Research Operations Lead

Johnson & Johnson

HEMA Research Operations Lead managing health economics and market access studies at DePuy Synthes. Ensuring high-quality evidence and insights delivery on time and within budget.

Posted 6/17/2026full-timeWest Chester • Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $109,000 - $174,800 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the end-to-end operational management of the HEMA research portfolio, including study tracking, timeline governance, milestone monitoring, and resource allocation across all active health economics, epidemiology, and market access studies
Drive study start-up and activation activities, including protocol finalization support, data use agreement execution, and site/vendor readiness
Manage research compliance documentation across all HEMA-sponsored studies, ensuring adherence to internal policies and SOPs
Design and maintain standardized research operations frameworks, including project management templates, study workflows, and stage-gate processes to ensure consistency and quality across the portfolio
Build and maintain dashboards and reporting mechanisms to track research deliverables, study milestones, and key performance indicators across the HEMA portfolio
Deliver regular portfolio status reports to HEMA leadership, proactively identifying risks, bottlenecks, and opportunities to accelerate study timelines
Own the HEMA research budget lifecycle — from forecasting and allocation to spend tracking and variance analysis, in partnership with HEMA lead and finance
Manage purchase orders, contracts, and invoicing tied to research activities, ensuring fiscal discipline and compliance with procurement policies
Support resource planning to optimize allocation of internal and external research capacity
Manage relationships with external research partners, data providers, and consultants, including contract negotiation support, statements of work, and performance oversight
Serve as the primary operational liaison with Procurement, Legal, and Compliance for all HEMA vendor engagements and physician collaborations
Evaluate and onboard new vendors and data sources to expand HEMA's research capabilities as the organization evolves
Own and continuously optimize the research operations technology stack, including project management platforms, study trackers, shared repositories, and collaboration tools (e.g., SharePoint, Smartsheet, Teams)
Identify and implement process improvements that reduce cycle times, eliminate inefficiencies, and elevate the quality of research operations
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for core HEMA research operations processes
Serve as the central operational point of contact for cross-functional teams engaging with HEMA research activities

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Health Administration, Life Sciences, or related field
Three to five years of experience in research operations, project management, or administrative leadership, preferably within a healthcare, MedTech, or pharmaceutical environment
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Teams); experience with project management tools
Experience managing budgets, purchase orders, and vendor contracts
Exceptional attention to detail, multitasking ability, and organizational skills
Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work effectively with diverse teams and external partners
Fluent in English required.
Travel 15% required
Valid driver’s license required where applicable.

Benefits

Comp & perks

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 period
Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

research operationsproject managementbudget managementvendor contract managementdata use agreement executionmilestone monitoringresource allocationcompliance documentationprocess improvementSOP development

Soft Skills

attention to detailmultitaskingorganizational skillsinterpersonal skillscommunication skills

Certifications

Bachelor's degree in Business AdministrationBachelor's degree in Health AdministrationBachelor's degree in Life Sciences