Senior Principal Scientist, Biologics AI Innovation
- Cambridge
- Permanent
- Full-time
Location: Cambridge, UK
Competitive Salary & Excellent Company BenefitsWhat you will doAstraZeneca is seeking an exceptional Senior Principal Scientist to lead innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategies that are transforming its Biologics drug discovery & design. Based at our world-class R&D center in Cambridge, UK, the ideal candidate will spearhead novel computational approaches, drive the design and optimization of Biologics-based therapeutics, and collaborate cross-functionally to deliver scientific and technical breakthroughs at the interface of AI, structural biology, and drug discovery.Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development and application of advanced AI/ML models for the design, engineering, and optimization of biologics (e.g., monoclonal antibodies, proteins, nanobodies, multispecifics).
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to innovate and automate workflows, integrating experimental and computational platforms.
- Mentor and guide junior data scientists, bioinformaticians, and molecular engineers in the application of data-driven approaches.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and external partnerships relevant to AI-enabled Biologics Engineering.
- Lead or contribute to the publication of high-impact scientific articles and present at internal and external conferences.
- Establish best practices for integrating large, complex biological datasets (protein sequences, structures, biophysical data) into model development pipelines.
- Translate scientific advances into actionable strategies for Biologics program teams, driving impact from hit discovery through candidate optimization.
- Champion responsible for innovation in AI, data privacy, and ethical use of machine learning in biologics research.
- Ph.D. or equivalent in Computational Biology, Structural Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong experience in biopharmaceutical R&D or academia, with a strong track record of innovation in AI or machine learning applications for biologics.
- Deep expertise in protein modeling, biologics design, or related fields, with hands-on experience deploying deep learning or advanced statistical models in a research environment.
- Proficiency with modern AI/ML tools and frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn).
- Demonstrated experience working with large, complex biological and biophysical datasets.
- Excellent communication, prioritisation, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals and demonstrated impact on biologics drug discovery programs.
- Experience leading teams or complex scientific projects in an industrial research setting.
- Knowledge of structure-based drug design, antibody engineering, or protein-protein interaction modeling.
- Familiarity with laboratory automation, high-throughput screening, and experimental design for biologics discovery.
- Awareness of regulatory, ethical, and privacy considerations for data-driven drug discovery.