Principal Scientist, Discovery - Ocular Genetics - Johnson and Johnson

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This position will play a central role in the identification of novel ocular therapeutic targets and biomarkers from the investigation of human genetic association with disease and intermediate variables through advanced analytics.

Human genetics offers an opportunity to bridge a translational gap in drug discovery by anchoring the identification of target mechanisms in human disease biology thus improving the probability of pursuing targets that will ultimately be efficacious. The sequencing of large-scale biobanks, GWAS and mendelian genetics have generated an unprecedented resource for discovery and interpretation that can aid drug development. The application of transcriptomics, metabolomics and circulating proteomics across genetically characterized human cohorts has further enabled the interpretation of variant effects on mRNA, metabolite or circulating protein which can be harnessed for biomarker identification.

The successful candidate should have a strong interest in the translation of computational insight to drug target opportunities but also core competencies in human genetic analysis that can leverage existing biobank scale datasets including the UK biobank and FinnGen .

This role will advance genetic analysis relating to development pipeline questions ( e.g. Phenome wide association, examination of genetic modifiers, leveraging safety insight from nonsense homozygotes) and drive the scientific advancement of new target opportunities through integrated assessment to build a compelling human data package and validation plan.

The Principal Scientist in this role w ill develop and apply methods for the integration of GWAS summary results with other types of data e.g. Metabolomics/ mQTL , eQTL , functional genomic annotations, gene networks, estimation/partitioning of heritability, Mendelian Randomization to understand causal direction, and fine mapping. The successful candidate will also collaborate with experimental, clinical and bioinformatic scientists to address mechanism specific questions and support decision making through genomic insight. Lastly, this role will uncover opportunities for therapeutic translation and biomarkers of disease heterogeneity, progression, and treatment response from genetic data sources including clinical trials, precompetitive consortia, academic collaborations, or population biobanks and will initiate and drive strategic external collaborations supporting these goals.• PhD in the field of statistical genetics, bioinformatics, epidemiology or biostatistics with postdoctoral experience and 3 years of experience in an industry research environment. Track record of genomic discovery in large scale GWAS and WES/WGS datasets in academia and/or industry with electronic health record derived phenotypes highly desired.

• Knowledge and experience examining the range of genome-wide and phenome-wide analysis approaches, encompassing genotype and sample q.c. , phenotype evaluation, imputation, and methods to address relatedness, population structure, case-control imbalance in large WES/WGS and GWAS datasets.

• Experience with statistical computing in R expected with familiarity of aggregated marker methods ( e.g. burden, SKAT, VT) and large-scale genetic analysis approaches ( e.g. PLINK, HAIL, EPACTS, METAL/RAREMETAL).

• Experience in fine-scale locus dissection and in causal inference from individual-level and summary association data a plus.

• Familiarity with Ophthalmology human genetic s and biology, target identification and therapeutic development a plus

• Knowledge of biological mechanisms of human genetic diseases and application of computational biology methods (preferably in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry) desired

• Strong proficiency in managing workflows, priorities, and deadlines and managing multiple projects as part of a small team.

• Highly motivated and demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative environment.

• Ability to write manuscripts for publication and has maintained a record of high-quality peer reviewed publications and oral presentations in a relevant field.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as organizational and time management skills.

• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Demonstrated interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with an interdisciplinary team, including laboratory scientists, bioinformaticians, statisticians, and data analysts.

• Provide ad hoc training and help to biology teams on the use of computational tools, data analyses and interpretation; provide technical expertise for emerging technologies and approaches .

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $113,000 to $195,500 USD .

The compensation and benefits information set forth in this posting applies to candidates hired in the United States. Candidates hired outside the United States will be eligible for compensation and benefits in accordance with their local market.

Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs such as health insurance, savings plan, pension plan, disability plan, long term incentives, vacation pay, sick time, holiday pay, and work, personal and family time off in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans. Additional information can be found through the link below. For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits

At Johnson & Johnson, we're on a mission to change the trajectory of health for humanity. That starts by creating the world's healthiest workforce. Through cutting-edge programs and policies, we empower the physical, mental, emotional, and financial health of our employees and the ones they love. As such, depending on location and subject to local legislation, candidates offered employment may be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or, in certain countries, secure an approved accommodation prior to the commencement of employment to support the well-being of our employees, their families and the communities in which we live and work. If you are invited to interview for the position, your recruiter will advise on the vaccine requirement status in your geographic location.

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