Translational Science Lead, Respiratory & Immunology

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world's most serious diseases. At AstraZeneca, we're proud to have an outstanding workplace culture that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration through scientific research. Employees are empowered to express diverse perspectives and are made to feel valued, energised and rewarded for their ideas and creativity.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The Respiratory and Immunology Translational Science and Experimental Medicine department is a fast-paced environment, with a culture that is both science-based and patient-focused. Our mission is to understand disease mechanisms at the molecular level, identify the most effective target and the right patient population, and to close the gap between bench science and bedside clinical practice.

A key role of Precision Medicine Discovery and Development is to lead the development of precision medicine in immunological and respiratory diseases, driving patient stratification and delivering translational clinical validation, underpinned by the understanding of disease relevant pathways and drivers.

The Translational Science Lead (TSL) is a key scientific and strategic role, where you will be focusing on:

• Delivering precision medicine strategies to select the patients most likely to benefit from our medicines

• Building mechanistic understanding of the target and disease through innovative application of experimental methods and technologies.

• Building the translational clinical validation package for new targets and utilising public and proprietary biobanks, better to understand responding sub populations, biomarkers and the biology of our drug targets

• Identifying and enabling Proof of Mechanism (PoM) biomarkers to demonstrate target engagement at First-Time-In-Man (FITM)

The TSL is accountable as member of a project team for the precision medicine strategy and clinical target validation strategy. Continuously collaborating with functions within and outwith Early Respiratory and Immunology will be essential continuously to strengthen the link between targets and disease phenotypes and endotypes and bring precision medicine propositions to the clinic. The TSL can be both a laboratory and project role, requiring flexibility to ensure all translational aspects of the projects are supported according to timelines.

Qualifications & Skills

• Proven ability to deliver in precision medicine and human target validation and their application to drug discovery

• Excellent understanding of the Immunology and/ or Respiratory therapy area and disease biology, including related molecular pathways and mechanisms.

• Experience and knowledge of the biological basis for patient stratification and precision medicine, and also familiar with patient selection biomarker invention and implementation.

• Experience and knowledge of the biological basis for target engagement biomarkers and familiar with PoM biomarker invention and implementation.

• Broad understanding of relevant technologies and methodologies along with excellent scientific laboratory skills and ability to experimentally address key scientific questions.

• Excellent skills in hypothesis forming and testing and able to draw conclusions and suggest next steps based on the experimental data.

• Shown experience and solid understanding of biology, pharmacology, translational medicine and clinical sciences as well as clinical development with pre-eminence in at least one of these areas.

• Great leadership skills, ability to be a self-starter.

• Strong team working skills with a proven track record of working collaboratively to ensure scientific excellence and robust delivery to projects.

• Excellent written, oral, presentation and interpersonal skills

Education Requirements

• PhD or MD equivalent and 5+ yrs experience with a strong experimental drive and background in relevant scientific field OR

• Bachelor degree and 15+ yrs experience or MS with 10+ yrs experience

• Post-doc experience or otherwise relevant scientific research experience

• Experience in an academic and/or industry setting

• Strong publication record

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration. Always committed to lifelong learning, growth and development.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from134,578.40 - 201,867.60. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.