Translational Safety Lead, Executive Director

Innovative Medicine, Translational Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics & Investigative Toxicology

Executive Director and Global Lead Translational Safety

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 https://www.jnj.com/.

Position Summary:

As Global Lead of Translational Safety you will provide scientific/strategic guidance and leadership to a team of highly motivated and passionate translational scientists (~25) with expertise in biochemical, cellular and molecular pharmacology/toxicology and safety pharmacology.

The Translational Safety Leader will guide the strategic direction and execution of preclinical safety science efforts to inform the selection and characterization of novel targets as well as the transition of new therapies from discovery to early-stage clinical development and ultimately to approved therapies for patients. This role is responsible for establishing a robust translational safety assessment framework, bridging preclinical and clinical safety data and ensuring that clinical insights are translated back into preclinical and early discovery phases, informing and optimizing preclinical safety models and early drug discovery approaches and ultimately improving the safety profiles of future therapies. The senior role (reporting into the VP, Global Head Translational Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics & Investigative Toxicology) requires a visionary leader with a deep understanding of preclinical and translational safety, investigative toxicology, and a proven track record of collaborative cross-functional leadership in complex, fast-paced environments.

What's in it for you:

If you have a creative scientific, translational and strategic mindset and you thrive on

(1) identifying opportunities for (cross disciplinary) project impact,

(2) raising the scientific bar of our discipline and

(3) challenging/defending scientific and/or strategic project views to senior management and senior governance bodies,

this will be an excellent opportunity to:

(1) further grow your career,

(2) significantly impact drug discovery and development and

(3) ultimately to help patients.

In addition, our R&D culture of being courageous in science and unwavering in execution and of being one team that CARES for each other enables us to navigate uncertainty, seize opportunities, and lead where medicine is going.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a global team of experts in translational and investigative safety to ensure safety assessments align with company standards and regulatory requirements.
• Guide efforts to integrate clinical safety data back into preclinical models (reverse translation), improving predictive accuracy and addressing potential safety risks early in development.
• Serve/Act as the primary point of contact for PSTS on the initiative of creating "a translational safety community of practice" between Global Medical Safety and PSTS
• Oversee the design and execution of investigative toxicology studies to understand mechanisms of toxicities, support risk assessments, and mitigate safety concerns.
• Evaluate and embrace emerging technologies, such as AI-driven safety models, computational toxicology, and in vitro/in vivo models, for potential integration into safety workflows.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative partnerships across PSTS functions (a.o. Pathobiology) and with key stakeholders, and including Global Medical Safety, Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Translational Research, Regulatory Affairs,
• Provide strategic oversight and mentorship for team members, fostering a high-performance culture and encouraging professional development.

Qualifications

Some Key Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (PhD, MD, DVM) in toxicology, pharmacology, life sciences, or a related scientific field.
• 15+ years of experience in translational safety science, investigative toxicology, or related roles within the area of drug discovery and development.
• Proven experience in global leadership, managing multidisciplinary teams, and working in a matrixed environment.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, focus on innovative approaches to mechanistic approaches and reverse translation in safety science.
• Able to communicate effectively and with confidence to senior management and R&D leaders.
• Evidence of leadership in raising the scientific bar and a proven track record of scientific achievements & project impact.
• Experience in a broad range of therapeutic modalities.

Location:

This position is based in La Jolla, CA, USA and requires up to 20% domestic and international travel as needed.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is 193.000 to 333.500 USD

The Company maintains highly competitive, performance-based compensation programs. Under current guidelines, this position is eligible for an annual performance bonus in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan. The annual performance bonus is a cash bonus intended to provide an incentive to achieve annual targeted results by rewarding for individual and the corporation's performance over a calendar/performance year. Bonuses are awarded at the Company's discretion on an individual basis.

Additional information can be found through the link below. https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits

Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies are equal opportunity employers, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.