Scientist

AstraZeneca plc; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

You will join AstraZeneca plc in Cambridge, UK, within the Discovery Sciences organisation. The role sits in Mechanistic Biology and Profiling, a laboratory-based team generating in vitro pharmacology, biochemistry, and cell biology data to support compound profiling and project progression across the early pipeline.

Working closely with colleagues across disciplines, you will design, execute and interpret experiments, applying scientific knowledge to deliver robust, reproducible data while

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant scientific discipline such as cell biology, pharmacology, molecular biology or biochemistry.
• Hands-on experience in in vitro biology, cellular pharmacology or related laboratory-based experimental science.
• Experience with high-content imaging, plate-based cellular assays, and cell health assays.
• Ability to generate, analyse and interpret experimental data with emphasis on quality and reproducibility.
• Good communication skills and ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team.
• Interest in applying digital and AI-enabled tools to support data analysis and workflow efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Generate in vitro profiling and mechanistic biology data to support project progression.
• Design and perform experiments using relevant cellular and biochemical approaches, with appropriate guidance depending on complexity.
• Analyse and interpret data and communicate conclusions clearly to project colleagues.
• Contribute to assay development, optimisation and troubleshooting to improve data quality and team delivery.
• Work effectively within cross-functional project teams, contributing experimental results and scientific insight.
• Apply quantitative, digital or AI-enabled tools to support data handling, image analysis, interpretation of complex datasets or workflow improvement.
• Maintain accurate records and clear documentation of experimental work.
• Keep up to date with relevant scientific and technical developments in mechanistic biology, profiling and related methods.

Skills

In vitro biology

Cellular pharmacology

High-content imaging

Biochemistry

Molecular biology

Data analysis

AI-enabled tools

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant scientific discipline

Job description

You will join the Discovery Sciences organization of AstraZeneca in Cambridge, UK. You will work in the Mechanistic Biology and Profiling, a laboratory-based team generating high-quality in vitro pharmacology, biochemistry, and cell biology data to support compound profiling, mechanistic understanding and project progression across the early pipeline.

Working closely with colleagues across disciplines, in this full-time lab-based role you will contribute to the design, execution and interpretation of experiments that inform project decisions. You will apply your scientific knowledge to help deliver robust, reproducible data, while continuing to build your expertise across relevant biological models, assay technologies and data analysis approaches.

The role will also include use of digital and AI-enabled tools to support data analysis, interpretation and workflow efficiency. At this level, the emphasis should be on being a strong user of these approaches in day-to-day science, with curiosity to adopt new tools where they improve quality, insight or productivity.

Examples of typical responsibilities:

• Generate in vitro profiling and mechanistic biology data to support project progression.
• Design and perform experiments using relevant cellular and biochemical approaches, with appropriate guidance depending on complexity.
• Analyse and interpret data and communicate conclusions clearly to project colleagues.
• Contribute to assay development, optimisation and troubleshooting to improve data quality and team delivery.
• Work effectively within cross-functional project teams, contributing experimental results and scientific insight.
• Apply quantitative, digital or AI-enabled tools to support data handling, image analysis, interpretation of complex datasets or workflow improvement.
• Maintain accurate records and clear documentation of experimental work.
• Keep up to date with relevant scientific and technical developments in mechanistic biology, profiling and related methods.

Essential for the role

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant scientific discipline, such as cell biology, pharmacology, molecular biology, biochemistry or similar, or equivalent practical laboratory experience
• Hands‑on experience in in vitro biology, cellular pharmacology or related laboratory‑based experimental science
• Experience with relevant techniques such as high‑content imaging, plate‑based cellular assays, cell health assays or related methods
• Ability to generate, analyse and interpret experimental data with attention to quality and reproducibility
• Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team
• A proactive and scientifically curious approach, with willingness to learn new techniques and technologies
• Interest in applying digital and AI‑enabled tools to support data analysis, interpretation and laboratory workflow efficiency

Desirable for the role

• Hands‑on experience of laboratory‑based automation, with the ability and desire to run, manage and continuously improve automated workflows
• Experience in drug discovery, translational research, safety pharmacology or disease‑relevant cell biology
• Experience supporting assay development or optimisation
• Familiarity with complex in vitro models, such as co‑culture, 3D or primary cell systems
• Experience with quantitative biology, image analysis, statistics or coding tools
• Exposure to AI‑enabled or automated approaches for biological data analysis or workflow support