dʒˈɑːnsən wʌz hˈaɪɚd æz ɐn ɐsˈɪstənt pɹəfˈɛsɚɹ ʌv baɪˈɑːlədʒi æt wˈɑːʃɪŋtən jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪn sənt. lˈuːi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː.
Johnson was hired as an assistant professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis in 1972.