Senior Principal Scientist, Global Immunology - Vaccine

About the Job

We are an innovative global healthcare company that helps the world stay ahead of infectious diseases by delivering more than 500 million vaccine doses a year. Across different countries, our talented teams are exploring new technologies to protect people and promote healthy communities. We chase the miracles of science every single day, pursuing progress to make a real impact on millions of patients around the world.

Sanofi, Vaccines R&D, North America is seeking an experienced, highly motivated and creative Scientist to support the R&D company pipeline objectives to join the Global Immunology function. Qualified candidates must have a broad working knowledge of immunology, with a preferred focus on immune models and immune assay development. Independent application of that knowledge toward the development and implementation of novel protocols and complex experiments to define the vaccine image will be required. The candidate will act as liaison with antigen design leads and other global project team members to drive the scientific and technical strategy. They will lead the strategy and execution of these activities in coordination with the Global Immunology function and Senior Leadership. They will serve as project Immune Lead and/or Platform Lead and serve as a bridge to external research teams.  The primary focus of this position is not hands-on laboratory work, but rather the organization and planning of statements of work, timelines, and resources for GI projects, coordinating laboratory work, and serving as an interface between scientific staff and senior management. The candidate will have scientific, project management, and HR management responsibilities. 

The primary responsibilities for this position are:

• Direct and execute scientific research and development in alignment with the strategies agreed upon by the senior Global Immunology leadership team and global project teams.

• Understand the goals and strategy for their assigned project(s), translate the goals of these projects to their teams, and successfully coordinate efforts transversally across the teams to achieve project milestones.

• Develop technical and research plan objectives that support viral respiratory projects and Global Immunology’s R&D strategies, including development of immune models and immune testing for COVID.

• Align research activities with clinical trial expectations such as IND submissions, support for CMC, and toxicology testing, as needed.

• Lead research scientific efforts to maximize efficiency, workflow, and alignment with the project timelines in consultation with the GPT.

• Represent Global Immunology through strong collaborations with project teams, project heads, and other colleagues in various intra and inter-departments (GAD, CMC, clinical, regulatory) to advance the viral respiratory vaccine candidates into clinical trials.

• Take risks, manage risks, and communicate risks.

• Contribute to the internal distribution and communication of preclinical data as needed.

Key Accountabilities

Laboratory research/Assay development/Automation

• A subject matter expert in Immunology, automation and assay development. Designs platform's experimental plan in support of projects.

• Active contribution to the project strategy in partnership with interfacing functions (GAD, mRNA CoE, etc.), involvement in risk mitigation planning & increasingly routine participation in strategic due diligence for assets in-licensing.  Consistently seek scientific input and challenge to propose the soundest approaches and ensure candidates are state-of-the-art.

• Independently develop and optimize experimental assays to generate decisional datasets and meet project objectives.

• Manage development of in vitro and in vivo models to enable new target selection and characterization, and biomarker identification.

• Demonstrate technical proficiency with ability to problem solve in a broad array of experimental protocols.

• Support or co-lead with senior staff the development of immune models and immune assays and automation to enable increase assay’s precision and consistency across the value chain and efficiencies in preclinical testing to provide data faster for critical decisions.

• Help lead, monitor and maintain facility related aspects of the lab and lab equipment as needed.

Project involvement

• Co-lead with GAD the research activities & critical product profile characteristics are aligned with clinical trial expectations, such as IND submissions, and establishing Co-CMC and Co-clinical development processes.

• Contribute as a project liaison on global project teams and/or as a project Immune lead on internal projects.

• Compose internal and external project reports for review by project leadership.

• Participate in project strategy discussions with department management.

• Assist senior management with program logistics, including management of project timelines, deliverables, and budgets.

• Design and implement study designs and oversee the development of study plans protocols, and SOWs.

• Ensure strict adherence to project timelines, deliverables, statements of work, and Ensure that development, validation, and testing is performed according to plan and within expected timelines and budget constraints.

• Present concise scientific- and data-based presentations with appropriate conclusions to project teams within and outside Global Immunology.

• Prepare publications, proposals, reports, patents, and grant applications. 

Personnel management

• Manage small to medium teams who perform experiments, analyze data, and compose data reports. Lead junior personnel regarding protocol development, execution, and data validation.

• Actively take part in the training, management, and professional development of technical staff.

• Proactively identify personnel morale/training/development issues and manage and/or discuss them with senior management.

• Work with upper management on the allocation of Global Immunology headcount to meet project objectives.

• Responsible for assessing the performance of their teams and managing promotion, compensation, and disciplinary decisions with the senior management team.

• Work with individual GI team members on career growth and development goals. Conducts end of the year review processes.

• Actively participate in Global Immunology and Waltham leadership initiatives.

About you

Education and experience

• PhD with +7 years, M.Sc. with +9 years of relevant experience. 

• Degree should be in Immunology, Virology Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Cell Biology or applied science field based on the specific requirements of the job function.

Preferred experience

• Vast expertise in immunology with a preferred focus on immune assay and immune model development, and with record of scientific achievement (publication and/or poster presentation).

• Engagement with project leads to allow for efficient execution of preclinical plans.

• Expertise in developing high throughput automated immune assays for the assessment of viral vaccine candidates.

• Sound judgement, excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to provide context and messaging around complex scientific results to cross-functional teams and project team management.

• Experience at identifying and managing work with external contract research organizations.

• Excellent organization and planning skills, ability to prioritize multiple projects and meet deliverables in a fast-paced matrix work environment.

• Compliance with all safety training and good research laboratory practices.

• Experience in biotech and pharmaceutical industries. 

• Experience in taking candidate products from bench to bedside and back in an iterative translational manner.

• Vaccine, Virology, Immunology, and COVID experience would be an advantage.

• Leadership, organizational and coordination skills.

• Experience in Agile-type project practices a plus.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, scientific writing, and presentation skills.

• Familiarity with IND submission process and specifically with vaccines and biologics as a plus.

• Team player, independent and with demonstrated initiative and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to network and communicate clearly. 

• Driven to surpass timelines on projects.

• Display tact, diplomacy, people skills, and excellent networking and communication (both oral and written) skills.

• Ability to work with staff at multiple levels and with diverse personalities.

• Intuitive drive for novel science.

Languages

English, French

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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