Scientist III – Neuroimmunology / Retinal Biology (contract)

Title: Scientist III – Neuroimmunology / Retinal Biology

Work Schedule: 1st shift 8am-5pm Mon-Fri EST

Location: Cambridge, MA

Sanofi's contingent workforce program, FLEXT Direct, is seeking a Scientist III – Neuroimmunology / Retinal Biology for a 6-month contract.

Description

We are seeking a motivated and skilled Scientist to join our Retinal Immunology and Neuroinflammation team as a Contract Scientist. The successful candidate will contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at understanding immune mechanisms in retinal diseases, supporting our mission to develop transformative therapies for patients.

Education & Experience Requirements

PhD in Immunology, Neuroscience, Cell Biology, or a related field with 0–3 years of postdoctoral or industry experience OR Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant scientific discipline with 4–7 years of hands-on laboratory research experience

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in neuroimmunology, including knowledge of immune cell biology in neurological or ophthalmic diseases
• Proven expertise in assay development and troubleshooting, with the ability to independently design, optimize, and validate experimental protocols
• Proficiency in ELISA/MSD for quantitative protein detection and multiplex analysis
• Experience with cell culture, including maintenance and passaging of adherent cell lines as well as iPSC-derived cell types
• Experience working with primary immune cells (e.g., isolation, activation, and functional characterization)
• Ability to work independently in a laboratory setting, managing experiments with minimal supervision while maintaining rigorous scientific standards
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with co-culture systems or advanced in vitro models (e.g., organoids, 3D cultures, organ-on-a-chip)
• Experience with live-cell and high-content imaging and analyses
• Background or research experience in retinal disease
  
  
  

Main Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments to investigate and translate immune and neuroinflammatory mechanisms into therapeutic disease programs, supporting target validation from discovery through preclinical development
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams and external partners to support the screening of preclinical candidates across diverse modalities, using target- and disease-relevant functional readouts to drive program decisions
• Develop, optimize, and validate immunological and cell-based assays in support of research programs
• Maintain accurate and detailed laboratory records in compliance with internal documentation standards
• Analyze, interpret, and present experimental data to internal stakeholders
• Contribute to scientific discussions and help drive innovation within the team
  
  
  

Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Detail-oriented with a commitment to data integrity and reproducibility
• Adaptable and proactive in a fast-paced research environment
• Collaborative mindset with a patient-focused approach to science