Senior Scientist, AI for Discovery — New Target Discovery

AstraZeneca plc; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc in the Cambridge area is seeking an expert in AI for Discovery–New Target Discovery. You will apply agentic AI and predictive biology tools to surface novel drug targets across Oncology and BioPharmaceuticals, working with cross‑functional teams to translate insights into actionable biology.

The role blends hands‑on AI development with target strategy, requiring strong Python, DL framework experience, and the ability to communicate complex results to diverse audiences.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent research experience in quantitative biology or AI.
• Experience with agentic AI,LLM‑based reasoning systems, or multi‑agent architectures.
• Experience with predictive AI modeling for biology including foundation models or graph neural networks.
• Understanding of drug discovery biology: target identification/validation.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with scientists to identify challenges and apply AI to accelerate target discovery.
• Build and deploy multi‑agent AI systems within therapeutic workflows.
• Develop and benchmark predictive models for in silico biology and preclinical forecasting.
• Write production‑level code, pipelines and tools for the team and wider AZ organization.
• Communicate technical findings effectively to diverse audiences.
• Contribute to AstraZeneca’s external visibility through publications and collaborations.

Skills

Agentic AI

LLM reasoning

Multi-agent systems

Predictive AI modeling

Biology knowledge

Python

Scientific communication

Education

PhD in computational biology / bioinformatics / AI

Bachelor’s/Master’s with relevant research

Tools

PyTorch

JAX

Production‑quality pipelines

Job description

About AstraZeneca

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you're our kind of person.

We are a global, science-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines that enrich the lives of patients. Our R&D engine combines deep biology expertise with cutting‑edge artificial intelligence to accelerate how we find and validate new drug targets — ultimately bringing life‑changing therapies to patients faster.

About Our Site

The Discovery Centre (DISC) is AstraZeneca’s global corporate headquarters and flagship research and development facility, located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, UK. The DISC brings together scientists, engineers, laboratory specialists, technology experts, and corporate colleagues in a highly collaborative environment. The facility provides a modern working environment with advanced laboratories and research infrastructure, including robotics, high‑throughput screening, computational science, data-enabled research, and AI‑supported technologies. Its location on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus provides access to a strong local network of healthcare, academic, and life‑sciences expertise, supporting professional development, external collaboration, and scientific exchange across the biomedical sector.

About the Team

The AI for Discovery — New Target Discovery team exists to surface novel drug targets that Oncology and BioPharmaceuticals R&D can act on. We accelerate discovery by building and deploying two core AI capabilities: agentic AI and predictive models of biology to accelerate new target decision making across AZ R&D.

Our team supports both Oncology and BioPharmaceuticals therapeutic areas, sharing learnings across target discovery approaches and connecting new target strategy across AstraZeneca disease areas. We partner closely with therapeutic area scientists in Oncology, CVRM, Respiratory, Immunology, and Infectious Disease — as well as AI engineering and AI research teams.

What the Role Involves

This is a hands‑on individual contributor role at the intersection of artificial intelligence and drug discovery biology. You will apply your technical skills in AI and biology to build, deploy, and evaluate agentic AI and predictive modeling tools that support new target discovery across AstraZeneca’s therapeutic areas.

Key responsibilities

• Work with therapeutic area scientists to understand their challenges and apply agentic AI and predictive models to accelerate target identification and validation.
• Build and deploy multi‑agent AI systems into therapeutic area workflows, translating AI capabilities into actionable scientific insights.
• Develop, evaluate, and benchmark predictive foundation models for in silico biology — including perturbation prediction, virtual cell models, and preclinical efficacy forecasting.
• Write production‑quality code, pipelines, and tools that the team and broader organization can rely on.
• Collaborate effectively within cross‑functional project teams, communicating technical findings to both expert and non‑expert audiences.
• Contribute to AstraZeneca’s external visibility through publications, conference presentations, and scientific collaborations.

Essential Skills

• PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, AI/ML, systems biology, or a related quantitative discipline, or a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree with equivalent research experience. Candidates with additional post‑doctoral or industry experience are equally encouraged to apply.
• Experience with agentic AI, LLM‑based reasoning systems, or multi‑agent architectures applied to scientific problems.
• Experience with predictive AI modeling for biology — foundation models, graph neural networks, perturbation models, or virtual cell approaches.
• Understanding of drug discovery biology: target identification, target validation, mechanism of action, or translational science.
• Strong technical proficiency in Python (required); experience building production‑quality code, pipelines, and tools for scientific applications.
• Hands‑on experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, JAX, or equivalent) for model development and evaluation.
• Effective communication of technical and scientific findings to diverse audiences.
• Enthusiasm and persistence in applying AI methods to complex biological problems.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with multi‑agent orchestration frameworks or scientific reasoning platforms.
• Knowledge of targeted delivery modalities such as antibody‑drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecifics, or degraders.
• Experience integrating multimodal biological data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, functional genomics).
• Familiarity with clinical translation — biomarkers, patient stratification, or preclinical‑to‑clinical bridging.
• Experience working in pharma or biotech R&D.
• Proficiency in R for statistical analysis or bioinformatics workflows.
• Experience working in pharma or biotech R&D.

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life‑changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial — finding those moments and recognising that movement. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organisation to reset expectations of what a bio‑pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, pioneering cutting‑edge methods and bringing unexpected teams together.

So, what’s next?

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media

Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

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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.

Date Posted 22-Oct-2026

Closing Date 30-Oct-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, startingwithourrecruitmentprocess. Wewelcomeandconsiderapplicationsfromallqualifiedcandidates,regardlessofcharacteristics.Weofferreasonableadjustments/accommodations to helpallcandidates to perform at theirbest. If you have a needfor any adjustments/accommodations,pleasecompletethe section inthe applicationform.