Senior Scientist – Peptide discovery, Biologics Engineering Full-time

Senior Scientist – Peptide Discovery

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to harness in vitro display platforms to unlock the next generation of peptide therapeutics for patients? In this Senior Scientist role, you will apply your expertise in mRNA, phage, yeast, and ribosome display to discover and optimize recombinant peptides that can reshape treatment options and accelerate our pipeline.

Based at our Discovery Centre in Cambridge (UK), you will join a multidisciplinary team operating at the interface of technology and biology. You will design and execute robust experiments, analyse complex data with modern tools, and translate insights into high-quality candidates and platform improvements. Can you see yourself building smarter libraries, running decisive selections, and using data and automation to make better decisions faster?

Accountabilities:

• Lead end-to-end selection campaigns using mRNA, phage, yeast, and ribosome display, delivering validated peptide hits with clear go/no-go criteria.
• Design and generate high-quality peptide and scaffold libraries that maximize diversity and fitness for purpose, aligned to target biology and downstream developability needs.
• Devise and execute enrichment strategies that improve specificity, affinity, and functional outcomes; iterate based on data to increase hit quality and rate.
• Apply next-generation sequencing to quantify enrichment, decode sequence-function trends, and guide prioritization and optimization.
• Use AI, machine learning, and computational methods for sequence prioritisation, library design, and lead optimisation to improve success rates and speed.
• Implement and refine automated workflows to boost throughput, reproducibility, and efficiency across discovery activities.
• Partner closely with protein sciences, assay development, and therapeutic area teams to align discovery outputs with biological function and clinical relevance.
• Plan, execute, troubleshoot, and optimize experiments; maintain accurate, high-quality records and communicate results clearly to diverse stakeholders.
• Propose and implement new selection strategies, chemistries, and workflows that expand capability and impact of peptide discovery across the portfolio.
• Translate scientific creativity into tangible pipeline assets and platform innovations that increase probability of technical success and shorten time to patient benefit.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, protein engineering, peptide science, or a related discipline, with relevant postdoctoral or industry experience; alternatively, a Bachelor's or Master's degree with substantial equivalent experience in peptide or biologics discovery.

Required Skills:

• Strong hands-on experience in molecular biology methods and technologies (e.g., PCR, RT-PCR, cloning (ligation-dependent and independent methods), site-directed mutagenesis, Sanger sequencing/analysis), ideally applied to generation of peptide (or other protein scaffold) libraries.
• Extensive experience of peptide hit identification and engineering using display technologies such as mRNA, phage, yeast, and ribosome display, including library design/generation, and selection campaigns using diverse enrichment strategies.
• Experience with next-generation sequencing (NGS) applied to peptide discovery.
• Experience applying AI, machine learning, and/or computational methods to therapeutic discovery, ideally in support of peptide hit finding, sequence prioritisation, library design, or lead optimisation.
• Experience with automation and/or workflow development to improve discovery efficiency, reproducibility, and throughput.
• Ability to optimize protocols, troubleshoot, interpret experimental results/data and maintain accurate, high quality and up-to-date experimental records.
• Demonstrated scientific creativity, with the ability to propose and implement new workflows, selection strategies, and platform improvements that enhance peptide discovery and engineering capabilities.
• Strong communication skills in a team environment and an ability to learn and embrace new technologies quickly.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Experience with incorporation of non-canonical amino acids in in vitro display systems and their application to peptide discovery or optimisation.
• Experience in therapeutic antibody discovery: hit identification and optimisation.
• Experience in high-throughput antibody screening, reformatting and characterisation methods including in vitro biochemical assays (ELISA, SPR, BLI or flow cytometry) and functional assays.
• Experience with leading/co-leading and/or managing research projects.

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, your science moves with purpose. You will work with cutting-edge biotechnology, new drug modalities, and rich data to shape how serious diseases are treated, including opportunities at the earliest stages where impact is greatest. We bring diverse experts together to spark bold ideas, apply innovative methods like AI and novel selection strategies, and learn quickly from real evidence. We value kindness alongside ambition, empowering you to take smart risks, collaborate deeply, and see your discoveries turn into medicines that reach patients.

Call to Action: If you are ready to elevate peptide discovery and build therapies that matter, step into this role and shape what comes next.