Director of Peptides Development

Director of Peptides Development

Macclesfield, UK

Do you have expertise in, and passion for, Chemical development Would you like to apply your expertise to impact the analytical science in a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life-changing medicines? Then AstraZeneca Might be the one for you!

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

Chemical Development:

In Chemical Development we believe that nothing is impossible, and we are determined to push the boundaries of science to deliver medicines to our patients. We combine people’s technical knowledge and understanding with their talent and seek to craft, develop and optimise synthetic routes that deliver the active pharmaceutical ingredients of our medicines in a balanced, commercially viable way. We believe in innovation and continuous improvement, working closely with colleagues in academia and across industry, to ensure that we apply the newest technologies and principles in the processes we develop.

Introduction to role

Peptides have seen a resurgence in interest across the pharmaceutical industry following advances in structural biology that have enabled discovery scientists to design novel, complex structures with great therapeutic potential. Commercial manufacture of complex peptides remains an industry-wide challenge to meet volume, cost, and sustainability goals to realize the potential of these medicines compared with small molecule-based alternatives.

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated individual to join the New Modalities function in AstraZeneca’s Chemical Development department as Director – Peptides Development. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading a team of scientists and engineers to drive peptide drug substance development programmes through Phase 3-enabling clinical development to commercialization.

Accountabilities

Lead a multi-disciplinary team of analytical chemists, process chemists, and chemical engineers to deliver the drug substance contribution to peptide drug projects, including:

- Route design, process design and optimisation, process characterisation with associated scale-up assessment, and control strategy development
- Technology transfer and support of clinical drug substance manufacture and process validation
- Delivery of CMC regulatory submissions for clinical and marketing

Line management of a multi-disciplinary team, including:

- Coaching and mentoring to support professional development
- Performance management – goal setting and regular feedforward
- Driving personal SHE and compliance

Driving the team’s contribution to the departmental peptide strategy:

- Ideation, incubation and industrialization of new peptide synthetic, manufacturing and purification technologies to improve lead time, and reduce Cost of Goods and carbon impact
- Application of new analytical technology, including Process Analytical Technology (PAT), to improve process understanding and facilitate efficient manufacture as part of an enhanced control strategy
- Regulatory advocacy to enable adoption of approaches that facilitate patient access to medicines
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement and scientific curiosity within the team to improve productivity through implementation of ground-breaking approaches to the delivery of peptide projects

Essential Skills/Experience

- Degree in a relevant scientific or chemical engineering discipline and extensive relevant experience, typically in drug substance pharmaceutical development
- Expertise in peptide synthesis, purification, and characterization is highly desirable
- Track record of driving the introduction of new manufacturing technology is highly desirable
- Strong understanding of the drug development process
- Proven leadership experience, with a track record of effectively managing and developing scientific teams
- Strong project management skills and the ability to drive multiple projects simultaneously within the team
- Demonstrated experience of driving change and continuous improvement to increase productivity

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 embrace change and are always willing to trial new solutions with patients and business in mind. Our diverse workforce is united by curiosity, sharing learnings, and scaling fast. By being digitally-enabled, we make a bigger impact on society, the planet, and our business. Feel the backing and investment of our leaders as we accelerate our digital journey forward.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now!