Senior Director, Frontier Science — Early Infectious Disease

AstraZeneca plc; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc in Cambridge seeks a Senior Director, Frontier Science — Early Infectious Disease to shape the external scientific identity of a bold portfolio. You will lead publication strategy, forge partnerships, and guide global health initiatives from target selection through development, driving impact and leadership in the field.

You will collaborate with discovery, clinical teams, data experts, and external collaborators to communicate rigorous science, secure grants, and identify

Qualifications

• PhD or MD in infectious disease, immunology, microbiology, virology, or related discipline with extensive experience
• Experience as an editor, writer, or in publication strategy
• Proven track record in building scientific narratives and editing abstracts, posters, manuscripts

Responsibilities

• Define and lead end-to-end publication strategy for portfolio with milestones
• Shape narratives and oversee abstracts, posters, and manuscripts for journals and congresses
• Drive external positioning and partnerships to translate science into real-world impact
• Lead global health strategy and partnerships with NGOs, funders and venture partners
• Identify and secure grants and manage externally funded projects
• Governance, risk management and impact reporting for funded programs
• Monitor horizon scanning and evaluate emerging biotech to guide next-gen tech

Skills

Publication strategy

Scientific storytelling

External partnerships

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

PhD or MD in infectious disease

Job description

Job Title: Senior Director, Frontier Science — Early Infectious Disease

Location: Cambridge

Salary: Competitive

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to shape how the world sees cutting-edge infectious disease science and turn breakthrough ideas into tangible patient impact? This role is your opportunity to define the external scientific identity of a high-ambition portfolio that spans from target selection through clinical development, connecting bold discovery with real-world outcomes.

You will lead three high-impact mandates that amplify our scientific voice and accelerate global health outcomes: build and execute a publication strategy that positions our scientists as leaders; drive partnerships and funding that bring our technologies to areas of greatest need; and keep the organization on the frontiers of emerging science and technology. Can you envision yourself crafting narratives that energize the field, securing grants that save lives, and spotting the next wave of innovations that close infectious-disease gaps?

In this seat, you will partner with discovery and clinical leaders, data and technology experts, and external collaborators across academia, biotech’s and funders. You will foster an innovative culture, influence senior stakeholders, and guide teams through uncertainty, ensuring that our science is communicated with rigor, ambition and clarity.

Accountabilities:

• Publication Strategy Leadership: Define and lead the end-to-end publication strategy for the portfolio, mapping each asset’s scientific story from inception through clinical development and up to patenting, with clear milestones and decision points.
• Scientific Narrative and Communications: Shape compelling narratives and oversee high impact abstracts, posters and manuscripts for leading journals and major congresses, ensuring scientific rigor, timely delivery and measurable reach.
• Thought Leadership and External Positioning: Drive external scientific communication that builds excitement around our products and establishes our scientists as recognized infectious-disease leaders, anchored in transformative evidence.
• Global Health Strategy and Partnerships: Lead strategy to align infectious-disease efforts with global health targets; cultivate relationships with NGOs, venture partners and philanthropic funders to translate our technologies into real-world solutions.
• Funding and Grants: Systematically identify funding opportunities; write and secure endorsed grants that bring our platforms to areas of highest unmet need; set success criteria and track outcomes.
• Program Delivery and Governance: Manage a portfolio of externally funded and global health projects with the mission of saving lives, ensuring robust governance, risk management, compliance and impact reporting.
• Horizon Scanning and Technology Foresight: Lead continuous evaluation of emerging biotechnology and start-up science, generating early cases for next-generation technologies critical to infectious disease challenges.
• Innovation Ecosystem Engagement: Maintain a special line of sight to leading countries and academic and innovation hubs; build collaborations that accelerate access to novel modalities, platforms and data capabilities.
• Stakeholder Influence and Collaboration: Influence senior internal and external stakeholders to align on strategy, trade-offs and investments; communicate results, risks, uncertainties and limitations clearly and objectively.
• Culture and Team Leadership: Foster an innovative, learning-oriented culture; coach teams to move with pace, think differently and integrate cross-functional expertise to maximize success.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• PhD or MD or equivalent in infectious disease, immunology, microbiology, virology, marine biology, biochemistry, molecular biology or a related discipline, with extensive industry and/or academic experience
• Experience as an editor, writer, or in publication strategy
• Proven track record in building scientific narratives and editing abstracts, posters and manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and at major congresses
• Demonstrated experience leading scientific communication or publication strategy across the discovery-to-clinical-development continuum
• Experience building and managing relationships with external partners such as NGOs, funders, venture partners or academic centers
• Experience in identifying funding, write and secure grants, and manage externally funded or global health projects
• Strong awareness of emerging biotechnology and ability to evaluate early-stage science and technology
• Experience working in cross-functional teams to maximize expertise and accelerate success
• Excellent written and verbal communication, business analysis, and stakeholder-influencing skills

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• PhD or MD with a recognized scientific reputation in infectious disease, immunology or vaccines
• Established network among journal editors, key opinion leaders, NGOs and global health funders
• Familiarity with the global innovation ecosystem and other leading global academic and biotech hubs
• Experience in global health, public-private partnerships, or non-dilutive and philanthropic funding
• Experience in technology scouting or search and evaluation
• Proven track record of writing/editing/publishing relevant results and tools in peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and other scientific proceedings
• Experience operating in a complex global organization across multiple countries and cultures

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.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you will work at the frontiers of science, data and technology to tackle some of the most complex diseases on the planet, with the support and trust to think differently and the resources to move fast. We bring diverse experts together immunologists, microbiologists, data scientists and clinicians around the same whiteboard to turn uncertainty into breakthroughs and to shape therapies with the potential to reach patients at scale. You will grow through lifelong learning, stretch assignments and the chance to publish when transformative science comes alive, all within a culture that values kindness alongside ambition and celebrates bold decisions grounded in biology and evidence.

Date Posted

03-Nov-2026

Closing Date

10-Nov-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.