Senior Scientist – Early Product Development and Manufacturing

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-centered biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercialising prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than a global leading pharma company. At AstraZeneca, we're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work and empowering employees to push the boundaries of science and fuel their entrepreneurial spirit.

Pharmaceutical Sciences is a department within AstraZeneca R&D unit. The vision for Pharmaceutical Sciences is to deliver the therapies of the future through scientific leadership in drug delivery, design of synthetic routes and manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and drug product. Our portfolio of projects includes traditional small molecules, nucleotide-based therapies and nanomedicines across AstraZeneca’s therapy areas.

An opportunity exists in Pharmaceutical Sciences for an exceptional individual in the area of solid-state chemistry, working across drug substance and drug product disciplines.  We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly capable Senior Scientist to join our Early Product Development and Manufacturing (EPDM) team in Gothenburg, Sweden.  You will work closely with analytical, formulation and biopharmaceutics scientists in EPDM as well as scientists in other functions to drive science and innovation within drug projects, including global collaboration with scientists at our Macclesfield, Cambridge, Boston & Gothenburg sites.

The successful applicant will become a core member of the global Solid-state skill area which is responsible for ensuring suitable physical form, selection and control within drug substance and product. The team supports the full discovery and early development stages up to Phase II clinical trials. The successful candidate will be a self-starting, exceptional team player, committed to delivering high quality science to projects.

What you’ll do

In the senior scientist role, you will:

• Deliver solid state characterisation data in our state of the art laboratory using techniques like XRPD, TGA, DSC and DVS.

• Responsible for ensuring suitable physical form screening, characterisation, form selection and control within drug substance and product.

• Represent solid state skill area in projects, collaborating with formulation, analytical, and biopharmaceutics scientists to drive science and innovation.

• Plan and conduct lab-based experimental work in accordance with project timelines.

• Keep abreast with the scientific literature and proactively apply existing and novel approaches to projects and publish novel work in peer reviewed journals.

• Run and develop solid state workflows on automation equipment such as weighting robots and liquid handling systems.

Essential requirements

• You will have a PhD in relevant scientific area or be a graduate with industry experience in the area of solid-state chemistry, physical chemistry or related disciplines.

• You will have solid working experience in the screening and characterisation of solids (e.g. X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, thermal analysis, microscopic techniques, moisture sorption etc.), a good awareness of analytical methodology and an enthusiasm for laboratory-based work.

• Assess, review and report data from own work, with a clear understanding of its reliability and interpret findings. Present information for discussion in multi-disciplinary project teams.

• Creativity and innovation, built on sound technical knowledge and problem-solving skills are required in order to deliver robust physical forms which meet the needs of the patient.

• You will be a driven experimentalist, with a passion to deliver highly relevant knowledge to those around you.

• You will have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with excellent communication, teamwork, networking, and leadership skills, and the ability to lead and inspire colleagues.

• Demonstrating an interest in the field of automation and digitisation.

• Understanding of the principles, concepts and practical application of crystallisation will be advantageous.

Desirable requirements

• Understanding of how the physicochemical and solid-state properties of a drug, effect the drug product development, e.g. material science and manufacturing processes.

• Experience/knowledge or a keen interest in the field of simulation or prediction would be advantageous.

• Work as a member of cross-functional teams, with a large degree of independence representing own department or area of expertise.

• You will have the abili