Associate Principal Scientist, AI-Driven Biologics Design

AstraZeneca plc; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc in Cambridge is seeking an Associate Principal Scientist to lead in silico design for biologics, integrating AI and structural biology to shape oncology, respiratory and cardiovascular programs. You will build scalable analytics, drive new capabilities, and mentor colleagues while collaborating with discovery and data science teams to accelerate development.

The role emphasizes end-to-end data integration, cross-functional leadership, and delivery of actionable insights that

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g. Structural Biology, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Physics or Mathematics)
• Experience applying data analysis methods in computational structural biology
• Experience with structural modelling platforms (Schrödinger, Rosetta)
• Familiarity with antibody discovery and optimisation, protein structures
• Proven ability to apply generative AI, ML or DL to design and optimise proteins, VHHs and antibodies
• Strong communication and attention to detail; able to collaborate with diverse teams
• Experience working within a team environment
• Act with integrity and do the right thing

Responsibilities

• Own the computational strategy for multiple therapeutic programs and influence design decisions
• Co-develop scalable structural analytics workflows with discovery and data science teams
• Contribute to end-to-end data capability linking structural, sequence and experimental data to actionable insights
• Lead evaluation and deployment of next-gen computational tools and platforms
• Drive AI-driven design to optimise proteins, VHHs and antibodies for developability
• Collaborate with external partners on strategic projects
• Communicate complex concepts clearly and mentor colleagues to raise best practices
• Deliver progress for current programs and build reusable frameworks across modalities

Skills

Computational biology

Structural modelling

Generative AI in biology

Machine learning

Team collaboration

Scientific communication

Attention to detail

Cross-functional work

Education

PhD in Structural Biology/Computational Biology

Tools

Schrödinger

Rosetta

Job description

AstraZeneca plc in Cambridge is seeking an Associate Principal Scientist to lead in silico design for biologics, integrating AI and structural biology to shape oncology, respiratory and cardiovascular programs. You will build scalable analytics, drive new capabilities, and mentor colleagues while collaborating with discovery and data science teams to accelerate development.

The role emphasizes end-to-end data integration, cross-functional leadership, and delivery of actionable insights that