Senior Scientist, Advanced Ocular In Vitro Models Full-time

Senior Scientist, Advanced Ocular In Vitro Models

Location: Cambridge, MA

Are you ready to shape the future of ophthalmology research? The race is on to accelerate drug discovery and development to deliver transformative treatments for patients. Your expertise can make a critical impact.

Sanofi is seeking a Senior Scientist to lead the development and application of advanced ocular in vitro models supporting our Ophthalmology pipeline. In this role, you will apply deep scientific knowledge and independent judgment to design, implement, and optimize physiologically relevant models for retinal diseases, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision-related indications. You will work proactively across multidisciplinary teams, lead ophthalmology drug discovery programs, influence project strategies, and mentor colleagues while driving innovation in disease modeling and therapeutic evaluation.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute strategically to the future of ophthalmology therapeutics and advance vision-preserving treatments worldwide.

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

Main Responsibilities

• Lead scientific initiatives and research project teams to design, develop, and validate advanced in vitro ocular models for early and late-stage ophthalmic research.
• Lead and contribute to ophthalmology drug discovery programs, driving target validation, translational strategy, and pipeline progression.
• Establish and optimize differentiation protocols for iPSC-derived ocular cell types (e.g., RPE, RGCs, microglia, endothelial cells) for disease modeling and drug discovery.
• Integrate automation and robotics to scale workflows and improve reproducibility, including developing automated liquid handling protocols, implementing high-throughput imaging and data acquisition systems, and optimizing robotic platforms for multi-step differentiation processes. Ensure robust quality control and standardization across automated workflows to support large-scale screening and complex 3D model generation.
• Evaluate and implement innovative technologies (co-cultures, organoids, MPS, organ-on-chip, bioprinting) to enhance model complexity and translational relevance.
• Apply models to study disease mechanisms, validate targets, assess multi-modality therapeutics, and evaluate safety.
• Develop and validate assays for retinal degeneration, retinal immunology, and neuroinflammation to support mechanistic studies and therapeutic evaluation.
• Influence project strategies by providing scientific expertise and resource planning for team objectives.
• Deliver high-quality scientific presentations and documentation to support milestones and decision-making.
• Communicate findings through internal forums and external publications/presentations; maintain involvement in professional societies.
• Mentor junior scientists and foster a culture of scientific excellence and collaboration.

About You

Education:

• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline with at least 3 years of postdoctoral experience in a pharma or biopharma environment. Experience leading or contributing to drug discovery programs is preferred.

Experience & Technical Skills:

• Expertise in iPSC-based 2D/3D differentiation of ocular cell types for disease modeling and drug discovery.
• Hands-on experience with robotics, automated cell culture systems, and protocol scaling.
• Skilled in high-throughput pharmacological and genetic screening using iPSC-derived cells.
• Proficiency in qPCR, -omics technologies, immunocytochemistry, and advanced imaging and analysis.
• Demonstrated track record of scientific contributions through publications, patents, or external presentations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading or contributing to ophthalmology drug discovery programs in an industry or translational research setting.
• Experience and/or deep expertise in ocular disease indications such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, or other retinal diseases.
• Experience with CRISPR-based screening approaches for functional genomics and target validation.
• Proven ability to develop and optimize 3D ocular models (organoids, co-cultures, microphysiological systems).
• Expertise in automating differentiation protocols for scalability and reproducibility.
• Demonstrated leadership in research programs relevant to ocular disease, including cross-functional collaboration and strategic planning.
• Experience developing and validating assays for retinal degeneration, retinal immunology, and neuroinflammation.
• Experience with computational and statistical analysis tools (e.g., R, Python).
• Background in bioengineering with emphasis on cellular systems, microfluidics, and translational research.

Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to work independently and proactively in ambiguous situations.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; proven ability to influence and mentor.
• Effective resource planning and time management to meet project objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex ophthalmology research and drug discovery efforts across multidisciplinary teams.

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.