Principal Scientist — AI-Powered Discovery for Neurodegeneration Full-time

Principal Scientist, Neurology Research, Cambridge MA

Location: Cambridge, MA

As a Principal Scientist within the Neurology Research Team you will lead machine learning/AI based discovery efforts to advance research programs focused on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS/FTD, and Multiple Sclerosis. You will join a team to lead the analyses of large scale public and internal data sets from human brain tissue single cell and spatial omics (rna, protein and lipids), fluid proteogenomic biomarkers (CSF and plasma), and functional screening (CRISPR) in human disease relevant cell models. You will help uncover causal molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease by employing state-of-the-art Machine Learning/AI methods on the above data sets to accelerate new target and biomarker discovery efforts.

Join the engine of Sanofi's mission – where deep neuroscience meets bold, AI-powered research. In R&D, you'll drive breakthroughs that could turn the impossible into possible for millions.

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

• Leading and implementing the full-scale analyses, integration and harmonization of omics data sets to deliver a decision-grade resource for neurology TA.
• Integrate single-cell genomics with plasma and CSF proteomics and clinical outcomes from public and in-house datasets to identify cell state shifts and molecular features associated with disease progression, contributing to refining patient selection criteria for future trial designs.
• Champion the 'Everyday AI' initiative to establish a baseline of AI literacy across the Neurology TA.
• Lead cross-functional upskilling programs to ensure universal digital fluency, accelerating productivity by integrating AI tools into daily non-technical and technical workflows.
• Lead authorship of impactful scientific publications.

About You

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Neuroscience, or related quantitative/life science fields, followed by a Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Neuroscience, or related fields.

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum 4+ years of post-PhD experience in the biotech industry or academic institution, with a strong track record in computational biology applied to neurodegenerative diseases.
• Deep expertise in analyzing large-scale datasets including multi-omics, single-cell genomics, and spatial transcriptomics.
• Proven experience in neurodegenerative disease research, specifically Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and ALS/FTD.
• Human Brain Genomics Expert: Demonstrated experience analyzing human brain single-cell genomics datasets and/or CSF/PBMC atlases.
• Proteomic Analysis: Proven ability to analyze proteomic datasets from neurodegenerative disease patient tissue or biofluids.
• Model Systems Knowledge: Deep understanding of omics analyses in mouse and cellular models of neurodegenerative disease.
• Advanced Analytical Workflows: Expertise in developing analytical workflows for discovering and quantifying cryptic splices in scRNAseq, long-read, and spatial transcriptomics datasets.
• AI/ML Proficiency: Proven experience using AI/ML models to explore cell gene regulatory landscapes of disease-associated cell states from single-cell transcriptomic, ATACseq, and cryptic splicing datasets.
• Foundational Knowledge: Broad technical skills and deep foundational knowledge of neuroscience, bioinformatics, pharmacology, life science, and statistics.
• Publication Record: Track record of impactful scientific achievement as demonstrated by co-first/lead as well as contributing author publications.
• Excellent communication skills and evidence of success in complex, multidisciplinary environments are required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Highly motivated and driven with strong collaborative skills.
• Excels working in collaborative teams with diverse expertise.
• Ability to relate computational analyses with clarity and precision to non-computational stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently in a fast-paced research environment.

Why Choose Us

• 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.
• Be part of a pioneering biopharma company that engages patients early in drug development and uses their insights to design studies that reflect real-world needs.
• Help improve the lives of millions of people globally by making drug development quicker and more effective.
• Work at the forefront of drug discovery, harnessing cutting-edge AI, data, and digital platforms to push the boundaries of science.

Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.