Principal Scientist - Biologics Discovery & Innovation

Principal Scientist, Biologics Discovery & Innovation

Location:

Suzhou, China

Position Summary

We are seeking an accomplished Principal Scientist with broad biologics knowledge and technical leadership expertise to drive global R&D projects through internal–CRO hybrid models. In this role, you will be a subject-matter expert for biologics discovery, engineering, and relevant technology platforms, validating new approaches and ensuring accelerated program delivery in areas such as oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, or CNS. Success requires managing multidisciplinary teams and external resources, applying advanced scientific and project skills to validate and co-lead biologics programs from concept to key milestones.

This is a unique opportunity to operate at the intersection of scientific excellence and strategic execution. You will apply deep domain expertise to evaluate and champion emerging biologics technologies, translating scientific insights into tangible program milestones. Success in this role requires the ability to orchestrate multidisciplinary internal teams alongside external CRO resources, driving biologics programs from early concept through critical development milestones with rigor, agility, and collaborative leadership.

Key Responsibilities

1. Antibody Discovery Program Leadership

• Serve as discovery lead or co-lead on critical antibody programs, overseeing the full arc from antigen design and immunization strategy through hit identification, screening, and lead selection.
• Design and execute antigen engineering strategies—including recombinant protein design, hapten conjugation, and cell-based immunization approaches—to maximize the quality and diversity of immune responses.
• Define clear program objectives, success criteria, and milestone plans to align cross-functional stakeholders and external discovery partners.
• Oversee hybrid discovery workflows (internal + external) that integrate novel antibody technologies into therapeutic pipelines, proactively identifying and resolving bottlenecks to maintain program momentum.

2. Discovery Platform Expertise

• Provide authoritative technical leadership across a broad range of antibody discovery platforms, including display screening for diverse antibody formats.
• Lead and optimize single B cell cloning workflows campaigns, ensuring robust hit identification and efficient progression to lead candidates.
• Guide teams on the scientific applicability, limitations, and optimal deployment of each discovery platform within the context of specific target biology and program requirements.
• Stay at the forefront of the discovery field, continuously scanning the external landscape for breakthrough technologies and methodologies that could accelerate or differentiate the pipeline.

3. Advanced Antibody Modalities

• Lead discovery campaigns for bispecific and multispecific antibodies, applying specialized screening and selection strategies tailored to complex, multi-target engagement requirements.
• Evaluate and implement emerging modality-specific discovery approaches, ensuring the organization remains at the cutting edge of antibody format innovation.

4. CRO Management & Hybrid Workflow Execution

• Strategically coordinate external CRO partnerships—defining project scopes, deliverables, quality standards, and timelines—to maximize operational efficiency and scientific output across discovery programs.
• Serve as the primary interface between internal stakeholders and external discovery resources, ensuring seamless communication, alignment of objectives, and proactive resolution of technical or operational challenges.
• Conduct regular performance reviews of CRO partners, driving continuous improvement and ensuring deliverables consistently meet internal quality and scientific standards.

5. Engineering-Supported Optimization & Innovation

• Apply antibody engineering expertise—including affinity maturation, humanization, and liability assessment—as a supporting capability to advance discovery leads toward developable candidates.
• Champion the adoption of innovative and transformative approaches, including AI-driven screening, machine learning-assisted design, and automated workflows, to meaningfully streamline and accelerate discovery-to-candidate progression.

Qualifications

Educational Background & Experience

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or a closely related discipline; extensive industrial or advanced academic research experience strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in antibody discovery, with demonstrated primary expertise in display technologies, B cell-based discovery, hit identification, and lead selection.
• Proven experience in bispecific/multispecific antibody discovery and/or nanobody/VHH programs strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-stakeholder discovery programs, ideally involving CRO partnerships in a global and cross-cultural context.

Technical & Scientific Expertise — Discovery-Primary

• Primary (Required): Deep, hands-on expertise in at least two of the following discovery platforms: phage display, yeast display, ribosome display, single B cell cloning, or hybridoma technology.
• Primary (Required): Proven experience in antigen design and immunization strategy, with a track record of generating high-quality, diverse antibody hits against challenging targets.
• Primary (Required): Strong hit identification and lead selection capabilities, including functional screening design, triage strategies, and lead nomination criteria.
• Advanced Modalities (Strongly Preferred): Hands-on experience with bispecific/multispecific antibody discovery formats and/or nanobody/VHH discovery workflows.
• Supporting (Complementary): Working knowledge of antibody engineering disciplines—affinity maturation, humanization, liability engineering, and developability optimization—to support lead progression.
• Proven ability to critically evaluate, validate, and implement new discovery platforms or methodologies, consistently balancing scientific rigor with practical development timelines.
• Strong track record of scientific contributions, including peer-reviewed publications, patents, or significant internal program milestones demonstrating creative problem-solving in antibody discovery.

Program & Collaboration Skills

• Skilled and experienced in leading or co-leading cross-functional discovery teams, effectively aligning internal scientific capabilities with CRO deliverables and external partner commitments.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities, with a consistent record of ensuring discovery milestones are met, risks are proactively managed, and resources are efficiently deployed.
• Exceptional communicator who can fluently translate complex discovery science into clear, actionable plans for diverse stakeholders—including bench scientists, project managers, and senior leadership.

Innovation & Mentorship

• Adept at identifying and working with novel solutions—such as AI-based antigen design, computational screening, and laboratory automation—to meaningfully accelerate discovery programs.
• Deeply committed to developing scientific talent, generously sharing discovery expertise, and cultivating a team culture defined by continuous innovation, intellectual openness, and collaborative excellence.

Pursue progress, discover extraordinary

Better is out there. Better medications, better outcomes, better science. But progress doesn’t happen without people – people from different backgrounds, in different locations, doing different roles, all united by one thing: a desire to make miracles happen. So, let’s be those people.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, ability or gender identity.

Watch our ALL IN video and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion actions at sanofi.com!