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Research and Development

R&D
Where your curiosity drives the
miracles of
science

Clinical Research Director

Madrid, Spain
Vitry-sur-Seine, France
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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.

Clinical Research Director – Job description

Job title: Clinical Research Director

  • Location : Vitry-sur-Seine, France

  • Hiring Manager : Ray Perez

About the job

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.

Reporting to the Global Project Head, the CRD leads clinical trial strategy of assigned program(s) within the clinical development team, including interactions with Clinical Operations, Biostatistics, Regulatory, Translational Medicine, Project Management, New Product Planning and Pharmacovigilance to establish the development strategy and execute the development plan. The clinical development team further develops a compound through life cycle management.

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:

Establishes or adapts clinical development plan for the program(s) including discussions with clinical investigators, advisors and regulatory authorities and plans contingencies.

Leads, supports and oversees the execution of clinical development and studies activities, including but not limiting to:

  • Authors abbreviated protocol.

  • Reviews the final protocol and protocol amendments.

  • Reviews the Informed Consent Form, Written Subject Information and Trial Disclosure Form.

  • Reviews the study specific committee charters. Leads study specific committees with operational support.

  • Leads the clinical interpretation of study results, contributes to clinical study reports and clinical summaries.

  • Provides effective clinical guidance to other functions, including Clinical Operations, Biostatistics and Translational Medicine

Participates and contributes to regulatory and safety documents and discussions

  • Reviews and/or contributes clinical sections of the Investigator Brochure, IND/IMPD filings, DSUR, development risk management plans

  • Contributes to the clinical sections of the NDA/CTD, Briefing packages for regulatory meetings, PSP/PIP

  • Participates in Advisory Committee preparation

Scientific data evaluation and authorship

  • Authors clinical abstracts, presentations for conferences, and manuscripts, when appropriate

  • Supports the planning of advisory board meeting. Presents and discusses development strategy and clinical study result with external investigators and advisory boards, as appropriate

About you

Experience:

  • Oncology training (medical oncology or hematology/oncology fellowship) or MD with experience (4+ years) is required. 

  • Pharmaceutical experience is required, 3+ years strongly preferred.

  • Experience in late-stage clinical development strongly preferred.

  • Demonstrated experience in clinical trial design and execution.

  • Proven track record of working effectively with multifunctional teams to achieve project milestones.

  • While industry experience is preferred, candidates with demonstrated excellence in academic clinical research and documented achievements may be considered with relatively less industry experience.

Soft and Technical Skills:

  • Deep understanding of oncology, particularly solid tumor biology

  • Demonstrated ability to interact productively with external investigators

  • Demonstrated ability to work with a multifunctional team to achieve project milestones

  • Understanding of and willingness to meet applicable regulatory, quality and compliance standards

Education:

  • Oncology training (medical oncology or hematology/oncology fellowship) or MD with experience (4+ years) is required. 

Languages:

  • Fluency in spoken and written English required (for global collaboration with US and European teams). French: Not required (nice to have for France-based positions). Spanish: Not required (nice to have for Spain-based positions). 

What we offer

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.

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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

Apply now
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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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"At Sanofi, we are building an R&D engine powered by the best science, digital innovation, and a commitment to transforming the lives of patients around the world."

Houman Ashrafian

EVP & Head of R&D

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Discover how we're reshaping the future of medicine through immunoscience – unlocking bold, cross-disease breakthroughs that were unimaginable just a decade ago.

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