Postdoctoral Scholar, Cell Therapy

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.

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 the role

This postdoctoral position will focus on developing optimized flow virometry techniques and workflows for therapeutic tLVVs with the goal of developing reproducible single-particle measurements and understanding whether these measurements predict tropism, functional potency, and safety in preclinical models.

In this position, the Postdoctoral Scholar, Advanced Flow Virometry, will develop and apply flow virometry methods to characterize targeted lentiviral vector quality attributes for in vivo applications. The role focuses on generating reproducible single-particle measurements, comparing flow virometry with established analytical methods, linking particle phenotypes to transduction, potency, and safety outcomes, and building cross-functional scientific insight that supports analytical and process development in cell and gene therapy.

Responsibilities

• Design, optimize, and execute advanced flow virometry workflows to characterize targeted lentiviral vector particle heterogeneity, envelope integrity, aggregation, and contaminant extracellular vesicles at the single-particle level.
• Perform comparative analytical studies against established methods such as Western blot, DLS, SEC-MALS, ELISA, and density gradient approaches, and generate validation data sets that assess agreement, specificity, and reproducibility of flow virometry measurements.
• Correlate particle phenotypes with functional outcomes, develop statistical models linking analytical measurements to transduction and potency, and communicate results through group meetings, cross-functional forums, internal scientific showcases, and external scientific conferences as appropriate.

Qualifications

• PhD in Virology, gene therapy, flow cytometry/flow virometry, analytical development relevant to role, bioengineering, biotechnology, or related discipline with 0-1 years of experience is required.
• Expertise in virology, analytical characterization, bioengineering, cell biology, biotechnology, or a related scientific discipline relevant to viral vectors and single-particle analysis.
• Position will require generation, use, and testing of lentivirus particles. Applicants should be comfortable working in BSL2+ laboratory conditions.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze complex data, and compare emerging analytical methods with established assays using scientifically rigorous approaches.
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams and communicate scientific concepts and results clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with statistical interpretation, correlation analyses, and data-driven problem solving in a research environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present findings in internal meetings, scientific forums, and conference settings.
• 5% travel expected.

Skills

• Preferred Knowledge, Skills And Abilities:
• Experience with flow cytometry is highly preferred.
• Experience with enveloped viruses, enveloped viral vectors, or related, relevant modality preferred.
• Experience with single-particle characterization methods, lentiviral vector biology, or assay validation a plus.
• Model-building experience helpful.
• Experience in gene therapy, viral vector analytics, virology, or biopharmaceutical analytical method development welcome but not required.

Pay

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $79,000.00 - $127,650.00.

Benefits

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)).

• Time Off Benefits: (Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire)
• Vacation – 120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado – 48 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
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period
• 10 days Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year