Associate Director, Laboratory Automation

Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., a division of Johnson & Johnson's Family of Companies, is growing the Biotherapeutics Development Analytical Automation team and recruiting for an Associate Director, Laboratory Automation to be based out of Malvern, PA.
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The Analytical Laboratory Automation & Robotics team is expanding. We are in search of an Associate Director, Laboratory Automation to lead design, development, and deployment of end-to-end Laboratory Automation systems for cell, gene, and protein therapy product development.
You will leverage scientific and robotic systems expertise to lead the design and implementation of Laboratory Automation solutions for various analytical workflow such as flow cytometry, antigen binding, molecular, cell-based, capillary electrophoresis, and chromatography. You will collaborate with the Assay Automation team, Engineering, Assay Development, Process Development, Data Science, IT, and end-users to lead hands-free automation implementation. You will play an integral role in improving throughput/capacity, while reducing hands-on time, time-to-result, repetitive strain, and assay variability.
Key Responsibilities:

• Build and lead a team of Laboratory Automation engineer/scientists focused on delivering value through integrated automation solutions
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of hands free end-to-end analytical workcell solutions (Driven by control software such as Biosero Green Button Go®)
• Collaborate with Assay Automation, Engineering, and Methods/Process Development to influence and align on system components or workflow orchestration across automation modules
• Collaborate with Laboratory Operations, Data Science, and IT to drive automated data flow within automation solutions
• Lead automated process/methods qualification, and operator training activities
• Lead optimization of automated systems, expand capabilities, and support technical investigations
• People and matrix team leadership, knowledge transfer, and cross-training
• Occasionally consult on Laboratory Automation for partner teams throughout J&J

Qualifications
Education:

• A Ph.D, M.S., or a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent is required

Experience and Skills:
Required:

• A Ph.D. with 10 years experience OR a M.S./Bachelors of Science with 14 or more years experience of Laboratory Automation experience is required
• Experience leading a technical/scientific team with a proven track record of delivery is required
• Experience leading development and implementation of automated laboratory workflows or high-throughput methods within the biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry; this includes systems configuration, liquid handling, and method programming is required
• Experience designing, programming, operating, and troubleshooting end-to-end integrated automation systems, such as Biosero, HighRes® Biosolutions, or Thermo Scientific™ is required
• Experience with device and data systems integration is required
• Ability to identify/understand sophisticated customer needs, influence peers and organization, and help craft automated solutions for laboratory workflows is required
• Experience leading evaluation and implementation of new and novel technologies is required
• Experience with biological or biochemical assays; migration of bench techniques to automated systems is required
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills (both written and oral), with the ability to closely collaborate with scientists, vendors, and external teams is required
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams is required

Preferred:

• Experience with various programming languages, such as Python, Visual Basic, C, C++, etc. is preferred
• Experience with analytical method development is preferred

Johnson & Johnson is an Affirmative Action and 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, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
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