Sr. Manager, Pooled Screening Core - CAR Screening & Lead Selection, Cell & Genetic Medicines
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Summary
The CSLS team is seeking a Sr. Manager to establish and lead a centralized pooled screening core within the Cell & Genetic Medicines organization. This individual will serve as the people leader and operational supervisor of the Pooled Screening Core while providing scientific and technical leadership across pooled screening technologies and workflows. The Pooled Screening Core will provide a service-oriented, high-throughput capability to interrogate large protein and genomic design spaces, complementing existing arrayed screening capabilities and helping project teams rapidly identify promising designs for further characterization and lead selection.
Job description
Purpose
The CSLS team is seeking a Sr. Manager to establish and lead a centralized pooled screening core within the Cell & Genetic Medicines organization. This individual will serve as the people leader and operational supervisor of the Pooled Screening Core while providing scientific and technical leadership across pooled screening technologies and workflows. The Pooled Screening Core will provide a service-oriented, high-throughput capability to interrogate large protein and genomic design spaces, complementing existing arrayed screening capabilities and helping project teams rapidly identify promising designs for further characterization and lead selection.
Responsibilities
- Serve as CGM's scientific lead and subject matter expert for pooled screening technologies, strategy, applications, and limitations.
- Develop, optimize, and implement scalable pooled screening workflows spanning library design, cloning, quality control, cell engineering, functional assays, sequencing readouts, and data interpretation.
- Build trusted relationships with project teams and translate scientific questions into rigorous study designs, controls, models, endpoints, and follow-up plans.
- Build strong cross-functional relationships and integrate pooled screening with existing arrayed screening, automation, CAR-T generation, vector, and assay development teams and capabilities.
- Establish and lead the Core's operating model, including project intake, prioritization, resource planning, scheduling, execution, and data delivery.
- Ensure high standards for scientific rigor, reproducibility, quality, documentation, sample tracking, biosafety, and knowledge management.
- Monitor and document Core performance through metrics for throughput, quality, turnaround time, utilization, and portfolio impact, and drive continuous improvement.
- Provide hands-on scientific and operational oversight, troubleshoot complex studies, and balance competing priorities across concurrent requests.
- Lead, develop, and expand the Core team by setting clear expectations, mentoring scientists, and fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture.
- Represent the Core in portfolio and platform discussions, communicate capacity, priorities, risks, and investment needs transparently, and serve as a trusted partner and primary point of contact for project and cross-functional teams.
Qualifications
Required: Ph.D. in molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, bioengineering, biotechnology, or a related discipline, with substantial relevant industry experience; equivalent education and experience will be considered. Deep expertise in pooled screening technologies and demonstrated ability to design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret complex screening studies. Experience leading scientific or multidisciplinary technical teams, setting clear expectations, mentoring talent, and fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture. Proven ability to establish scalable workflows and operating practices, manage concurrent priorities, and maintain high standards for quality, reproducibility, documentation, and delivery. Strong cross-functional leadership and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence scientific strategy and decisions without relying solely on formal authority. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred: Experience applying pooled screening to CAR-T, T-cell engineering, cell therapy, or immuno-oncology discovery. Experience building or scaling a centralized technology platform, screening group, or Core operating under a service-oriented model. Experience with automated or semi-automated high-throughput laboratory workflows and computational analysis of barcode-, sequencing-, or library-based screening data. Experience partnering with project teams from early discovery through candidate or lead selection. Demonstrated ability to evaluate emerging technologies, transfer capabilities across teams or sites, and translate promising methods into standardized, scalable workflows.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, bioengineering, biotechnology, or a related discipline
- Substantial relevant industry experience
- Deep expertise in pooled screening technologies
- Demonstrated ability to design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret complex screening studies
- Experience leading scientific or multidisciplinary technical teams
- Experience mentoring talent and fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture
- Proven ability to establish scalable workflows and operating practices
- Ability to manage concurrent priorities
- High standards for quality, reproducibility, documentation, and delivery
- Strong cross-functional leadership and relationship-building skills
- Ability to influence scientific strategy and decisions without relying solely on formal authority
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Benefits
- Pension plan
- 401(k) savings plan
- Vacation
- Sick time
- Holiday pay
- Floating holidays
- Work, personal and family time
- Parental leave
- Bereavement leave
- Caregiver leave
- Volunteer leave
- Military spouse time-off
Company overview
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine is the pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson, leading the way in medical innovation with a relentless focus on bringing transformational treatments to patients worldwide. The company applies rigorous science and compassion to address the most complex diseases of our time, developing groundbreaking medicines across key therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and cardiopulmonary medicine. With deep expertise and global reach, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine reimagines how devastating diseases are treated and cured, delivering hope and better care for millions of patients and their families. The organization pioneers the path from laboratory research to clinical application, championing patients every step of the way while maintaining an unwavering commitment to scientific excellence and patient-centered innovation.