Senior Technical Product Manager - Cell & Gene Therapies

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.

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.

Locations: Leiden, Netherlands; Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA; Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA

About the role

We are searching for a Senior Technical Product Manager, R&D Therapeutics Development – Cell & Gene Therapies. In this role, you will lead the technology strategy and roadmap for the Cell & Gene Therapies (CGT) department within the Therapeutics Development (TDS) organization, delivering scalable, data-driven solutions that accelerate product development while ensuring compliance and quality.

You will collaborate closely with business partners to develop the best compound and administration vehicle, produce the best product, and optimize the associated manufacturing process. The Sr. TPM will be part of the Innovative Medicine Technology R&D Research Systems team, which delivers cutting-edge technological solutions to empower R&D partners within J&J Innovative Medicine (JJIM).

The team’s aim is to facilitate the creation of innovative solutions addressing crucial unmet medical needs in oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and other areas. To achieve JJIM R&D’s goal of increasing the number of internally originated drugs brought to market, it is necessary to enable expedited exploration of a larger and more diverse molecular space through automation, novel modalities, profiling approaches, and data science.

We are looking for a candidate who is bi-lingual in science and IT, who can collaborate with business and IT partners to deliver effective scientific IT solutions. A foundational understanding of the drug discovery process is essential. The ideal candidate will be proactive, possess a strong problem-solving mindset, and demonstrate the ability to manage stakeholders in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the product roadmap for the CGT organization.
• Translate scientific and operational needs into actionable product requirements; manage the backlog and drive value-focused delivery.
• Forge strong partnerships with Innovative Medicine Technology R&D Research Systems, J&J Technology Services, Quality, and external vendors to deliver integrated automation and digital solutions supporting advanced therapies workflows.
• Lead end-to-end data strategy: data capture, governance, quality, lineage, and analytics consumption to enable informed decision-making.
• Ensure seamless interoperability across the digital ecosystem, bridging the gap between discovery data, development platforms, and downstream clinical supply/execution systems.
• Drive Agile-powered delivery with cross-functional squads; ensure features are delivered on time, within budget, and to quality standards.
• Oversee vendor selection, integration, and performance management for automation hardware and software solutions.
• Promote a data-literate culture and enable self-service analytics for lab users, with secure access and appropriate governance.
• Lead change management, training, and documentation to drive adoption across global sites.
• Ensure compliance with GxP, data integrity standards, and quality-by-design.
• Operate with a global mindset, coordinating activities across sites and regions; participate in occasional travel as needed.

Requirements

• Master’s degree preferred; bachelor’s degree with substantial relevant experience acceptable.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., PMI, product management, Agile, GMP/GCP, AWS) are a plus.
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in information technology, bioinformatics, pharmaceutical sciences, or related subject area is required, or demonstrable experience working with informatics and scientific IT applications.
• 5+ years of experience supporting digital/IT capabilities within a biologics, cell-therapy, or gene therapy scientific environment.
• Good understanding of advanced therapy medicinal products (CAR-T, mRNA, viral vectors, etc.).
• Knowledge of workflows for autologous, allogeneic, and in vivo therapies.
• Familiarity with cell processing and analytics (cell isolation, expansion, analytical characterization).
• High-level understanding of pipelines used to process genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data.
• Familiarity with core lab IT/OT systems (LIMS, ELN) and automation/processing hardware (e.g., cell processing systems, bioreactors, analytical instrumentation).
• Experience delivering data-enabled solutions: data governance, data integration, analytics, and data quality across laboratory environments.
• Strong critical thinking with the ability to translate scientific and operational goals into a technology roadmap.
• Excellent leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills; comfortable operating in a matrixed, global environment.
• Agile/SAFe experience and a track record of delivering large-scale technology programs.
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management; ability to influence senior leaders and diverse teams.
• Demonstrated adaptability, problem-solving, and the ability to inspire change in scientific and manufacturing contexts.

Skills

• Global, cross-site program leadership with experience in (regulated) labs.
• Proven track record partnering with R&D, Clinical, IT, and external suppliers to deliver integrated solutions.
• Strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making and measurable outcomes (return on investment, adoption, time-to-value).
• Change management, user enablement, and training to drive adoption of new lab automation capabilities.

Schedule

• Up to 10–20% travel anticipated (adjustable based on project needs and policy).