R&D Where your curiosity drives the miracles of science

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Job title: Senior Scientist Early Development Chemist AI & Robotics-Driven

• Location: Montpellier, France

About the job

As Senior Scientist ( AI & Robotics-Driven Early Development ) within our Synthetic Enabling Technologies team you’ll be recruited as a Synthetic Process Organic Chemist with deep and demonstrable expertise in organic chemistry and a passion for digital innovation and laboratory automation. In this role, you will leverage your advanced knowledge of organic synthesis, AI, robotics, 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.

Main 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
• Design and run automated workflows using robotic synthesizers and liquid handlers to accelerate reaction screening, optimization, and data generation
• Integrate robotics with digital data capture to enable rapid, high-throughput experimentation and real-time data analysis
• 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
• 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, and informatics 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
• Maintain detailed records of automated and manual experimental work; contribute to technical reports, presentations, and regulatory documentation

About you

• Experience : Extensive 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)
• Soft and technical 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. P rior 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 or MSc in Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry, or related field, with a strong academic record and proven expertise in synthetic organic chemistry
• Languages : English, French, both fluent

Why choose us?

• Be part of a pioneering biopharma company that engages patients early in drug development and uses their insights to design studies that reflect real-world needs
• Help improve the lives of millions of people globally by making drug development quicker and more effective
• 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
• Join a workplace where diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core, with Employee Resource Groups and leadership programs that celebrate every voice
• Drive innovation at the intersection of chemistry, digital science, robotics and access to state-of-the-art AI, automation, and robotics platforms
• Accelerate the path from discovery to clinic for life-changing medicines and c ollaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and digital experts

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