Senior Scientist, Advanced Ocular In Vitro Models

About the role

The Senior Scientist will lead the development and application of advanced ocular in vitro models supporting Sanofi’s Ophthalmology pipeline. This role involves designing, implementing, and optimizing physiologically relevant models for retinal diseases, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision-related indications. The candidate will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, influence project strategies, and mentor colleagues.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead scientific initiatives and research project teams to design, develop, and validate advanced in vitro ocular models for early and late-stage ophthalmic research.
• Lead and contribute to ophthalmology drug discovery programs, driving target validation, translational strategy, and pipeline progression.
• Establish and optimize differentiation protocols for iPSC-derived ocular cell types (e.g., RPE, RGCs, microglia, endothelial cells) for disease modeling and drug discovery.
• Integrate automation and robotics to scale workflows and improve reproducibility, including developing automated liquid handling protocols, implementing high-throughput imaging and data acquisition systems, and optimizing robotic platforms for multi-step differentiation processes.
• Ensure robust quality control and standardization across automated workflows to support large-scale screening and complex 3D model generation.
• Evaluate and implement innovative technologies (co-cultures, organoids, MPS, organ-on-chip, bioprinting) to enhance model complexity and translational relevance.
• Apply models to study disease mechanisms, validate targets, assess multi-modality therapeutics, and evaluate safety.
• Develop and validate assays for retinal degeneration, retinal immunology, and neuroinflammation to support mechanistic studies and therapeutic evaluation.
• Influence project strategies by providing scientific expertise and resource planning for team objectives.
• Deliver high-quality scientific presentations and documentation to support milestones and decision-making.
• Communicate findings through internal forums and external publications/presentations; maintain involvement in professional societies.
• Mentor junior scientists and foster a culture of scientific excellence and collaboration.

About You

• Education: PhD in a relevant scientific discipline with at least 3 years of postdoctoral experience in a pharma or biopharma environment. Experience leading or contributing to drug discovery programs is preferred.
• Experience & Technical Skills: Expertise in iPSC-based 2D/3D differentiation of ocular cell types for disease modeling and drug discovery. Hands-on experience with robotics, automated cell culture systems, and protocol scaling. Proficiency in qPCR, -omics technologies, immunocytochemistry, and advanced imaging and analysis. Demonstrated track record of scientific contributions through publications, patents, or external presentations.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience leading or contributing to ophthalmology drug discovery programs in an industry or translational research setting. Experience and/or deep expertise in ocular disease indications such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, or other retinal diseases. Experience with CRISPR-based screening approaches for functional genomics and target validation. Experience with developing and optimizing 3D ocular models (organoids, co-cultures, microphysiological systems). Expertise in automating differentiation protocols for scalability and reproducibility. Demonstrated leadership in research programs relevant to ocular disease, including cross-functional collaboration and strategic planning. Experience developing and validating assays for retinal degeneration, retinal immunology, and neuroinflammation. Experience with computational and statistical analysis tools (e.g., R, Python). Background in bioengineering with emphasis on cellular systems, microfluidics, and translational research.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to work independently and proactively in ambiguous situations.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; proven ability to influence and mentor.
• Effective resource planning and time management to meet project objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex ophthalmology research and drug discovery efforts across multidisciplinary teams.

Why Choose 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.