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:

Nonclinical Safety

Job Category:

Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:

San Diego, California, United States of America

Job Description:

About Innovative Medicine

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

We are searching for the best talent for a Distinguished Scientist, Nonclinical Safety Leader in San Diego, CA.

Purpose: Do you enjoy working on complex biological problems?  Are you ready to combine your drive, scientific curiosity, enthusiasm, and drug development expertise to make a lasting impact on the world?  As a Distinguished Scientist, Nonclinical Safety Lead (NCSL) you will collaborate with innovative and diverse scientists to support projects in our large and varied portfolio that spans multiple therapeutic areas and includes innovative modalities.  In this vital role you will provide toxicology leadership for all aspects of discovery and development projects, with flexibility to specialize or work across stages of development, therapy areas, and modalities.  The NCSL will collaborate with discovery scientists to identify and nominate candidate molecules, and with development teams bring these molecules to humans and ultimately through global registration.

You will be responsible for:

• Lead PSTS project teams of nonclinical safety and PK scientists, ensuring efficient information transfer within the team.
• Serve as the NCS representative for global project teams, providing toxicology expertise and interfacing with senior management.
• Create target risk assessments and develop plans to screen for and mitigate potential risks; analyze toxicology and safety pharmacology studies, contextualizing results for human safety and preparing nonclinical safety assessments.
• Contribute to issue-resolution teams by generating hypotheses and investigative strategies.
• Accountable for global regulatory nonclinical documents and health authority responses to support clinical trials and compound registrations
• Participate in medical safety teams, signal detection analyses, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Engage in nonclinical safety risk assessments for due diligence of potential L&A opportunities.
• Collaborate proactively with CMC functions to assure drug substance quality.
• Actively participate in external academic or industry societies and consortia to enhance toxicology strategies and capabilities.
• Maintain scientific depth and knowledge in competitive intelligence and regulatory landscapes for assigned projects.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders, including regulatory authorities, leveraging drug development experience.
• Provide leadership and mentorship within the PSTS organization.
• Lead strategic initiatives as required

Qualifications/Requirements:

Education: Minimum of a Doctoral degree (PhD, DVM, MD, or equivalent) in toxicology, pharmacology, or related field with approximately 10+ years of relevant pharmaceutical/biotech experience is required.

• Proven experience in representing toxicology/nonclinical safety on multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong understanding of the drug discovery and development process.
• Preferred: Experience in conducting due diligence activities.
• Preferred: Previous role as a Study Director/Study Monitor under Good Laboratory Practice regulations.
• Preferred: Familiarity with various therapeutic modalities.
• Preferred: Board certification (e.g., DABT).

The expected pay range for this position is $164,000 to $282,900.

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.

• Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees and/or eligible dependents are eligible to participate in the following Company sponsored employee benefit programs: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability, business accident insurance, and group legal insurance.
• 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)).
• This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive program. 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

This job posting is anticipated to close on April 10, 2026. The Company may however extend this time-period, in which case the posting will remain available on https://www.careers.jnj.com to accept additional applications.

Johnson & Johnson is an 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, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. 

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers or contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Required Skills:

 

 

Preferred Skills:

Consulting, Design Mindset, Drug Discovery Development, EHS Compliance, Emergency Planning, Performance Measurement, Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), Process Optimization, Program Management, Regulatory Affairs Management, Research and Development, Risk Management, Safety Audits, Safety Investigations, Safety-Oriented, Scientific Research, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Thinking, Technical Writing

 

 

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :

$164,000.00 - $282,900.00

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)).



This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive program.



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