Senior Scientist Safety Assessment

Senior Scientist Safety Assessment

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality.  Here, we see the impact of all of our ideas and expertise, and the power of science to deliver them.

Become a key player in the discovery of innovative oncology medicines

One of the challenges in the discovery of innovative medicines is to ensure they are safe enough to test their therapeutic concept in clinical trials to provide novel treatment for patients. Drug safety is assessed throughout the pharmaceutical R&D value chain, but it is during early drug discovery when we can actively design safety attributes into the future candidate drug.

As a Senior Scientist, you will design and implement project-specific investigational and mechanistic safety experiments and strategies to predict, assess and mitigate target- and chemistry-related safety risks.

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral-level scientist with a strong background in molecular and cell biology to join the Oncology Safety Science and Discovery team at our Boston, MA research complex. We work collaboratively and develop and apply groundbreaking technologies such as advanced cell models including 3D organoids, micro-physiological systems, and employ deep phenotyping tools such as multi-omics and innovative imaging, to ultimately push the boundaries of predictive safety science with our mission in mind: to discover safe innovative medicines for the patients that need them.

Job responsibilities include:

• Developing testable hypotheses and driving scientific learning by building a mechanistic understanding of biology around novel targets and pathways.

• Designing and performing molecular, biochemical, and/or cellular experiments to determine the effects of oncology agents on normal tissue function.

• Optimising advanced cell models to support cross modality oncology projects (small molecules, immune cell engagers, ADCs etc) including incorporation of immune components and the strategy for evaluation and qualification.

• Using multi-modal approaches and techniques (such as multi-omics, gene editing, immunophenotyping, flow cytometry, and confocal imaging) for the development of advanced cell models to dissect biological responses at a mechanistic level.

• Contributing to Discovery Safety Science within and outside AstraZeneca including external meeting attendance and regular publications in high quality, peer-reviewed journals.

Minimum Requirements:

• PhD in toxicology, pharmacology, molecular biology or a related discipline with a minimum of 3 years of post-doctoral experience. Experience in the pharmaceutical industry setting is an advantage.

• Hands-on experience with developing and implementing advanced cell models including organoids to investigate molecular mechanisms of drug action is critical, including validation of models through clinical back-translation.

• Experience of molecular biology tools including gene-editing, immune-phenotyping, multi-omics and associated bioinformatic approaches to delineate mechanisms of toxicity is essential.

• Experience with the discovery and development of small molecule inhibitors and cell therapies and influencing candidate selection is considered essential.

• A strong scientific track record evidenced through high quality publications and recognition as an expert within a subject area.

• Excellent oral and written communication, presentation, interpersonal and influencing skills across levels/subject areas, and an ability to coordinate tasks across multiple projects.

• Highly motivated, creative, reliable scientist with a collaborative, team-oriented mentality, who solves problems in a goal-focused fashion and contributes to an open, positive, collaborative working environment.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we ignite bold thinking with the power to encourage life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

At AstraZeneca, we are driven by our desire to understand and reveal new insights. We are free from fear of failure, free to ask the right questions, make ambitious decisions, and dig deep into the biology of complex diseases. We are harnessing digital, data science &a