Senior Counsel, R&D Transactions, Innovative Medicine

Posted:
5/20/2026, 2:36:57 PM

Location(s):
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States ⋅ New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States ⋅ New Jersey, United States ⋅ Massachusetts, United States

Experience Level(s):
Senior

Field(s):
Legal & Compliance

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:

Legal & Compliance

Job Sub Function:

Law Business Partners

Job Category:

Professional

All Job Posting Locations:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America

Job Description:

We are recruiting for the best talent for Senior Counsel, R&D Transactions, Innovative Medicine to join our External Scientific Innovation team located in New Brunswick, NJ or Cambridge, MA.

The position is for an attorney who will join the legal team supporting External Scientific Innovation (ESI), with a primary focus on strategic life sciences transactions.

The successful applicant will report to the Senior Legal Director, External Scientific Innovation and will serve as a legal partner to the ESI Transactions Team and the Innovative Medicine R&D team, working on a broad range of strategic transactions with external collaborators.

Responsibilities / Principal Duties:

  • Leading strategic transactions, including Collaborations, Options, Licenses, Co-Development, Co-Commercialization and other commercial agreements.
  • Acting as a trusted advisor to the ESI Transactions Team, ESI and R&D leadership.
  • Structuring and negotiating agreements with preclinical and early clinical innovators and collaborating with other legal specialists to provide guidance on aspects of life-sciences transactions, including intellectual property ownership and license rights, data rights, regulatory obligations, competition law, anti-corruption and compliance, governance and litigation risks.
  • Working closely with R&D, Finance, JJDC (J&J’s corporate venture capital arm) and Business Development, to structure deals aligned with J&J’s R&D strategy.
  • Handling relationships with external counsel and counterparties, including biotech partners, academic institutions, and venture-backed entities.
  • Sharing internal knowledge and developing precedents and processes for External Scientific Innovation transactions.

Qualifications:

Applicants must be experienced commercial or intellectual property lawyers with a proven track record of leading complex, strategic transactions in the life sciences sector.

  • A J.D. or LL.M. with admission to and good standing with the bar of one state or the District of Columbia is required.
  • Minimum of 7 years’ legal experience is required including experience in life sciences technology transactions, either:
    • In-house within a pharmaceutical, biotechnology company or technology transfer office; or
    • At a leading law firm with a practice focused on life sciences clients.
  • Strong experience in leading strategic life sciences transactions, including licensing and collaboration agreements.
  • Ability to provide pragmatic advice to business leaders in a complex business environment.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across scientific, business, and legal teams.
  • Ability to run multiple high-priority matters simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
  • Experience working with startups, venture-backed companies, or academic institutions is highly desirable.
  • International experience and/or an understanding of drug development and R&D, particularly in oncology would be a plus.


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,  external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers .Internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

#LI-Hybrid

Required Skills:

 

 

Preferred Skills:

Business Agility, Collaborating, Commercial Laws, Compliance Management, Corporate Governance, Dispute Resolution, Lawyering, Legal Documents Preparation, Legal Services, Negotiation, Process Improvements, Representing, Risk Management, Strategic Thinking, Tactical Planning, Technical Credibility

 

 

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :

$150,000.00 - $258,750.00

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