Le contenu du poste est libellé en anglais car il nécessite de nombreuses interactions avec nos filiales à l’international, l'anglais étant la langue de travail.

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Job title:Principal Scientist Organic Chemist, Process Chemistry

• Location:Montpellier, France

About the job

We are seeking a visionary and technically skilled synthetic chemist to lead a team focused on early development programs. The successful candidate will drive the design, development, and delivery of synthetic routes for small molecule drug candidates, supporting preclinical and early clinical development. This role combines leadership, scientific excellence, and cross-functional collaboration, with a strong focus on leveraging automation and AI tools to accelerate timelines and enhance decision-making. The role also emphasizes building strong internal and external partnerships to maximize impact and innovation. Ready to get started?

About Sanofi:

We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system – and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.

Main responsibilities:

Scientific Leadership:

• Lead synthetic chemistry efforts for early development programs, from lead selection to phase 1 studies
• Design and optimize scalable synthetic routes with a focus on robustness, safety, and regulatory compliance
• Align synthetic chemistry deliverables with program milestones and regulatory requirements
• Drive innovation in synthetic strategy to reduce development timelines and improve material quality
• Oversee impurity profiling, genotoxic risk assessments, and analytical method development in collaboration with analytical sciences
• Serve as chemistry lead on cross-functional project teams, contributing to CMC strategy and timelines

Technology Innovation & Acceleration:

• Champion the integration of automation platforms to increase throughput and reproducibility
• Evaluate and implement AI/ML-driven tools for reaction prediction, retrosynthetic analysis, and process optimization
• Collaborate with Process engineers, digital and data science teams to build predictive models and digital workflows that support synthetic route selection and risk assessment

Phase-Appropriate Compliance:

• Ensure synthetic chemistry activities are conducted in alignment with phase-appropriate regulatory expectations, balancing speed and rigor
• Contribute to the preparation of CMC sections for regulatory filings ensuring traceability and documentation standards are met
• Implement quality practices that support early-phase development while anticipating future scale-up and commercialization needs

Partnership & Collaboration:

• Build and maintain strong internal partnerships across functions including process chemistry, analytical sciences, formulation, and regulatory affairs
• Develop and manage external collaborations with CROs, academic institutions, and technology providers to expand capabilities and accelerate delivery
• Act as a strategic interface between internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure alignment, transparency, and scientific excellence

Team & People Management:

• Manage and mentor a team of scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous learning
• Support career development and performance management within the section
• Promote scientific excellence through internal seminars, publications, and external collaborations

About you

Experience:

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or related field with 5+ years of industry experience in synthetic chemistry
• Proven track record in route design, scale-up, and delivery of clinical candidates
• Experience with automated synthesis platforms and/or AI tools for chemical development
• Experience in regulatory documentation (e.g., IND, IMPD) and phase-appropriate compliance
• Experience in CRO/CDMO area would be appreciated
• Demonstrated ability for rapid delivery of development batches

Soft and technical skills:

• Demonstrated success in building and managing scientific partnerships
• Strong leadership and project management skills
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills; ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment
• Strategic thinker with a passion for mentoring and team development
• Enthusiastic about digital transformation and data-driven decision-making in chemistry

Education:

• Ph-D in Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry, or related field, with a strong academic record and proven expertise in synthetic organic chemistry and accelerated early development programs.

Languages:

• English, French

Why choose us?

• Drive innovation at the intersection of chemistry, digital science, and robotics
• Accelerate the path from discovery to clinic for life-changing medicines
• Collaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and digital experts
• Access to state-of-the-art AI, automation, and robotics platforms
• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team
• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally
• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact
• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave

PursueProgress. Discover Extraordinary

Join Sanofi and step into a new era of science - where your growth can be just as transformative as the work we do. We invest in you to reach further, think faster, and do what’s never-been-done-before. You’ll help push boundaries, challenge convention, and build smarter solutions that reach the communities we serve. Ready to chase the miracles of science and improve people’s lives? Let’s Pursue Progress and Discover Extraordinary – together.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. 

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