Job Function:
Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development
Job Sub Function:
Biotherapeutics R&D
Job Category:
Scientific/Technology
All Job Posting Locations:
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 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.
We are searching for the best talent for a Sr. Scientist, Lab Manager - CAR Screening & Lead Selection to be located in Cambridge, MA.
There is a pre-identified candidate for this position, but all candidates will be considered.
Purpose:
The CSLS team is seeking a highly organized, collaborative, and scientifically experienced Senior Scientist, Lab Manager to support our growing Cambridge lab operations.
This role will serve as the primary operational lead for the CGM lab footprint in Cambridge, helping ensure that our scientist have the space, equipment, materials, processes, and infrastructure needed to execute efficiently and safely. The lab manager will work closely with scientist and people leaders across our CAR generation, automation, assay development and vector related workflows while serving as a key interface with site lab operations, EHS, facilities, procurement, external vendors, and other enabling functions.
The ideal candidate combines strong lab experience with an operational mindset and enjoys identifying problems, creating practical solutions, and making complex laboratory environments easier for scientists to navigate. The successful candidate will create a lab environment in which scientists can focus their time on science rather than troubleshooting operational issues. They will anticipate needs before they become barriers, establish systems that scale as the team grows, and become a trusted partners connecting scientific teams with the broader Cambridge site infrastructure.
You will be responsible for:
- Own day-to-day coordination of the Cambridge Laboratory environment and serve as a central point of contact for lab operational needs.
- Partner with scientific teams to ensure lab space, equipment, consumables, and shared resources are organized and available to support planned experimental work
- Coordinate lab moves, space changes, new equipment installation, and expansion of lab capabilities as team needs evolve.
- Develop and maintain clear processes for shared lab spaces and equipment.
- Identify operational bottlenecks and proactively implement solutions that improve lab efficiency and scientific productivity.
- Maintain oversight of lab equipment, including installation, qualification, preventative maintenance, service contracts, repairs, and lifecycle planning.
- Coordinate with vendors and internal support teams to minimize equipment downtime.
- Maintain appropriate equipment records and help establish systems for tracking shared instruments and capacity.
- Support planning for new equipment purchases and lab infrastructure needs.
- Establish and maintain effective systems for managing common lab consumables, reagents, and supplies.
- Coordinate ordering and inventory levels to ensure continuity of critical lab activities while avoiding unnecessary duplication or excess inventory.
- Work with scientists and procurement partners to troubleshoot supply-chain or purchasing issues.
- Serve as a key lab partner for EHS, Biosafety, and site operations.
- Partner with scientist to ensure lab practices, documentation, training and space usage remain aligned with institutional safety requirements.
- Help coordinate responses to lab inspections, corrective actions, and operational findings.
- Coordinate automation management responsibilities with site IT, and cross-site automation specialists
- Lead lab onboarding for new team members, including securing access, equipment orientations, lab processes, and site-specific requirements.
- Promote shared ownership of lab spaces while establishing clear expectations and accountability for lab practices.
- Represent team needs in site planning discussions and translate scientific requirements into actionable operational solutions.
- Coordinate across CGM sub-teams to anticipate upcoming capacity, space, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Qualifications:
Required:
- BS or MS in biology, biotechnology, bioengineering, immunology, cell biology, or a related scientific discipline with relevant industry lab experience with 4-6 years of experience.
- Significant hands-on experience working in a biotech, pharm, or similarly complex research lab environment.
- Strong understanding of mammalian cell culture and molecular/cell biology lab workflows.
- Experience managing lab equipment, shared resources, lab infrastructure, or lab operations.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple priorities and work effectively across scientific and operational teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills with a track record of identifying operational gaps and independently driving solutions.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively with scientists across a range of levels and disciplines.
Preferred:
- Experience supporting cell therapy, viral vector, or immuno-oncology research.
- Experience working in BSL-2 or BSL-2+ lab environments.
- familiarity with lentiviral vector workflows and associated lab safety requirements.
- Experience supporting automated lab systems or high-throughput screening environments.
- Experience with lab build outs, equipment installation/qualification, or expansion of lab capabilities
- Experience with ELNs (such as Benchling), inventory systems, or lab asset-management software
This job posting is anticipated to close on Oct 09, 2026. We may however extend this time period, in which case the posting will remain available on www.careers.jnj.com to accept additional applications.
Required Skills:
Preferred Skills:
Analytical Reasoning, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC), Coaching, Consulting, Critical Thinking, Drug Discovery Development, Emerging Technologies, Molecular Diagnostics, Pharmacogenetics, Pharmacovigilance, Process Improvements, Quality Assurance (QA), Relationship Building, Research Documents, Scientific Research, Technologically Savvy
The anticipated base pay range for this position is :
$109,000.00 - $174,800.00
Additional Description for Pay Transparency:
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)).
Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits:
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 period10 days
Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year
For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits
