Director, External Innovation, R&D Data Science

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 https://www.jnj.com

Job Function:

Project/Program Management Group

Job Sub Function:

R&D Project Management

Job Category:

Professional

All Job Posting Locations:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 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

The Director, External Innovation, R&D Data Science, External Innovation will drive the identification, assessment, and execution of strategic AI/ML partnerships that deliver measurable impact across Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (JJIM) R&D. This role is accountable for leading the development of partnerships: producing high-quality diligences, landscape analyses, and partnership assessments that inform and enable decision-making across the R&D value chain, focusing on technologies that apply cutting-edge, multimodal AI/ML to extract insights from generative and agentic AI and complex biological datasets—including genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, imaging, scientific literature, and emerging data modalities. The role requires deep “bilingual” capabilities across computational and scientific topics, and well as excellent strategic, operational, and communication skills.

This position will be based in J&J’s Innovation Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Summary

• Landscape and assess: Conduct rigorous landscaping of external AI/ML capabilities, producing structured assessments that map strategic relevance to JJIM R&D priorities, delivering fit-for purpose landscape reports and assessments

• Diligence and partnership development: Lead and participate in end-to-end diligence processes—including scientific scoping, technical evaluation, and business analysis—to support partnership formation with high-impact external entities, delivering detailed diligence briefs and advancing and leading the development of strategic partnerships with transformative potential

• Partnership management and oversight: Manage, monitor, and evaluate ongoing strategic partnerships, ensuring delivery against research objectives and business milestones

• Strategic contribution: Contribute to JJIM’s AI/ML strategy by synthesizing insights from external engagement into actionable recommendations. Actively collaborate with External Scientific Innovation as a member of one of J&J’s regional Innovation Centers.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver comprehensive landscape reports and structured assessments of external AI/ML capabilities (including generative AI) relevant to JJIM R&D priorities.  

• Lead end-to-end diligence processes—scientific scoping, technical evaluation, and business analysis—to support partnership formation with high-impact external entities. Produce detailed diligence briefs and advance strategic partnerships in collaboration with SMEs, transaction teams, and other stakeholders.

• Alliance manage and oversee execution of ongoing strategic partnerships, ensuring delivery against research objectives and business milestones. Provide direction, monitor progress, and generate periodic evaluation reports.

• Contribute to JJIM’s AI/ML strategy by synthesizing insights from external engagement into actionable recommendations. Collaborate with External Scientific Innovation team at regional Innovation Center

Requirements

• PhD preferably in Computer science, AI/ML, Statistics, biomedical engingeering, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence, Physics, Mathematics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biology or a related discipline

• 8yrs + in related work experience

• Proven track record in developing and scaling AI/ML solutions, especially generative models, in a start-up, industrial, enterprise setting

• Strong foundation in computer science, with hands-on experience in model architecture, deployment, and performance optimization.

• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Experience working across scientific and technical domains, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable business strategies.

• Experience developing strategic partnerships

• Experience in healthcare and/or life sciences

• Deep knowledge and expertise in the use of AI/ML for research and discovery within a pharma

• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Experience working across scientific and technical domains, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable business strategies.

• Experience developing strategic partnerships

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.
 

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Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

Agility Jumps, Business Alignment, Continuous Improvement, Mentorship, Performance Measurement, Process Control, Program Management, Project Management Methodology (PMM), Project Management Office (PMO), Project Reporting, Project Schedule, Quality Control (QC), Research and Development, Risk Management, Tactical Planning, Technical Credibility

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :

$164,000 - $282,900

Additional Description for Pay Transparency:

Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees and/or eligible dependents are eligible to participate in the following Company sponsored employee benefit programs: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, business accident insurance, and group legal insurance. 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 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 Condolence Leave – 30 days for an immediate family member: 5 days for an extended family member Caregiver Leave – 10 days Volunteer Leave – 4 days Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours Additional information can be found through the link below. https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits