Scientist, Advanced Ocular In Vitro Models

Role Summary

Scientist, Advanced Ocular In Vitro Models at Sanofi in Cambridge, MA. Design, develop, and validate physiologically relevant in vitro ocular models to support ophthalmology research, including retinal diseases, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Collaborate across cross-functional teams to implement advanced in vitro models in discovery, validation, and development of novel ophthalmic therapeutics.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and validate advanced in vitro ocular models for early and late-stage ophthalmic research.
• Establish differentiation protocols for induced pluripotent stem cell (IPSC) derived cell types relevant to ocular disease.
• Integrate automation and robotics to scale cell culture and differentiation workflows.
• Evaluate and implement innovative advanced ocular in vitro models (co-cultures, organoids, MPS, organ-on-chip, bioprinting).
• Apply in vitro models to study ocular disease mechanisms, validate therapeutic targets, assess multi-modality therapeutics, and evaluate safety.
• Collaborate across interdisciplinary teams in a highly matrixed research environment.
• Deliver high-quality scientific presentations and documentation to support project milestones.
• Communicate findings effectively through internal presentations and external publications.
• Provide scientific mentorship and technical guidance to junior team members.

Qualifications

• Earned Bachelor’s degree in a life sciences, bioengineering or related field with 6+ years OR Master’s degree in a life sciences, bioengineering or related field with 3+ years of relevant experience, preferably in biotech or pharmaceutical settings.
• Experience in iPSC-based 2D/3D differentiation for disease modeling and drug discovery required, with a preference in ocular cell types (RPE, RGCs, Microglia, and/or Endothelial).
• Hands-on experience with robotics, automated cell culture systems, and/or protocol scaling.
• Experienced with using iPSC-derived cells for high-throughput pharmacological and genetic screening.
• Expertise in qPCR, -omics technologies, immunocytochemistry, and advanced imaging technologies and analysis.
• Proven record of research contributions and scientific publications.
• Experience with computational and statistical analysis tools (e.g., R, Python) preferred.
• Background in bioengineering with a focus on cellular systems, microfluidics, and translational research preferred.
• Experienced in scaling 2D/3D differentiation protocols using automated platforms preferred.
• Experienced in high-throughput assay development using iPSC-derived cells highly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to multi-task and adapt to rapidly changing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with proven expertise in effectively presenting scientific data in a matrixed environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build excellent working relationships.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, lab notebook practices, and attention to detail.

Education

• Earned Bachelor’s degree in a life sciences, bioengineering or related field with 6+ years OR Master’s degree in a life sciences, bioengineering or related field with 3+ years of relevant experience.

Skills

• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Interpersonal collaboration in matrixed environments
• Time management and meticulous lab notebook practices