Senior Scientist Digital Biopharmaceutics Full-time

Senior Scientist

At AstraZeneca we're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There's no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration. Always committed to lifelong learning, growth and development.

Join AstraZeneca's Biopharmaceutics group to accelerate the development of medicines for patients through modelling, simulation and digital innovation. This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of biopharmaceutics, predictive science and drug-product development in a collaborative, science-led environment.

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Scientist to shape and deliver digital-first biopharmaceutics strategies across drug projects. You will act as a key partner to cross-functional teams, applying model-informed approaches to guide formulation development, bridging strategies, regulatory decisions and the design of in-vitro characterisation programmes.

You will combine strong expertise in biopharmaceutics with scientific curiosity and a practical understanding of modelling and simulation. You will translate complex evidence into clear recommendations, champion robust predictive approaches and help embed reusable digital methodologies that improve decisions across the drug-development lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Project Leadership

• Define the biopharmaceutics strategy for assigned projects, with a strong emphasis on digital and model-informed approaches to guide formulation, bridging, and regulatory strategies.
• Champion the use of AstraZeneca's biopharmaceutics toolbox, particularly digital capabilities, to enable projects to save time, cost, and resources.
• Contribute to project plans by defining biopharmaceutics deliverables, milestones, and resource needs, working closely with project managers and unit leads to ensure efficient FTE allocation.
• Support the continuous improvement of unit ways of working, embedding new digital methodologies into standard practice.

Digital Biopharmaceutics, Modelling & Simulation

• Apply and advance physiologically based biopharmaceutics modelling (PBBM), PBPK, and other in silico techniques to predict drug behaviour, optimise dosage regimens, and inform formulation and regulatory strategies.
• Build mechanistic understanding of in-vivo dissolution, absorption, or injection/aerosol performance to guide the selection of in-vitro characterisation tools and interpret drug product performance data.
• Work proactively to eliminate or minimise in-vivo studies as appropriate through robust, model-based justifications.
• Stay at the forefront of emerging digital methods, including machine learning, AI-driven predictive tools, and next-generation simulation platforms, and use project insights to guide science & technology (S&T) investment towards high-impact capability gaps.

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage effectively with project teams, unit leads, internal stakeholders, and external partners, presenting findings and championing the digital biopharmaceutics strategy.
• Clearly communicate and document risks, strategies, mitigations, and recommendations.

Documentation, Reporting & Regulatory Contribution

• Ensure contemporaneous documentation of strategies, modelling work, and experimental results in electronic lab notebooks to capture project thinking and decision-making.
• Deliver internal and regulatory document authoring to agreed quality and timelines.
• Stay abreast of evolving regulatory expectations around model-informed drug development and biopharmaceutics, ensuring compliance with global guidelines and standards.

Essential Requirements:

• PhD (or MSc with substantial industry experience) in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biopharmaceutics, Chemical Engineering, Pharmacokinetics, or a related subject area.
• Proficiency in scripting or programming (e.g., Python, R) for data analysis and model automation.
• Demonstrable expertise in biopharmaceutics modelling and simulation (e.g., GastroPlus, Simcyp, PK-Sim, or equivalent).
• Strong understanding of drug product performance, dissolution science, and in-vivo predictive dissolution testing (IVIVC/IVIVR).
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to influence project strategy.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience with AI/ML applications in pharmaceutical development.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications or conference contributions in digital biopharmaceutics.
• Experience across multiple dosage forms (oral solids, parenteral, long-acting injectables, inhaled, etc.).

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. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Great! We welcome your application no later than 14 October 2026!