Job Title: Senior Scientist, Synthetic Enabling Technologies, Process Chemistry

• Location: Montpellier – France

About the job

As Senior Scientist within our Synthetic Enabling Technologies team you’ll be recruited as a Synthetic Process Organic Chemist with deep and demonstrable expertise in organic chemistry, a passion for scientific innovation and digital chemistry and an unwavering commitment to first-time success for product delivery. In this role, you will leverage your advanced knowledge of organic synthesis and data analytics to rapidly design, optimize, and scale synthetic routes for small molecule drug candidates. Your work will directly accelerate candidate selection and early clinical supply. Ready to get started?

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.

Key Responsibilities:

• Apply expert-level knowledge of organic reaction mechanisms, retrosynthetic analysis, and modern synthetic methodologies to design and troubleshoot synthetic routes for new chemical entities (NCEs).
• Use AI-powered retrosynthesis and reaction prediction tools, combined with robotic platforms, to propose, execute, and evaluate synthetic routes in early development.
• Collaborate with HTE teams and data scientists to build and refine machine learning models for reaction optimization, yield prediction, and impurity profiling, using data generated from automated platforms.
• Design and implement data infrastructure for self-driving laboratories, including standardized data capture protocols, real-time monitoring systems, and automated data pipelines that enable closed-loop optimization and autonomous decision-making in synthetic chemistry workflows.
• Translate optimized, robotically developed lab-scale processes to kilo-lab or pilot scale, ensuring processes are robust and suitable for early clinical supply.
• Work closely with medicinal chemistry, analytical, engineering teams to ensure seamless data flow and knowledge sharing.
• Identify, implement, and optimize new digital, automation, and robotics technologies to further accelerate early development workflows.

About you

Experience:

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in designing and executing complex multi-step syntheses, reaction optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Ideally, experience in early-phase process development for small molecules (pharma or biotech preferred).
• Ideally, hands-on experience with laboratory robotics (e.g., automated synthesizers, liquid handling robots, high-throughput experimentation platforms) experienced in technologies such as flow chemistry.

Technical and Soft Skills:

• Strong data management and analysis skills
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills; ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience with digital lab notebooks, chemoinformatics, or reaction databases.
• Prior involvement in digital transformation or AI/robotics-driven projects in early development.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements for early-phase clinical supply is a plus.

Education: PhD in Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry, or related field, with a strong academic record and proven expertise in synthetic organic chemistry.

Languages: Fluent English and French (written and spoken)

Why choose us?

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

• Work at the forefront of drug discovery, harnessing cutting-edge AI, data, and digital platforms to push the boundaries of science.
• Help improve the lives of millions of people globally by making drug development quicker and more effective.
• Enjoy opportunities to collaborate beyond your area of expertise, working with diverse teams across science, clinical, and digital fields to spark new ideas and drive breakthroughs.
• Accelerate your professional development with structured career paths designed for both scientific and leadership advancement. Grow in ways you never imagined through bold moves that stretch your potential, cross moves into other business areas, and short-term gigs that build your scientific expertise.

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.

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.

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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