-community-guidelines
