Scientist - Planner Downstream Processing

Job description

Scientist - Planner Downstream Processing (m/w/d)

About the Opportunity

In this role you engage in the organization as both a leader/manager with a high degree of technical DSP expertise and an expert in planning and project coordination. You report directly to the Group Head of DownStream Processing and supervise 2 to 3 (senior) research associates.

The DSP team at Ablynx is a tight-knit unit where everyone is expected and able to rely on  one another. The DSP team is also a multicultural group of professionals. It is a dynamic environment driven by an entrepreneurial biotech within a post-acquisition phase.

If you are able to empathize with others, work collaboratively and you are a natural communicator with a strong understanding of the importance of communication in a position of leadership, this role is for you.

About the Sanofi Business Unit

The CMC Pharmaceutical Development and Technology (CMC PD&T) Department (~80 people) at Ablynx, a Sanofi company, is responsible for a wide range of activities working closely to support pharmaceutical development of Nanobody® therapeutics in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment. These activities include upstream and downstream process development, process transfer, method and formulation development, stability testing and product characterization studies. Within the CMC Pharmaceutical Development & Technology Department there is a rapidly growing Downstream Processing (DSP) team of 27 people consisting of a Group Head, 5 team leaders and 21 (senior) research associates.

About growing with us

You are responsible for the planning of different activities within the DSP team. In this context, you also follow-up and provide technical/scientific support during generic Nanobody® purifications. In addition, you coordinate, follow-up and report on assigned line and project activities.

In this role you will have:

Planning responsibilities

·  Together with Upstream processing (USP) planner and using knowledge and skills of chromatography and filtration (depth and tangential flow filtration) techniques, plan in the different DSP activities in a realistic and timely manner so that requested timelines and quantities are achieved by the different operators
·  Keep the different administrative workflows (LIMS; Biorepository; Electronic workbook for QC overviews) associated with the DSP planning up to date, assuring that operators can perform purifications in a timely and organized manner
·  Be the central point of contact to solve technical and planning issues for these activities. If needed, interact with the DSP responsible of the project to define strategy to move forward
·  Discuss weekly DSP planning with the different stakeholders and present planning during weekly DSP planning meeting and to the requestors
·  Act as liaison between the production & purification requestor and the Analytics department to ensure that the quality of the Nanobody batches meet the requirements for in vitro or in vivo applications

People management responsibilities

·  Drive recruitment of (senior) research associates
·  Be responsible for training, development, coaching and performance management of your direct reports

Project management responsibilities

·  Act as DSP representative in project team meetings to follow-up and coordinate DSP-related activities
·  Strongly interact with the CMC PD&T Upstream and Analytics sub-teams to streamline these different activities and keep a holistic view in successfully progressing the different purifications and project(s)
·  Report about the results and progress to the line manager, project team, project leader and/or external parties in a clear and concise manner. Provide strategic and technical guidance where needed. Prepare high level plans, reports, summaries, manuscripts and other documents as appropriate during the different activities and workflows

About you

Qualifications/ Education & work experience

·  Master or PhD in Life sciences (such as Biology, Bio-engineering, Industrial Sciences, Biotechnology, (Bio)Chemistry, Pharmaceutical or equivalent)
·  Minimum of 5+ years of relevant technical and scientific experience in purification (chromatography and filtration techniques) of biologicals
·  Proven planning, organizational and coordination skills
·  Excellent writing, presentation and communication skills (fluent in English, written and spoken)
·  Excellent MS office skills (especially excel)
·  Proven leadership, people management and managerial skills
·  Sense for initiative, quality, accuracy and detail
·  Ability, desire and flexibility to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
·  Be a team player, enthusiastic and flexible, able to build bridges between groups and departments
·  Knowledge on using visual basics as a programming tool in excel is a plus

 

The CV should be in English and include a paragraph specifying your technical and software expertise.

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.