R&D
Where your curiosity drives the
miracles of
science
Pharmaceutical Engineering Scientist
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.
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.
This job offer is accessible to all, regardless of gender.
Job title: Pharmaceutical Engineering Scientist
- Location: Montpellier
- Permanent Position
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. Join our Pharmaceutical Engineering team as a Scientist within theCMC Synthetics Platformand you will contribute to Sanofi's transformation proposing and implementing new technological and digital solutions based on mechanistic understanding to accelerate knowledge generation and increase efficiency and robustness. You will be based at our primary drug product development site in Montpellier France. You will be at the heart of the scientific challenge by leading the execution of physico-chemical characterization tests of our synthetic molecular products and proposing innovative use-tests that predict the behaviors observed during pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. You will work closely with the Drug Product Development and Crystallization and Particle Engineering groups on Process Selection, Process Design, Process Optimization, Tech Transfer and new technology implementation. You will contribute to the leadership of Process Characterization (Control Strategy Definition) and Tech Transfer. You will contribute to develop and implement a material science predictive approach for early manufacturability assessment and later ensure the process robustness defining an adequate scale-up strategy. Overall, you will work in partnership with other functional groups in R&D and manufacturing to design robust and efficient chemical processes that meet cost, environmental and quality targets (e.g. Process capability, PMI, COGs.)
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:
Propose and generate, within the framework of development projects, specific activities requiring physicochemical and process expertise to support the development of assigned clinical and commercial products
Responsible of the good traceability and quality of the performed experiments
Being the main focal point for managing laboratory life: maintaining equipment in a good running status, ensuring SOP renewal and HSE requirements
Championing the use of digital tools, especially actively contributing to the implementation of equipment end-to-end data connection and management and to automation and robotic implementation
Proactively communicate with internal (clinical manufacturing, MSAT, analytical team) and external partners (CDMO, consortium) about the challenges of physico-chemical characterization methods to promote continuous collaborative improvements
Communicate achievements and significant contributions within projects
Complying with all internal and applicable government Quality and HSE (Health, Safety and Environmental) requirements
About you
Experience:
- The ideal candidate has demonstrated effectiveness in conducting laboratory experiments with scientific rigor and strong traceability practices. They have shown the ability to propose continuous improvement and innovative solutions. This includes the ability to design experimental plans and propose representative use-tests to collect data required up to the translation of conceptual mathematical models to computer models.
- Proven experience in equipment fleet management and has experience operating in a fast-paced environment leading engineering work packages development individually or through matrix teams
Soft and technical skills:
- A strong understanding of solid-state physical characterizations and knowledge about galenic manufacturing processes. A good technical knowledge of the state of the art of the available manufacturing and characterization equipment available on the market. Demonstrated skills on equipment integration and connectivity and on database management and data processing (ELN systems, SQL expertise, data extraction, industrial communication protocols, etc.). A basic understanding of statistical concepts to effectively work with our biostatisticians partners
- Strong people skills to drive change management by resolving conflict, building support, and engaging with partners
- In addition to a good teamwork spirit, laboratory autonomy, practical mindset and initiative-taking skills are requested
Education:
- Masters in Chemical Engineering or related field minimum + 2 years experience
Languages:
English mandatory, French is a bonus
Why choose us?
- Join an expanding team in a dynamic work environment surrounded by other biotechs and top universities
- Highly skilled team with the motivation to become an industry leading digital process engineering organization
- Access state of the art technology including continuous, artificial intelligence, machine learning and biosynthetic transformations to build Sanofi’s next generation medicines
- Opportunity to lead a team across multiple sites and two different countries (France and US)
- Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team
- Discover endless opportunities to gain experience and drive your career, whether it is 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
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.
#LI-FRA
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nullPursue 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
Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, expertise, location, and others. Employees may be eligible to participate in company employee benefit programs.
Find out more about this location
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.
"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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