Senior Scientist, Translational Immunology – Cancer Vaccines Full-time NEW

Senior Scientist Position

Do you have deep expertise in immunology and a passion for translating mechanistic insights into innovative vaccines and immune-based therapies? Would you like to apply your scientific leadership in a company that follows the science and turns bold ideas into life-changing medicines? If so, AstraZeneca may be the right place for you.

This Opportunity We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join the Translational Immunology group within the Infectious Disease Therapeutic Area in Gaithersburg, MD. This group bridges pre-clinical development and early clinical trials, generating the mechanistic and translational insights needed to guide next-generation vaccines and immune therapies across cancer vaccines and chronic viral disease.

This is a primary bench-based role for an expert immunologist who can do more than execute experiments. We are looking for a scientist with deep technical expertise, especially in flow cytometry, who can independently drive projects, generate high-quality mechanistic data, and work effectively across a matrixed environment to move programs forward. The successful candidate will help shape translational strategy while remaining closely connected to the experimental work.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and execute translational immunology studies to evaluate cellular immune responses and define mechanisms linked to therapeutic activity and efficacy.
• Lead the development, optimization, and application of multi-color flow cytometry assays, including panel design, staining strategy, controls, compensation, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
• Develop and implement functional cell-based assays to evaluate mechanisms of action, including T cell activation, cytotoxicity, cytokine production, proliferation, and related immune readouts.
• Independently drive scientific questions and project execution, identifying priorities, interpreting results, and proposing next steps with a strong sense of ownership.
• Partner effectively across a matrixed research environment, working with discovery, translational, oncology, virology, clinical, and computational colleagues to align stakeholders and advance programs.
• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly in team meetings, governance discussions, and scientific presentations.

Essential Requirements

• PhD in Immunology or a related scientific discipline, with 5+ years of relevant experience in translational immunology, oncology, infectious disease, or vaccinology.
• Deep expertise in cellular immunology and a strong track record of scientific achievement through publications, applied research, and mechanistic investigation.
• Extensive hands-on experience with multi-color flow cytometry, including panel design, assay optimization, execution, troubleshooting, and rigorous data analysis.
• Strong experience developing and applying cell-based functional immune assays.
• Solid understanding of immunology in oncology, infectious disease, or chronic viral infection.
• Demonstrated ability to independently drive projects and contribute strategically, not solely as experimental support.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills, with success working across cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.

Desirable Requirements

• Deep understanding of tumor biology, immuno-oncology techniques, and experimental model systems
• Experience with single-cell approaches such as scRNA-seq, CITE-seq, or ATAC-seq is a plus, but not required.

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.

At AstraZeneca, we are driven by a sense of purpose to transform healthcare globally. Our commitment to pandemic preparedness ensures lasting immunity for people worldwide. We thrive on collaboration, investing in groundbreaking partnerships that lead to essential breakthroughs. Our diverse community empowers everyone to share ideas that challenge norms and push scientific boundaries. With cutting-edge technology at our fingertips, we engineer next-generation vaccines that promise profound impacts on global health.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join our team of innovators!