AstraZeneca
Translational Science Lead
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Translational Science Lead
Location: Cambridge
Salary: competitive
Introduction to role
Are you ready to turn human biology into decisive clinical evidence that advances medicines for people living with respiratory disease? Based in Cambridge, you will lead end-to-end translational strategies that move confident science into the clinic, fast. Your work will connect target selection to first-in-human studies and beyond, delivering the mechanistic clarity, patient stratification and biomarker evidence that shape smart decisions and successful development.
In this role, you will partner across discovery and clinical teams to validate human targets, define and implement target engagement and PoM biomarkers, and integrate multi-omics and clinical data into actionable insights. Do you thrive at the interface of experimental biology, precision medicine and clinical execution, where a well-designed biomarker plan can change the trajectory of a programme and the lives of patients?
Accountabilities
- Develop and integrate translational strategies for respiratory projects and clinical studies, spanning human target validation, target engagement and precision medicine to de-risk decisions and accelerate progress.
- Build robust human validation plans at target selection, partnering with bioscience teams and leveraging public and proprietary biobanks to identify responding subpopulations and strengthen biological rationale.
- Design and lead innovative experimental approaches to deepen understanding of disease pathways and target biology, selecting the right technologies to answer pivotal questions.
- Define, invent and enable PoM biomarkers; establish target engagement assays; plan and execute biomarker sampling strategies; and drive assay transfer and execution in clinical trials.
- Deliver precision medicine strategies to identify the patients most likely to benefit, including early planning for molecular assays when clinical features alone are insufficient.
- Integrate clinical, biomarker and multi-omics data; partner with data science teams to apply AI/ML to uncover mechanisms, biomarkers and patient phenotypes that inform study design and readouts.
- Establish and lead external collaborations and patient cohorts to enhance disease understanding and identify clinically meaningful biomarkers.
- Embed translational strategy into Clinical Study Protocols, Informed Consent Forms, Sample Life Cycle Plans, Case Report Forms, local Health Authority applications, Human Genetic Resources and Clinical Study Reports.
- Contribute to regulatory and health authority responses; author submission sections on mechanism of action, PK/PD and precision medicine; prepare and review scientific publications to support development and launch.
- Represent translational strategy in governance and investment forums; drive clear cross-functional communication to enable accurate, timely execution.
- Serve as the key scientific voice on project teams as programmes advance, generating the mechanistic differentiation and scientific evidence that support product development, launch and lifecycle opportunities.
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Essential Skills/Experience
- PhD or MD equivalent with a strong experimental drive and background in Respiratory field
- Post-doc experience or otherwise relevant scientific research experience
- Strong previous experience in a Biomedical or Pharmaceutical role
- Strong publication record
- Proven ability to deliver translational readouts and human target validation and their application to drug discovery.
- Excellent understanding of the Respiratory therapy area including but not limited to COPD, Asthma, NCFBE and IPF, and disease biology, including related molecular pathways and mechanisms.
- Experience and knowledge of the biological basis for target engagement biomarkers and familiar with PoM biomarker invention and implementation.
- Experience and knowledge of the biological basis for patient stratification and precision medicine, and familiar with patient selection biomarker invention and implementation.
- Broad understanding of relevant technologies and methodologies along with excellent scientific skills and ability to design experiments to address key scientific questions.
- Excellent skills in hypothesis forming and testing and able to draw conclusions and suggest next steps based on the experimental data.
- Shown experience and solid understanding of pharmacology, translational medicine and clinical sciences as well as clinical development with pre-eminence in at least one of these areas.
- Demonstrated leadership skills, ability to be a self-starter.
- Strong team working skills with a proven track record of working collaboratively to ensure scientific excellence and robust delivery to projects.
- Excellent written, oral, presentation and interpersonal skills.
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Desirable Skills/Experience
- Experience leading projects
- Experience from clinical trials
Why AstraZeneca
Join a research-driven organisation where bold ideas translate into real clinical impact for patients worldwide. Here, translational science sits at the heart of decision-making, with unexpected teams in the same room turning complex biology, digital technologies and AI-driven insights into decisive, patient-focused plans. You will be trusted to follow the science, supported by collaborators across discovery, clinical and data disciplines, and empowered to test hypotheses quickly, learn from setbacks and push breakthroughs forward. We value kindness alongside ambition, and we unite academic partners, biotechs and industry experts to create the fastest path to meaningful medicines.
What is next!
If you are ready to lead the science that shapes smarter trials and better outcomes for people with respiratory disease, bring your translational vision to Cambridge and help turn bold biology into life-changing medicines today!
We are looking forward to your application not later than 26th July
Date Posted
20-Jul-2026
Closing Date
26-Jul-2026
Our mission
We are to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.
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