Scientist In Process Analytical Technology

ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company seeks a Senior Scientist in Process Analytical Technology (PAT) to join their team in Macclesfield, UK. You will design and deliver enhanced control methods, collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive innovation in drug development. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in chemistry, pharmacy, or engineering, and experience in the pharmaceutical industry. This role offers opportunities for hands-on laboratory work and participation in the development of new medicinal products.

Benefits

Career growth opportunities

Inclusive work environment

Commitment to sustainability

Qualifications

• Experience in the Pharmaceutical or Chemical industries using PAT.
• Strong understanding of NIR, Raman, and microwave spectroscopy.
• Ability to document and present work concisely.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop enhanced control methods using PAT.
• Conduct hands-on laboratory work.
• Collaborate with project teams and contribute to regulatory documentation.
• Support digital initiatives and implement monitoring tools.
• Participate in method validation and technical transfer.
• Promote innovation in data science and AI.

Skills

Process Analytical Technology (PAT)

Chemometrics

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication skills

Data science

Leadership

Education

BSc, MSc or equivalent in relevant discipline

Tools

SIMCA

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Senior Scientist in Process Analytical Technology (PAT) - Make a Meaningful Impact on People's Lives!

Are you ready to take your career to the next level and make a meaningful impact on people's lives with life-changing medicines? Join our Operations team in Macclesfield as a Senior Scientist and be part of a team where everyone feels a personal connection to the people we impact. At AstraZeneca, our Operations team has a big ambition: to deliver more medicines to patients, quicker and more affordably. We are driven by our commitment to deliver accelerated growth for AstraZeneca and to make people's lives better. In Pharmaceutical Technology and Development (PT&D), within Operations, we are the bridge between brilliant science and innovative medicines that help millions of people. We work across the entire value chain, designing and delivering active ingredients, formulations and devices required to support new medicines — from supplies for use in early toxicology studies and clinical trials to developing the technology to ensure drugs can be scaled up for commercial manufacture.

At Global Product Development (GPD) in Gothenburg, a sub‑division of PT&D, we focus on the fields of Oral Controlled Release Drug products and Immediate Release Drug Products. You will join a vibrant team that is working on the next generation of medicines and play a key role in the development of new medicinal products. We are currently looking for a Senior Scientist for PAT in our Product and Process Control group to strengthen our capabilities in the development and implementation of enhanced control strategies using the newest technologies for our late‑phase portfolio. If you have a solid scientific foundation in this domain and the aspiration to grow into an expert, this role offers an excellent fit.

What You’ll Do

As a Senior Scientist, you will design, develop, and deliver high‑quality enhanced control methods by applying expertise in Process Analytical Technology (PAT), chemometrics, and advanced process monitoring and control. Hands‑on laboratory work will be a core part of your role. You will collaborate with cross‑functional project teams, contribute to regulatory documentation, and support digital initiatives that implement innovative monitoring and control tools across continuous manufacturing platforms. You will participate in the development, validation and technical transfer of methods and PAT tools to enable robust product control strategies across Operations. You will also champion a future‑focused, innovative mindset, advancing data science, predictive modelling and simulation, and artificial intelligence to drive digitally oriented approaches.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deliver high‑quality enhanced control methods using PAT, chemometrics, and advanced process monitoring and control.
• Conduct hands‑on laboratory work as part of the role.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional project teams and contribute to regulatory documentation.
• Support digital initiatives implementing monitoring and control tools across continuous manufacturing platforms.
• Participate in the development, validation, and technical transfer of methods and PAT tools to enable robust product control strategies across Operations.
• Champion a future‑focused, innovative mindset, advancing data science, predictive modelling and simulation, and artificial intelligence to drive digitally oriented approaches.

Qualifications

• BSc, MSc or equivalent in a relevant discipline (chemistry, pharmacy, engineering etc.) with experience in the use of PAT in the Pharmaceutical or Chemical industries and/or postgraduate experience in Academia with a PAT industrial focus.
• A strong understanding of key PAT (e.g., NIR, Raman and microwave spectroscopy).
• PAT method development experience, implementation and use of multi‑variate data analysis/ chemometrics (MVDA, PCA, PLS) in common software platforms (SIMCA, Python, MATLAB, PLS Toolbox etc.).
• Ability to document and present your work concisely and comprehensibly.
• Strong collaboration, communication, and leadership skills.
• An understanding of the principles and management of Safety, Health & Environment (SHE).

Desirable For The Role

• Demonstrated experience of ensuring compliance with operational requirements (GMP, GAMP, Process Safety, Data integrity, Change Control).
• Experience of developing control strategies for pharmaceutical commercial manufacturing processes.
• Basic scripting skills (e.g., Python, Matlab, R).
• Experience with digital tools supporting enhanced control strategies (DCS, PAT management system, APC, Multivariate monitoring platform).
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical process equipment/technology for continuous processes.

Benefits

We offer an inclusive environment where you can grow your career while making a positive impact on people's lives. Our team is a multigenerational workforce that thrives on curiosity and problem‑solving. We are committed to sustainability and leading the way in delivering Lean processes that drive greater efficiency and speed.

Are you ready to step up and lead in a fast‑paced environment that rewards commitment and offers diverse career opportunities? Join us at AstraZeneca and be part of our journey towards making people's lives better!