Director, Translational Pathology

AstraZeneca; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca in Cambridge, UK, is seeking a Director of Translational Pathology to provide strategic leadership across the translational pathology portfolio on site. The role requires extensive postdoctoral experience, deep histopathology and IHC expertise, and a proven ability to guide study design, data interpretation, and quality-compliant practices.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, integrate pathology into development strategies, and drive scientific excellence while coordinating with

Qualifications

• Significant postdoctoral or equivalent professional experience in a research environment.
• Substantial practical experience in histopathology and related disciplines.
• Experience with immunohistochemistry assay development and interpretation.
• Familiarity with quality standards (GCLP/GLP/ISO) and audit readiness.
• Proven ability to lead multiple projects and manage resources.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership across the Translational Pathology portfolio to ensure studies are fit for purpose.
• Act as expert in histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and data review.
• Develop experimental plans, assays, controls, endpoints, and timelines.
• Maintain an integrated view of project scope, milestones, and risks.
• Lead projects and mentor scientists, promoting scientific excellence.
• Ensure pathology activities align with GCP requirements and quality standards.
• Coordinate data packages, metadata, and quality reviews.
• Plan team capacity across pathology review and image analysis.
• Present portfolio updates and recommendations to teams and leaders.
• Contribute to strategy and improvements in pathology and biomarker science.

Skills

Histopathology expertise

Immunohistochemistry

Tissue-based biomarkers

Image analysis

Leadership experience

Education

Postdoctoral experience

Job description

Director, Translational Pathology

Cambridge, UK (on site)

About AstraZeneca

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. At AstraZeneca, we are pioneering new frontiers by identifying and treating patients earlier, working towards the aim of eliminating cancer as a cause of death.

Come and join our AZ team where you will play a pivotal role in this exciting period of development!!

Key Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership across the Translational Pathology portfolio, ensuring studies are fit for purpose and generate interpretable data to inform programme decisions.
• Act as an expert in histopathology, tissue-based biomarkers, immunohistochemistry, digital pathology, image analysis, tissue quality, staining interpretation, and data review.
• Develop and challenge experimental plans, work packages, assay strategies, controls, endpoints, sample requirements, analytical approaches, timelines, and success criteria.
• Maintain an integrated view of project scope, milestones, dependencies, risks, decisions, resource needs, and delivery across active and planned work.
• Lead assigned scientific projects or workstreams, contributing to experimental design, pathology review, data interpretation, scientific discussions, and delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Ensure pathology activities align with applicable GCP requirements, approved protocols, controlled procedures, company policies, and quality standards.
• Coordinate the preparation, quality review, interpretation, documentation, and handover of complete pathology data packages and supporting metadata.
• Plan and prioritise team capacity across pathology review, immunohistochemistry, image analysis, and other specialist capabilities, balancing scientific value, urgency, risk, feasibility, and business priorities.
• Lead, support, mentor, and develop scientists, promoting scientific excellence, accountability, collaboration, effective prioritisation, and continuous professional growth.
• Partner with discovery, biology, pharmacology, toxicology, biomarker, genomics, bioinformatics, clinical, regulatory, and programme teams to integrate pathology into development strategies.
• Present portfolio updates, scientific recommendations, resource proposals, risks, and decisions to project teams, governance forums, and functional leaders, providing clear and actionable progress reports.
• Contribute to Translational Pathology strategy, technology and operating-model development, implement improvements in ways of working, and apply relevant advances in pathology, biomarker science, and therapeutic research.

Requirements

• Significant relevant postdoctoral or equivalent professional experience, typically within significant post-PhD range, gained in an academic, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, contract research, or related research environment.
• Substantial practical and scientific experience in histopathology, preferably within a research, translational, drug discovery, or pharmaceutical environment.
• Demonstrable expertise in immunohistochemistry, including assay development or optimisation, antibody and control selection, staining assessment, interpretation of tissue-based findings, and understanding of assay limitations.
• Experience working to GCLP, GLP, ISO 15189, ISO 17025, or comparable laboratory quality standards, including participation in audits, inspections, quality reviews, or inspection-readiness activities.
• Experience leading multiple concurrent projects, contending priorities, resource allocation, risks, dependencies, and delivery milestones.
• Ability to critically evaluate experimental data, identify limitations, assess whether conclusions are supported by the evidence, and recommend appropriate next steps.
• Direct line management experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate compl