Solid-State Automation

At Johnson & Johnson,we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build aworld where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured,where treatments are smarter and less invasive, andsolutions 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:

Pharmaceutical Product R&D

Job Category:

Scientific/Technology

Job Posting Locations:

Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium

Job Description:

This position is based in Beerse, Belgium. Relocation support may be provided for qualified candidates in accordance with company policy.

Job Overview

You will identify, design, implement and scale automation and data solutions for pharmaceutical solid-state design that accelerate drug development and contribute to Johnson & Johnson's long-term AI/digital transformation strategy. Working with Solid State Sciences, High-Throughput Preformulation Sciences (HTPS), the Crystallization Technology Unit (CTU) and digital/automation partners, you will build connected, reusable workflows that make solid-state experimentation faster, more consistent and more data-rich, while contributing solid-state expertise to development programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mapping, design, implementation and scaling of automated solid-state workflows, translating scientific and business requirements into practical solutions and reusable platforms.
• Integrate laboratory equipment, automation platforms and digital systems to create connected, data-enabled laboratory environments that improve efficiency, throughput and data quality.
• Translate solid-state expertise into experiment definitions, data standards, decision rules and automated analysis and reporting workflows.
• Design and execute solid-form screening and characterization studies to develop, validate and apply automated workflows, interpreting data from techniques such as XRPD, thermal analysis, DVS, spectroscopy and microscopy to support form selection and development decisions.
• Partner with HT groups, CTU, engineering, robotics, laboratory orchestration, data science and project teams to deliver scientifically fit-for-purpose solutions aligned with broader automation capabilities.
• Scout, evaluate and pilot emerging technologies, including high-throughput, miniaturized and AI-enabled approaches, that reduce manual effort and subjectivity and move solid-state workflows toward closed-loop experimentation.
• Document workflows, maintain reusable code, data structures and knowledge, and support training and sustained adoption across the portfolio.
• Communicate scientific recommendations and outcomes through technical reports, project updates and scientific forums.

Required Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in chemical engineering, chemistry, pharmaceutical or materials sciences, engineering, computer/data science, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience bridging solid-state science and laboratory automation.
• Candidates with a scientific background should bring practical automation experience; candidates with an engineering/digital background should bring practical experience in solid-state science and crystallization.
• Substantial academic or industrial experience in solid-state science, crystallization, pharmaceutical development or laboratory automation, with demonstrated scientific or technical leadership.
• Hands-on understanding of solid-state characterization and interpretation of complex experimental data, with the ability to translate scientific workflows into structured, reproducible, automation-ready processes.
• Technical knowledge of automation systems, laboratory equipment and digital integration technologies such as SiLA2, OPC UA, and REST APIs.
• Hands-on experience using programming and scripting tools, such as Python, to automate experimental workflows, process data or connect laboratory systems.
• Strong collaboration, influencing and communication skills across scientific, engineering and digital disciplines; a proactive, organized mindset and the ability to take ownership and drive implementation across teams.

Preferred / Nice-to-Have Experience

• with high-throughput screening, miniaturized ex