With over 130,000 employees across 60 countries, Johnson & Johnson is the largest and most broadly based healthcare company in the world. Although Johnson & Johnson is a well established company, they operate with the mindset of a startup, focused on collaboration and innovation. While the healthcare industry is ever-changing, one thing remains the same: Johnson & Johnson’s mission is to develop and deliver solutions that allow people to thrive throughout every stage of their lives — and with that comes incredible opportunities for team members across all divisions to advance, excel, and innovate.
We spoke to two early career Johnson & Johnson employees, Hannah and Zachary, both of whom are part of the organization’s Global Operations Leadership Development (GOLD) Program — a two-and-a-half-year rotation program for recent grads interested in supply chain management. Read on to learn more about Hannah and Zachary’s experience at Johnson & Johnson and how working there has helped them positively impact the future of human health.
For Hannah, Working with Johnson & Johnson Provided Her With Invaluable Opportunities To Shape Human Health
Before becoming a GOLD Associate, Hannah previously worked with Johnson & Johnson as part of the Demand Generation team before joining the Data and Analytics team as an intern. One of the main reasons Hannah returned to Johnson & Johnson was because she enjoyed being challenged. “There are always so many opportunities in this company to challenge yourself and learn new things,” she said, before continuing, “Johnson & Johnson will always push you that next step and make you a better individual.”
Today, Hannah works as a Device Engineer in San Francisco, where she works in a lab two to three days per week. Her responsibilities include testing and building new medical tools and devices to help meet patients’ healthcare needs and goals. “For example, I’m currently working on a device that’s extremely new to the market,” she told WayUp. “We really do go through months and months of evaluation of how these products work,” Hannah explained that this process allows people to thrive; and ensures that people can get the life-changing products they depend on.
Hannah, who studied Supply Chain and Information Systems in college, remarked that she hadn’t been in a lab since AP Bio in high school. Had it not been for Johnson & Johnson, Hannah claims she, “never would have never gotten the opportunity to be a device engineer.” She continued, “Opportunities here are pretty much endless.”
Zachary Studied Entrepreneurship In College — Now He Leads a Team of 60 Engineering Technicians
Like Hannah, Zachary first joined Johnson & Johnson as a co-op and intern — where he worked on the
Global Strategy, Event Management, and Analytics teams — before making the switch to eyewear manufacturing.
Although Zachary graduated college with a degree in Entrepreneurship, he always had a passion for helping others — especially when it comes to healthcare. “Access to high-quality healthcare is a human right,” he says.
As of March 2020, Zachary leads a team of 60 engineering technicians, all of whom are responsible for manufacturing contact lenses. He is tasked with ensuring everything runs smoothly in terms of production, manufacturing, and operations — while also adhering to safety, quality, and compliance standards. Ultimately, this experience has allowed Zachary to follow his passions, discover new areas of interest, and help others: All at the same time. “I don’t believe healthcare should be a locked door for anybody. Anything I can do to help unlock that door for people is amazing — and Johnson & Johnson has given me the chance to do that.”
In 2017 Both Zachary and Hannah were tasked to communicate with partners on the ground during Hurricane Maria.
Zachary shared his early-career experience working with the North America Event Management team, which ensures that all products are properly shipped to and from North America. He explained how difficult it was reaching out to carry partners during Hurricane Maria when Puerto Rico lost all communications. It was at that moment he saw the direct impact that Johnson & Johnson has on global health.
Hannah played a part in developing a “days on hand report” which relayed daily level insight on how the plant was doing and which products needed to be focused on amidst the chaos. Hannah says her team, “had to be resilient and considerate of the employees’ time during the crisis.” They had to keep in mind both product safety and employee safety during this difficult time.
Neither Zachary nor Hannah knew that their positions would thrust them into a natural disaster, but these invaluable experiences helped them gain a broader perspective on the importance of their roles at Johnson & Johnson.
At Johnson & Johnson, there’s no shortage of breakthroughs to achieve while making an impact.
If you enjoy being challenged — and you are particularly passionate about making an impact on human health — Johnson & Johnson is the place for you. “You will always feel like what you do is important because you are going to be challenged,” Hannah advised.
At the same time, however, it’s important not to feel “stuck” or pigeon-holed into a position — and at Johnson & Johnson, there are ample opportunities to expand upon your interests and pursue new endeavors. When asked if he had any advice for recent graduates, Zachary stressed the importance of taking a chance and “test-driving a career” — just as he did.
“Try something outside of your field of study. You may find out you love it, you’re good at it, and that you’re very passionate about it,” he said.
Interested in learning more about Johnson & Johnson, the GOLD Program, or other opportunities? Check out the company’s latest job postings here!
