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Senior Scientist Drug Substance Commercial Development. Process Chemistry

Montpellier, 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.

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: Senior Scientist - Process Chemistry Development

  • 2 open positions
  • Permanent contracts
  • Location: Montpellier, France

About the job

As Senior Scientist - Process Chemistry Development within our Commercial Process Development team, you'll design and optimize synthetic pathways for drug substances undergoing clinical development. Ready to get started?

You'll join our CMC Synthetics Platform team, where we focus on mid-to-late-stage process development for our most promising drug candidates. Our team drives innovation through cutting-edge synthetic concepts, artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, and biocatalysis approaches to deliver efficient, scalable manufacturing processes.

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:

  • Contribute to the design of novel and efficient synthetic pathways for drug substances undergoing clinical development
  • Conduct and oversee route scouting in laboratory to demonstrate synthetic viability
  • Use all imaginable chemistry tools and methods to develop and optimize commercial process for selected drug substance route (photochemistry, biocatalysis, flow chemistry, electrochemistry, on-line analysis/PAT, high-throughput experimentation, structural analysis, computational chemistry, etc.)
  • Design, plan and execute experimental plans to optimize reaction, purification and isolation unit operations, guided by technical risk assessments, to deliver safe, efficient, robust and scalable drug substance manufacturing processes that perform reliably at intended scale in batch or continuous format
  • Collaborate within project teams by working closely with analytical chemists, process engineers, pilot plant experts and project managers within the CMC Synthetics organization
  • Communicate scientific results in a clear, concise, and accurate manner via electronic laboratory notebook documentation, development reports, project discussions and presentations
  • Provide concise technical presentations to communicate work to project teams, cross functional teams and management
  • Document all work on projects and continuous improvements in eLNB experiments and summarize in technical reports
  • Establish/extend external network by providing representation and leadership on academic, industrial, or government sponsored collaborations
  • Champion continuous improvements through pursuit of scientific and technical innovations, workflow optimizations, and incorporation of digital tools

About you

Experience:

  • PhD with 3-5 years of pharmaceutical or chemical industry experience in process chemistry or synthetic organic chemistry
  • Post-doctoral research experience preferred

Soft and technical skills:

  • Strong expertise in synthetic organic chemistry, process optimization, and scale-up principles
  • Experience with analytical techniques, statistical analysis, and project management
  • Excellent problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams

Education:

  • PhD in organic chemistry, synthetic chemistry, or related field

Languages:

  • English required, French preferred

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

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.   

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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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