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Research Strategic Collaboration and Partnership Lead - Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms

Cambridge, Massachusetts Salary Range   USD 172,500.00 - 249,166.66
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At a glance

Bring your curiosity to a team where deep immunoscience meets cutting-edge innovation. Across oncology, rare diseases, neurology, and vaccines, you’ll work at the intersection of lab science and AI-powered discovery — all while collaborating across boundaries to turn breakthrough ideas into real-world impact. Whether you want to deepen your scientific expertise or grow as a leader, you’ll find the opportunity here.

Job Title: Research Strategic Collaboration and Partnership Lead - Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms

Location: Cambridge, MA

About the job:

Are you ready to shape the future of medicine? The race is on to speed up drug discovery and development to find answers for patients and their families. Your skills could be critical in helping our teams accelerate progress.

Pioneering industry-setting scientific innovation and excellence in discovering transformational medicines.  To achieve this, we must elevate our scientific rigor, embrace cutting-edge innovation without borders, and ensure sustained high productivity.  Flawless pipeline execution and thoughtful, disciplined decision-making are crucial.  The Research Strategic Collaboration and Partnership Lead - Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms, will be responsible for innovation without borders for Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms in alignment with our Research strategy and support pipeline expansion and capture technological innovation in the field.

We are an innovative global healthcare company with one purpose: to chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, with countless opportunities to explore, make connections with people, and stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Ready to get started?

Main Responsibilities:

Research Innovation without Borders

  • Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms External evaluation:  Act as a business partner to R&D External Innovation, Translational Centers of Excellence, Sanofi Partnering (BD, Ventures) and M&A, to enable timely decision making and recommendations.  Serve as the point of entry for Research in leading the evaluation of potential academic, public, and private partnerships and strategic investments. 

    • External Innovation Strategy: Support Oncology, Rare Disease and Technology Platform Research leaders to shape the consolidated Research external innovation strategy in alignment with the overall Research strategy and identify potential portfolio opportunities. 

    • Search and Evaluation: Collaborate with Sanofi Partnering and TMU External Innovation in the Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms search and evaluation efforts through proactive articulation of portfolio strategy to identify new preclinical drug candidates, clinical assets or transformative technologies. Contribute to evaluation and selection of external Sanofi awards (e.g., iAward, iDEATech Award).

    • Due Diligence: Lead a team of relevant Research experts to assess the scientific value of Oncology, Rare Disease and Technology Platform opportunities, strategic fit, potential risks and mitigation plans through thorough due diligence.  Coordinate the preparation and presentation of findings and overall research timeline.  Drive and communicate an aligned Research position to relevant stakeholders. 

    • Transaction: Provide scientific Research perspective throughout the transaction process including term sheet, contract review and negotiation.  Contribute to return of investment assessment as applicable.  Ensure an aligned understanding by the Research team of the rights and obligations of each party under the agreement.

    • Integration: Support the integration of licensed or acquired Oncology, Rare Disease and Technology Platform assets based on best practices and the R&D integration playbook as applicable for Research.

  • Innovation Roadmap Management:  Contribute to Research Innovation without Borders efforts with focus on Oncology, Rare Diseases and Technology Platforms.  Map and maintain real-time collaboration and partnership efforts information to allow timely information access for informed, real-time decision making. 

Ecosystem Insights

  • Oncology, Rare Disease and Technology Platform Portfolio Expansion Strategy: Collaborate with Research TA, Research Platform and Strategic Planning and Initiative Leads to contribute to pipeline sustainability by continuously monitoring cutting edge external Oncology, Rare Disease and Technology Platform innovation, maintain up to date understanding of novel biology and enabling technologies in the field.  Provide external Oncology, Rare Disease and Technology Platform lens to Research and relevant stakeholders.  Guide key strategic decisions leveraging synthesized emerging trends, competitive intelligence, and analytics to identify areas for potential growth. 

About You:

Qualifications:

  • PhD in a life science discipline with strong scientific foundation in oncology and / or rare disease biology plus a minimum of 10 years post PhD relevant experience in an academic or biopharmaceutical setting.

  • 5-7+ years drug discovery and development experience in pharmaceutical/ biotechnology with deep understanding of Research drug discovery process

  • Experience in strategic partnerships, external innovation across geographies (e.g. search and evaluation, diligence teams, and / or contract negotiation)

Competencies:

  • Superior knowledge and understanding of the scientific trends and new concepts in oncology and / or rare diseases.  Aptitude to quickly understand innovation, particularly involving new science and technology.

  • Excellent problem-solving, analytical, strategic, business acumen, and project management skills.

  • Strong interpersonal skills, communication (verbal and written) with ability to listen and influence stakeholders at all levels including senior leaders, scientists, and business partners

  • Ability to engage effectively with colleagues and senior leaders

  • Ability to prioritize in complex situations, simplify and execute

  • Analytical mindset with ability to challenge the status quo and identify improvement opportunities

  • Exceptional attention to detail, and a high level of organization skills

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.

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. 

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All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs, and additional benefits information can be found here.

Sanofi US endeavors to make our career center accessible to any and all users. If you are experiencing difficulty and need assistance applying online, please click here.

Pursue Progress. 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.

Watch 'One day at Sanofi' and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives at sanofi.com

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Why work with us

  • Expand your horizons. Grow through curiosity, with support to move, learn, and lead in a culture that champions mentorship, mobility, and bold development.

  • Accelerate results with technology. Harness the power of AI and automation to push scientific boundaries and reimagine what's possible in drug discovery.

  • Impact through inclusive innovation. Help deliver better science and fairer outcomes by driving inclusive research that reaches more people, in more meaningful ways.

  • Turn patient needs into breakthrough science. Drive scientific breakthroughs that start with patient needs – and end in treatments that change lives.

Meet Nils Libert, Associate Scientist

Meet Nils Libert, an Associate Scientist in Belgium, where he plays a key role in advancing groundbreaking research. Learn how his work helps drive innovation, uncover new scientific possibilities, and contribute to life-changing treatments that impact patients around the world.

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EVP & Head of R&D

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