Scientist, Analytical Sciences

About AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg, MD:

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland facility creates life-changing medicines for people around the world.  This campus employs more than 3,500 authorities in our field and is only a short drive from Washington, DC. This modern and vibrant scientific campus is the home of R&D and Oncology in the US. Here, we play host to some of the most groundbreaking technology and lab spaces, all crafted to encourage collaboration and cross-functional science. We believe employees benefit from being challenged and encouraged at work. We are dedicated to crafting a culture of inclusion and collaboration.

The Gaithersburg site offers a variety of amenities to help boost efficiency and help keep our employees happy and healthy. This includes a fitness center, employee healthcare clinic, electric vehicle charging stations, dry cleaning, full-service cafeteria and copy center. This is where you’ll find newly designed, activity-based workspaces to suit a variety of working styles while growing collaboration between teams. 

Summary of the group:

We are looking for an experienced Scientist to join Analytical Sciences, Cell Therapy Development and Operations. Team is responsible for developing and delivering fit-for-purpose, robust, and technologically advanced biological assays to progress cell therapy products from research to commercial. Team supports end-to-end biological and bioanalytical characterization testing of cell therapy products enabling manufacturing process, formulation, drug product development and regulatory filings from IND to BLA and beyond. The team engages with analytical development, quality and several cross functional teams including clinical, QA and manufacturing.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Support the development of cell based and molecular analytical methods.
Perform cell-based and genomic assays including, but not limited to cytokines release, ELISA, cytotoxicity assays, DNA/RNA extraction, digital PCR, and qPCR.
Make detailed observations, analyze data, interpret results, and exercise appropriate technical discretion in the design, execution, and interpretation of experiments independently.
Author/review technical reports, protocols, and technical summaries for presentation.
Perform method qualification, transfer of assays into Analytical quality team and transfer of assays into Analytical Operations team.
Collaborate with method & automation developers to optimize methods for high throughput testing and streamline documentation & analysis.
Develop and implement data analysis workflows to support cell based and molecular assays, leveraging programing tools to improve efficiency, reproducibility and data integrity.
Drive improvements in analytical workflows including assay trending, visualization and reporting.
Responsible for carrying out sample testing to enable process and product development.

Education & Experience Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Immunology, Cell Biology, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, or related field with 5+ years of relevant experience or a Master's degree with 2+ years of relevant experience.

Desired Skills:

Cell Therapy industry experience.
Experience in flow cytometry and analysis tools
Basic scripting for data handling (e.g., Python, Jupyter) is a plus.
Familiarity with Smartsheet scheduling software

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire 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 commitment to deliver accelerated growth and make people's lives better. Our inclusive network of diverse and high-performing teams supports each other with trust and respect. We thrive on curiosity and problem-solving, constantly learning and evolving. With opportunities for global careers and great rewards, AstraZeneca is where you can make a real impact.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join our team!

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $82,463 to $123,694. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan.

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