Senior Scientist

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life-changing medicines. Being part of our team entails prioritizing achieving objectives, thinking ambitiously, and teaming up to transform visions into tangible outcomes.

We are looking for an Assay Scientist to join our Biologics Engineering (BE) team based in Gaithersburg, Maryland US.  BE is responsible for the discovery and optimization of biological candidate drugs across all AZ therapy areas such as oncology, respiratory and inflammation, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients, with a passion for the development of in-house biologics discovery platforms and novel drug modalities to address unmet medical needs.

In this role you will be responsible for providing critical biochemical and cell assay expertise to deliver multiple biologics drug discovery and technology development projects using innovative technologies. This is a lab-based role involving independent design, execution and interpretation of scientific experiments, and effective communication of findings and recommendations as part of a multi-disciplinary project team. You will also contribute to the identification and development of ground breaking technologies that benefit biologics drug discovery and have a consistent track record of creatively solving scientific challenges.

What you'll do

• Independently develop high-quality biochemical and cell-based 96 or 384 well-binding and functional assays. These assays will be used as biologics screens to identify hits and for pharmacological characterization of potential leads in multiple drug discovery or technology development projects. Expectations are to  deliver work on time and to budget

• Lead and contribute to the development of new screening and automation technologies and processes

• Apply antibody & protein engineering expertise to design & develop novel drug discovery screening platform

• Maintain a well-developed understanding of assay approaches to drug discovery and apply them to biologics discovery.

• Identify creative solutions to sophisticated assay, technology, or drug discovery project problems.

• Lead and contribute to peer-reviewed publications or patents and participate in international conferences.

• Provide technical training and supervise members of the team where required

• Ensure own work, and work of peers, follow Good Laboratory Practice, Safety, Health and Environment standards and all other relevant internal AstraZeneca standards and external regulations

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology or other related fields with at least 3 years of relevant experience in industry (preferred) or academia or Master’s Degree with at least 5 years of relevant experience in industry (preferred) or academia.

• Background in Biologics drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry

• Experience and in-depth technical knowledge of assay development, screening, and use of automation, with a dedication to quality and scientific rigor

• Strong teammate with good communication skills and experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams.

• Ability to take on challenges creatively and contribute and improve assay technologies and processes

Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of biologics drug discovery and in vitro pharmacology

• Experience in various imaging/multicolor flow cytometry-technology

• Proven experience in managing and mining large datasets

• Experience of protein engineering and library design/screening

• Experience of project leadership and working within matrix teams

Site Description:

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland facility creates life-changing medicines for people around the world.  This campus employs more than 3,500 experts in our field and is only a short drive from Washington, DC. This modern and vibrant scientific campus is the home of BioPharmaceuticals and Oncology R&D in the US. Here, we play host to some of the most innovative technology and lab spaces, all designed to inspire collaboration and cross-functional science. We believe employees benefit from being challenged and inspired at work. We are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion and collaboration.

The Gaithersburg site offers a variety of amenities to help boost productivity and help keep our employees happy and healthy. This includes a fitness center, employee healthcare clinic, electric vehicle charging stations, dry cleaning, full-service cafeteria and copy center. This is where you’ll find newly designed, activity based work spaces to suit a variety of working styles while increasing collaboration between teams. 

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial - finding those moments and recognising their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organisation to reset expectations of what a biopharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, pioneering groundbreaking methods and bringing unexpected teams together. Interested? Come and join our journey.

So, what’s next!

Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazeneca/

Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en

Diversity and Inclusion at AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive team that represents a diverse group of backgrounds and perspectives, knowing that inclusion drives better outcomes.We welcome all qualified candidates and align with applicable laws regarding inclusivity and employment eligibility. Individuals with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, as well as for essential job functions.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $108,474 to $162,710. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.