Postdoctoral Researcher– Translational PK/PD & Investigative Toxicology Full-time

Postdoctoral Researcher

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.

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: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacometrics

Job Category: Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations: Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium

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.

We are searching for the best talent for Postdoctoral Researcher, located in Beerse, Belgium.

We are currently seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join our Global Translational ADME group, an area within the Translational Pharmacokinetics (PK)/Pharmacodynamics (PD) & Investigative Toxicology (TPPIT) department. Our global translational ADME team is committed to providing project teams with mechanistic insights and integrating data to understand the correlations between in vitro and in vivo ADME properties, as well as the interplay between PK, toxicokinetics and PD responses.

The Translational ADME team in Beerse is looking for a creative individual who will focus on developing and utilizing organotypic translational in vitro tumor models, including but not limited to patient derived organoids to support the characterization of next generation solid tumor therapies. This role will emphasize employing advanced tumor in vitro models with spatial biology approaches, and pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacology endpoint development to enable mechanistic understanding of anti-tumor responses and translation towards human dose prediction. The candidate will work at the interface of immuno-oncology, organotypic models, and translational PK/PD, contributing to innovative New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).

Strong subject matter expertise and hands-on experience with organoids, tumoroids, bio-printed platforms, and co-culture models with immune cells are expected. This is a three-year position, fully funded by VLAIO (Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship), a government agency of the Flemish Region. You will be part of a consortium of internal and external collaborators, which offers ample opportunity for scientific growth and network building. This position will require hands-on lab work, while also offering scientific leadership and personal growth opportunities through training, and R&D-wide connectivity. Additionally, you will be authoring reports and scientific publications and present data to the scientific community both internally and externally.

Required Qualifications

Required Minimum Education: PhD

Required Years of Related Experience: 0–2 years post PhD

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Education: PhD degree in a relevant life science discipline (e.g. cellular biology, immunology, oncology, pharmacology, biomedical sciences or similar) with a preference for candidates with postdoctoral experience.
• Technical Expertise: Strong theoretical knowledge and practical experience in culturing organotypic models (organoids, tumoroids, bio printed platforms, co-culture models with immune cells).
• Methodological Skills: A broad range of hands-on experience in cellular and molecular methodologies such as staining and imaging techniques, cell separation, transcriptomics, enzyme activity assays.
• Innovative thinking: Ability to innovate on study design for ADME, safety and biological readouts to enable the definition of an in vitro therapeutic window.
• Scientific Curiosity: High degree of scientific curiosity and creativity to tackle complex investigational hypotheses
• Project Management: Capability to manage multiple divergent research lines while maintaining oversight of project timelines and status.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills necessary for facilitating efficient interactions with both internal teams and external collaborators.

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Minimum Education: Ph.D.

Preferred Area of Study: cellular molecular biology, immunology, oncology biomedical sciences, biotechnology or similar

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Relevant doctoral/post-doctoral and/or pharmaceutical industry experience
• Experience in pharmacology assays
• Experience in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics is a plus
• Experience with analytical techniques (LC-MS/MS) is considered a plus
• Experience with programming platforms like R and keen interest in in silico approaches is a plus

The anticipated base pay range for this position is: €60,000.00 – €96,255.00

Benefits: In addition to base pay, we offer the following benefits*: an annual bonus with set target (% of pay) depending on pay grade / location, where the actual amount is based on the employees' and companies' performance of the previous calendar year, or sales commissions. Moreover, we offer vacation days, parental leave for a minimum of 12 weeks, bereavement leave, caregiver leave, volunteer leave, well-being reimbursement, programs for financial, physical and mental health. We also offer service anniversary and recognition awards, and subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees – and in some location's eligible dependents – can participate in several insurance plans. For more information, visit Employee benefits | Supporting well-being & career growth | Johnson & Johnson Careers.

*This is for informative purposes only. Amounts and actual benefits may vary by location and are subject to change.