Associate Director, Lab Automation & Intelligent Orchestration

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 jnj.com . 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. Job Function: Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development Job Sub Function: Biological Research Job Category: People Leader All Job Posting Locations: Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of America Job Description: 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. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine is recruiting for an Associate Director, Lab Automation & Intelligent Orchestration. This position will be located on-site in Spring House, PA (Philadelphia area), and may require up to approximately 10% domestic and/or international travel. We are seeking a strategic, hands-on leader to build the next generation of AI-native automation platforms within Discovery Technologies and Molecular Pharmacology that leverage intelligent orchestration, and advanced analytics to scale human-relevant biology and multimodal omics data generation. The Associate Director will establish lab-in-the-loop capabilities that generate high-quality biological data at scale, accelerate learning cycles, and enable predictive AI-driven drug discovery. The successful candidate will bring expertise in laboratory automation, AI-driven orchestration, and systems integration, coupled with a strong understanding of drug discovery, complex cellular models, and omics technologies. They will drive strategic roadmaps, lead cross-functional initiatives, and deploy scalable experimental platforms that increase speed, enhance reproducibility, and unlock new opportunities for AI-enabled discovery. Key Responsibilities Laboratory Automation Platform Strategy Drive strategic roadmaps and investment priorities for AI-native experimental platforms that enable scalable experimentation, multimodal data generation, and AI-driven discovery Lead the evaluation, adoption, and scaling of transformative technologies, including robotics, autonomous experimentation, agentic AI, and intelligent orchestration, to accelerate learning cycles and discovery outcomes. Scale Human-Relevant Biology & AI-Driven Learning Design, deploy, and scale automated platforms supporting human-relevant models, multimodal data generation, and advanced omics workflows Build lab-in-the-loop capabilities integrating automation, AI/ML models, analytics, and intelligent orchestration to accelerate experimentation, learning cycles, and predictive modeling Strategic Partnership & Scientific Leadership Lead cross-functional initiatives across biology, data science, AI/ML, informatics, engineering, and discovery organizations to align platform development with scientific priorities and accelerate AI-enabled discovery Build strategic partnerships with technology providers, automation vendors, academic collaborators, and contract research organizations (CROs) while serving as a thought leader driving adoption of next-generation capabilities across the organization People Leadership & Culture Lead and develop a high-performing team of automation engineers, scientists, and technical specialists while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement Strengthen organizational capabilities in automation, AI, and experimental science through talent development, coaching, and a culture that promotes innovation, learning, and scientific excellence Qualifications Ph.D., M.S., or equivalent experience in Engineering, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Biology, or a related discipline At least 6 years of relevant experience developing and scaling laboratory automation, experimental platforms, or advanced technology solutions within drug discovery Strong understanding of drug discovery workflows, complex human-relevant biological models, and multimodal data generation approaches, including omics technologies Deep expertise in laboratory automation, robotics, instrument integration, and workflow engineering, with experience designing and scaling complex experimental platforms Experience building automated workflows that integrate experimentation, data generation, analytics, and digital systems Knowledge of AI-ready data architectures, metadata frameworks, and multimodal data integration strategies Demonstrated success translating emerging technologies into scalable research platforms and leading technical teams in a highly matrixed organization Preferred Experience Experience implementing lab-in-the-loop experimentation, AI-enabled workflows, agentic AI, intelligent orchestration, and autonomous experimentation Experience leading cross-functional initiatives across biology, engineering, data science, informatics, and technology Proven ability to translate emerging technologies into scalable scientific capabilities and business impact Experience with AI/ML-enabled experimental workflows, agentic AI systems, workflow orchestration, or scientific computing platforms Leadership Capabilities Strategic thinker with a science-to-impact mindset, capable of translating emerging technologies into scalable discovery capabilities and communicating effectively with both technical and executive audiences Innovative, self-motivated leader with strong collaboration, prioritization, and problem-solving skills who thrives in fast-paced, highly matrixed environments Proven ability to lead through influence, drive organizational change, and build productive partnerships across internal teams, external collaborators, vendors, and technology providers This position will be located on-site in Spring House, PA (no remote option). Johnson & Johnson is an Equal O