Senior Scientist, Discovery-Oncology

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:

Pharmacology

Job Category:

Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:

Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium

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.

 

About Oncology

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.

Our Oncology team is focused on the elimination of cancer by discovering new pathways and modalities to finding treatments and cures. We lead where medicine is going and need innovators with an unwavering commitment to results.

Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.

We are searching for the best talent for a Senior Scientist, in Oncology Discovery, Innovative Medicine, located in Beerse, Belgium

 

Role Overview

Join our Oncology In Vivo team and drive the characterization and development of small molecules, biologics, radioligands, antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapies, and immune modulators for cancer treatment, coordinating cross-functional teams and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. You will lead in vivo and ex vivo studies across multiple research programs and contribute to the advancement of innovative therapies.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

• Design, execute, and interpret independently in vivo pharmacology studies to validate and characterize oncology targets and therapeutic agents.
• Develop and optimize in vivo models, including efficacy, mechanism of action, PK/PD biomarker studies, and dose/schedule evaluations in diverse cancer models.
• Lead the development and adaptation of research methods from literature or internal innovation to improve existing models.
• Perform and oversee complex in vivo preclinical cancer studies, ensuring scientific rigor, compliance with all regulatory requirements, internal quality standards  and timely delivery.
• Analyze and present data using appropriate statistical methods in formats suitable for internal stakeholders and external publications.
• Collaborate across functions and contribute to projects beyond your own area, acting as a scientific resource and thought leader.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, coordinating with project leaders and external partners as needed.
• Mentor and supervise junior scientists, fostering technical excellence and professional growth.
• Contribute to ex vivo analyses (flow cytometry, IHC, ELISA, RT-PCR, Luminex®) and imaging studies (bioluminescent imaging for metastatic disease models) as required.
• Stay current with oncology and tumor immunology literature to integrate emerging insights into research strategies.
• Communicate clearly and professionally, delivering impactful presentations and reports to internal teams and external audiences.
• Flexibility required for occasional weekend, evening and holiday dosing or animal monitoring. Some onboarding training may be conducted in Spring House, PA site.

 

The Senior Scientist will join the Oncology in vivo group efforts in the characterization and development of small molecules and biologics including those that function as immune modulators for the treatment of cancer. They may also characterize new cell therapies such as CAR-Ts. They will be responsible for contributing to and managing ex vivo and in vivo studies for multiple research programs across the different stages of pre-clinical drug discovery. Their responsibilities include the design, execution and interpretation of in vivo studies for the validation and characterization of targets or therapeutic agents in the area of oncology and tumor immunology. Specifically, the candidate will establish and perform in vivo model development, target inhibition, efficacy, mechanism of action, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) biomarker studies, and will evaluate the influence of dose, schedule and therapeutic combinations in various cancer models.

 

Additional Responsibilities:

 

• Independently design, perform, interpret and report standard or complex in vivo preclinical cancer models.
• Establish and perform in vivo model development, including the improvement, adaptation, or change to existing research methods, or adaptation from scientific literature
• Develop research solutions that require extensive analyses and detailed investigation
• May contribute to ex vivo analysis of tumor or immune cells by flow cytometry, IHC, ELISA, RT-PCR, or Luminex®
• May perform bioluminescent imaging studies using molecular reporters or disseminated/ metastatic disease models
• Manage multiple in vivo projects simultaneously, including coordination with project leaders and other functions
• May manage external research studies
• Analyze data using appropriate statistical methods and present data in a professional format suitable for external publication
• Contribute to various projects outside of his/her own, collaborate with partners from all relevant functions, and keep up-to-date in the literature related to their field
• Act as an expert resource on project teams, and demonstrate clear and professional verbal and written communication
• Some weekend, evening, and holiday dosing/ animal monitoring required
• May supervise/manage non-Ph.D. scientists

 

Qualifications

 

• Bachelor’s degree (BS/ BA) in the life sciences (molecular/ cellular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, tumor immunology) with at least 10 years of relevant pharmaceutical or biotech industry/ lab/ academic experience OR a Master’s degree (MS) with at least 7 years of relevant experience, or PhD with 1-3 years of relevant post-graduate experience.
• Ability to cell culture of cancer and immune cells.
• Experience with oncology-relevant xenografts and syngeneic mouse models is required; primary grafts, orthotopic models, humanized models, or genetically engineered tumor models are preferred.
• Experience with small molecules and/ or biologics is required
• Experience with immune-modulatory agents, vaccines or cell therapies such as CAR-Ts is desirable.
• Strong skills in tumor implantation techniques and dosing, proper handling of therapeutics, tumor measurement, health monitoring, and data collection and analysis are required.
• Experience with bioluminescent imaging, flow cytometry, IHC, ELISA, RT-PCR, Westerns, or Luminex® is desirable.
• Strong organizational skills including the ability to manage several projects simultaneously; detail oriented with excellent record keeping skills are required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with matrixed teams, internally and externally, is required.
• Excellent data management and record-keeping skills are required.
• Ability to effectively present scientific data and concepts to colleagues and teams is critical, and experience presenting at external meetings is also required.
• Proven track record of adherence to animal welfare and compliance regulations is critical.
• Experience with mentoring or managing direct reports is desirable.
• Experience in writing technical drafts for patent filings, IND (US-FDA) or CTA (EMA) filings is desirable.

 

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:

Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS), Clinical Trials Operations, Critical Thinking, Data Savvy, Drug Discovery Development, Innovation, Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Pharmacometrics, Pharmacovigilance, Process Improvements, Product Improvements, Relationship Building, Safety-Oriented, Scientific Research, Technologically Savvy

  

 

The anticipated base pay range for this position is:

€72,500.00 - €115,230.00

 

 

Benefits:

In addition to base pay, we offer the following benefits*: an annual bonus with set target (% of pay) depending on pay grade / location, where the actual amount is based on the employees’ and companies’ performance of the previous calendar year, or sales commissions. Moreover, we offer vacation days, parental leave for a minimum of 12 weeks, bereavement leave, caregiver leave, volunteer leave, well-being reimbursement, programs for financial, physical and mental health. We also offer service anniversary and recognition awards, and subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees - and in some location’s eligible dependents - can participate in several insurance plans. For more information, visit Employee benefits | Supporting well-being & career growth | Johnson & Johnson Careers.

 

*This is for informative purposes only. Amounts and actual benefits may vary by location and are subject to change.