Introduction to role:
The Senior Scientist – Upstream Process Development position is a temporary maternity-cover role responsible for the hands-on scientific and technical delivery of upstream mammalian cell culture process development activities supporting AstraZeneca’s biologics pipeline. Working under minimal supervision, the successful candidate will plan, execute, analyze and report laboratory studies for process development, optimization, scale-up and technology transfer, contributing to the delivery of CMC project goals and objectives.
The position resides within Cell Culture Process Design (CCPD) in the Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences organization within Biopharmaceutical Development. The role holder will work collaboratively with CCPD colleagues and cross-functional CMC partners, including analytical development, formulation, bioprocess engineering, clinical manufacturing, quality, regulatory, supply and project management, as well as external development and manufacturing partners. The role has no direct reports and is not a people-management position; it involves significant hands-on laboratory work, together with day-to-day technical support and coordination of technicians and operators within the team.
Accountabilities:
- Deliver assigned upstream process development activities across CMC development cycles under minimal supervision, working to established methods, project plans and agreed milestones.
- Perform, and contribute to the design and interpretation of, mammalian cell culture studies using predominantly CHO-based systems, including cryopreservation, revival, inoculum expansion, fed-batch and perfusion processes, and media and feed optimization.
- Operate high-throughput and bench-scale bioreactor platforms, including ambr systems, stirred-tank bioreactors (<10 L working volume) and cell bag bioreactors, ensuring experiments are scientifically rigorous, appropriately documented and delivered to agreed quality and timelines.
- Apply Design of Experiments, multivariate analysis and statistical approaches to support the identification of process drivers, operating ranges and process robustness.
- Assess cell growth, viability, metabolism, productivity, product quality and culture stability, analyzing and trending data to draw sound conclusions and propose next steps.
- Prepare and review experimental plans, procedures, data records, development reports and process documents, ensuring timely, high-quality data review and that information is complete, traceable and suitable for CMC and regulatory use.
- Work as a member of cross-functional project and CMC teams, presenting progress, results and risks at team and CMC meetings, and liaising effectively with internal partners, external partners and suppliers.
- Support scale-up and technology transfer into internal GMP facilities and contract manufacturing organizations, including transfer documentation, technical troubleshooting and manufacturing support.
- Plan and coordinate own workload across multiple concurrent work packages, maintaining required quality standards and efficient throughput of work.
- Work closely with technicians and operators, providing day-to-day technical support, training and problem solving; no direct line-management accountability is assigned to this role.
- Take ownership of designated laboratories, equipment or operational systems, and contribute to operational excellence, evaluation of new equipment and techniques, digital record keeping and continuous improvement.
- Maintain scientific expertise through review of current literature and participation in internal and external scientific forums.
- Ensure all work complies with applicable Safety, Health & Environment requirements, quality systems, Good Laboratory Science practices and AstraZeneca standards.
Essential Skills/Experience:
- Degree (BSc/MSc/PhD) in biochemical engineering, bioprocessing, biotechnology, biology or a related scientific discipline, with relevant industry experience.
- Sound theoretical and practical knowledge of mammalian upstream process development, including media and feed design, cellular metabolism and bioreactor scaling, preferably using CHO cell culture.
- Substantive hands-on experience with aseptic cell culture, including cryopreservation, revival and inoculum expansion, and operation of bench-scale or high-throughput bioreactor systems.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently under minimal supervision to plan, execute, analyze and report process-development studies.
- Working knowledge of Design of Experiments, statistical analysis and data-driven process optimization.
- Experience contributing to CMC development, technical reports, process documentation or regulatory-supporting content.
- Ability to work effectively in matrix teams, manage concurrent priorities and communicate results clearly through verbal presentations and written reports.
- Understanding of Safety, Health & Environment, quality and compliance requirements in a pharmaceutical R&D laboratory
Desirable Skills:
- PhD or master’s degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline.
- Experience across early and later CMC development cycles, process characterization, scale-up or technology transfer.
- Experience with ambr250 or comparable high-throughput platforms and stirred-tank bioreactors.
- Knowledge of perfusion, process intensification, media or feed development.
- Proficiency with JMP, SIMCA, Design-Expert, Python, MATLAB or comparable analytical tools.
- Experience with systems biology, multi-omics or metabolic modelling.
- Experience working with contract research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations and global project teams.
Position Requirements
Supervision
This position has no direct or indirect reports. The role holder works closely with technicians and operators, providing day-to-day technical support and coordination through matrix ways of working.
Education
A degree (BSc/MSc/PhD) in biochemical engineering, bioprocessing, biotechnology, biology or a related scientific discipline is required.
Experience
Proven industrial experience in mammalian cell culture and upstream process development for biologics is required, including substantive hands-on laboratory experience and experience contributing to CMC project delivery in a matrix environment.
Additional Notes
This is a temporary maternity-cover position. The role may require occasional weekend work or extended hours to support active cell culture studies, manufacturing activities or collaboration across time zones. Occasional travel to other AstraZeneca sites or external partner facilities may be required.
Why AstraZeneca:
At AstraZeneca, you will follow the science to tackle complex disease, shaping upstream processes that help promising biologics reach patients sooner. You will work in an environment that brings unexpected teams together to spark bold ideas, fusing deep biology with data, digital tools and AI to improve development decisions and predict clinical success more effectively. Here, curiosity and courage are valued alongside kindness; you will be trusted to explore, learn and make evidence-led choices, with the tools, partnerships and pipeline of a leading research-driven company. Your contribution in the lab and at the bench will ripple through clinical supply and commercial readiness, creating tangible impact on healthcare.
Call to Action:
Step into this maternity-cover opportunity to lead upstream science that moves medicines forward—share your CV and show us how you will drive robust, scalable processes that make a real difference for patients.
Date Posted
04-nov.-2026
Closing Date
17-nov.-2026
Our mission is 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.
