Hiring company: Sanofi
Position Overview:
Sanofi Pasteur is seeking a creative and highly motivated Structural Virologist to join the vaccine research group in Cambridge MA. The primary objectives for this individual will be to support new and ongoing vaccine projects by performing structure-based rational design of vaccine candidates and contribute to the pre-clinical research portfolio. The successful candidate will serve as a point of contact to our internal groups and experts on computational design and monoclonal antibody discovery and pathogens of interests. It is imperative that this candidate have expert level knowledge of viral antigen structures, interaction with host cellular receptors, viral entry mechanisms, neutralization mechanisms, modification of viral antigens for stabilization of antigenic conformation, viral replication kinetics and pathogenesis around receptor binding and viral tropisms. Familiarity with clinical biomarker strategies is required. An understanding of the use of different vaccine modalities (live attenuated, subunit, particle display, mRNA) and production and characterization methods for recombinant proteins is a plus. The successful candidate will be required to generate designs and oversee the validation of those designs by planning and overseeing the execution of the appropriate experimental strategy. They will be expected to communicate their results internally. The candidate will be expected to build relationships with external experts in the field and also be a key team member to internal pathogen-specific project teams, they will be expected to coordinate transversal research activities in a multidisciplinary setting and as such must possess excellent presentation and writing skills.
Key Responsibilities:
The candidate will participate in structure-based rational design of viral vaccine candidates and clinical biomarker strategies and will be expected to validate those approaches both in vivo and in vitro, as appropriate.
Work transversally with internal global structural biology, scientific & digital innovation and mAb discovery platform to solve structures of complex viral antigens and antigen-antibody complexes.
Evaluate and develop external scientific collaborations and scientific network to advance our candidates.
Maintain expertise in virology, vaccinology, infectious disease and biomarker discovery.
Under the guidance of research leads and project team, contribute to non-clinical research strategy and operational plan.
Ensure execution of activities and achievement of deliverables in his/her area of expertise within the established timeframes.
Lead transversally to execute nonclinical research plans.
Interpret complex data and communicate those data both internally and externally.
Qualifications & Skills:
PhD in Virology, Structural Virology or closely-related discipline with 5-7 years postgraduate experience.
Trained structural biologist, with expertise in viral entry and neutralization mechanism, knowledge of structurally based vaccine antigen design is required.
Experience in preclinical in vitro and in vivo evaluations of vaccine candidates is required.
Experience in respiratory pathogens (e.g., COVID) is a plus.
Hands-on experience solving structures of complex antigens and antigen antibody complexes by x-ray crystallography and cryoEM is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with recombinant protein preparative techniques and analytical characterization methods is desired.
Strong interpersonal, communication, collaboration, leadership and problem-solving skills are required.
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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At Sanofi diversity and inclusion is foundational to how we operate and embedded in our Core Values. We recognize to truly tap into the richness diversity brings we must lead with inclusion and have a workplace where those differences can thrive and be leveraged to empower the lives of our colleagues, patients and customers. We respect and celebrate the diversity of our people, their backgrounds and experiences and provide equal opportunity for all.