AstraZeneca
Research Scientist - Drug Discovery
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Role: Drug Discovery Research Scientist
Role Type: Temporary – 12 Months
Location: Cambridge
Working Hours: 36.5 hours per week / 7.3 per day (Monday to Friday)
Your New Company
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company where we not only focus on the discovery, development and delivery of life-saving medicines to our patients but believe in sustainability and are determined to minimise the impact of our work on the environment. We are proud to be a great place to work and have a culture that inspires innovation and collaboration. We empower our colleagues to express diverse perspectives and at the same time feel valued, respected and rewarded for their ideas and creativity.
In R&D Oncology Bioscience we are determined to push the boundaries of science to deliver medicines to our patients. We combine people’s technical knowledge and understanding with their talent and drive to design and execute in vivo and in vitro experiments. We believe in innovation and continuous improvement, working closely with colleagues across the department to ensure that we apply the best technologies and principles in the R&D processes.
Your New Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Oncology Bioscience group in Cambridge as a laboratory-based scientist. You will become part of a large team of bio-scientists and play a pivotal role in the delivery of robust and high-quality data to support drug discovery projects at all stages within the Oncology portfolio.
Working collaboratively with other disciplines across AstraZeneca you will have the opportunity to drive projects forward either by working within in vitro (validating novel targets, determining the mechanism of action of new chemical series, understanding drug resistance and novel combination opportunities) or in vivo bioscience group (working with ex vivo samples, validating and interpreting pharmacodynamic biomarkers, testing new assays, contributing to formulation and cell implant delivery for in vivo studies). This role is suited to an experienced laboratory scientist with a hands-on attitude and technical excellence required to deliver impactful results and support broad department portfolio.
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The responsibilities and requirements of the position are outlined below.
- Execute and design routine drug discovery in vitro or ex vivo research experiments according to the study plan as agreed with the team leader or project supervisor.
- Interpret results by utilizing established scientific methodologies and tools.
- Assess and report experimental data to the project teams in a clear and concise manner with minimal guidance, ensuring clarity and relevance.
- Support in vivo delivery team providing high-quality hands-on formulation and cell culture work.
- Identify innovative solutions to problems and put forward plans for further experiments.
- Generate and maintain clear experimental records.
- Manage personal workload efficiently to achieve agreed-upon targets within specific time limits and quality standards, while also providing routine updates on progress.
- Collaborate with teams to facilitate seamless communication and data sharing.
Essential Skills
- B.Sc./M.Sc. degree in life sciences and 3 years of relevant industrial or academic laboratory experience in pharmacology, cell biology, biochemistry, or a related field.
- Proficient in mammalian cell culture techniques.
- Good understanding of a range of in vitro cell and of molecular biological techniques and assays.
- Skilled in RNA and protein profiling techniques, e.g., Western Blot, ELISA, qPCR, etc.
- Evidence of strong technical and experimental ability to deliver data from the lab.
- Ability to design and conduct experiments, analyse and interpret experimental data.
- Good understanding of cancer cell biology.
- Ability to generate and maintain clear experimental records.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
- Positive and collaborative team player with willingness to improve and learn new skills.
- Passion for experimental work with a desire to pursue a career from the lab.
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Desirable for the role
- Ex vivo sample processing for downstream pharmacodynamic RNA and protein profiling.
- Experience of cell based and mechanistic techniques, such as cellular proliferation and survival assays.
- Compound formulation for in vivo experiments.
- Experience in CyTOF.
- An understanding of the drug discovery process.
WHY ASTRAZENECA?
It's an exciting time to join AstraZeneca, a global business that's rapidly growing - there's a lot happening and even more to come. And we are a valued part of this journey. Respected partners across the business, we provide the platform that's going to power us to achieve more.
So, what's next?
Are you ready to bring new insights and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available, and we hope it's yours. Please apply with a copy of your CV.
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