Director of Data Science - AI & Computational Biology

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

Project/Program Management Group

R&D Project Management

Professional

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America

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.

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The Director of Data Science - AI & Computational Biology, 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 complex biological datasets-including genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, high-content 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• PhD preferably in Computer science, AI/ML, biomedical engineering.
• 8+ years in related work experience.
• Proven track record in developing and scaling AI/ML solutions, especially generative models, in a startup, industrial, or enterprise setting.
• Strong foundation in computer science, with hands on experience in model architecture, deployment, and performance optimization.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication 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.

• 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

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 , internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.