Principal Scientist, Biologics Discovery
About this opportunity
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 Development
Job Sub Function:
Biotherapeutics R&D
Job Category:
Scientific/Technology
All Job Posting Locations:
Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Job 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
We are searching for the best talent for a Principal Scientist, Biologics Discovery in Spring House, PA.
Job Description
Position Summary:
This position is dedicated to advancing the discovery and development of innovative biotherapeutics targeting unmet medical needs through immune-mediated approaches. As a key contributor, you will leverage your expertise in Immunobiology and T-cell biology to support portfolio programs and drive the success of discovery initiatives.
You will be responsible for:
Leading or actively participating in project teams to progress discovery portfolio projects.
Driving technology development efforts for multispecific antibody platforms and validating readiness for portfolio inclusion.
Designing, conducting, and interpreting in vitro immune cell functional assays and related experimental studies.
Presenting and defending scientific findings independently within multidisciplinary teams and initiatives.
Authoring patent applications, manuscripts, study protocols, SOPs, and technical reports.
Managing and mentoring scientific staff.
Qualifications / Requirements:
Education:
Ph.D. degree in life sciences (molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, or a related discipline) with 4+ years post-doctoral experience OR Master’s Degree in life sciences with at least 6+ years of experience is required.
Required:
Extensive understanding of immunology, including in vitro and in vivo models relevant to immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease.
Demonstrated experience with immune cell based assays such as multi-color flow cytometry, cytotoxicity, and multiplex cytokine assays.
Experience developing novel, complex, and high-throughput immune assays for functional characterization and MOA studies.
Ability to work effectively in a matrixed environment, both within the group and across the broader organization.
Strong dedication, motivation, and a collaborative approach to advancing therapeutic innovation.
Commitment to continuous learning and scientific excellence.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills for experimental design and data interpretation.
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to present complex data clearly and concisely is required.
Preferred:
Experience in end-to-end drug development processes is highly preferred.
Industry experience is highly preferred.
This job posting is anticipated to close on March 6, 2026. The Company may however extend this time-period, in which case the posting will remain available on https://www.careers.jnj.com to accept additional applications.
Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers , internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.
#LI-Onsite
Required Skills:
Preferred Skills:
Analytical Reasoning, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC), Clinical Research and Regulations, Clinical Trial Designs, Coaching, Critical Thinking, Drug Discovery Development, Emerging Technologies, Molecular Diagnostics, Organizing, Pharmacovigilance, Presentation Design, Process Improvements, Productivity Planning, Scientific Research
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 197 comparable Principal Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 32 biopharma companies.
Salary context
67 of 197 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 197 comparable roles
+ 5 more countries
Seniority mix
197 of 197 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
29 of 197 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden
Similar opportunities
The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.
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How we calculate "similar"
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Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.
0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.