Director, Next-Generation Sequencing for Biologics Engineering

About the Role: 

We are seeking a visionary and experienced Director to lead and transform our Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) capabilities within the Biologics Engineering department at AstraZeneca. This key leadership position will drive the implementation of cutting-edge NGS technologies, automation processes, and data analysis workflows specifically tailored for antibody discovery and engineering as well as support Therapeutics Areas in R&D across our global organization. 

The ideal candidate will possess a strong understanding of both NGS technologies and the needs of teams focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI). A critical aspect of this role is ensuring that the data generated from NGS processes are optimized to feed into AI pipelines, fostering a synergistic relationship between NGS and AI-driven drug discovery and development. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategic Leadership and Vision: 

• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for specialized NGS applications in antibody discovery, focusing on overcoming the unique challenges posed by high sequence similarity in antibody repertoires. 

• Drive the holistic strategy for NGS utilization in support of Biologics Engineering activities and Therapeutic Areas with focus on design and optimization of custom NGS workflows for antibody repertoire sequencing and AI-driven research initiatives. 

• Lead the integration of NGS into discovery workflows (in-vivo and in-vitro), emphasizing data generation for machine learning applications. 

Team Leadership and Development: 

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of scientists, fostering a culture of innovation that bridges the gap between traditional NGS approaches and emerging AI technologies in the field of biologics engineering. 

• Attract and retain top talent in the fields of NGS and bioinformatics. 

Technological Innovation: 

• Spearhead the evaluation, adoption, and optimization of emerging sequencing technologies to enhance AstraZeneca's research capabilities in support of Antibody and TCR discovery within the Biologics Engineering unit. 

• Collaborate closely with AI teams to understand their data requirements and ensure that NGS outputs are structured and formatted to seamlessly integrate with AI algorithms and machine learning models. 

• Develop and implement advanced bioinformatics pipelines specifically designed for antibody sequence analysis, including tools for repertoire analysis, lineage tracing, and affinity maturation studies. 

• Drive the integration of automation in sample preparation, library construction, and NGS workflows to increase efficiency, reproducibility, and throughput. 

Data Strategy and Bioinformatics: 

• Develop and implement robust data analysis pipelines and bioinformatics workflows to support various NGS applications in biologics R&D. 

• Collaborate with computational scientists to integrate NGS data with other omics approaches and drive data-driven decision making in biologics discovery. 

Cross-functional Collaboration: 

• Align NGS strategies and capabilities with the Biologics Engineering team in Cambridge, UK, and support operations at the Waltham site. 

• Foster strong partnerships with Therapeutic Areas in R&D and NGS teams in oncology and translational medicine.