Senior Scientist - Drug Discovery (AI/ML)

AstraZeneca seeks a Senior Scientist in Drug Discovery with expertise in computational biology and cell therapy. The role involves developing AI/ML models from large-scale datasets, conducting discovery experiments, and collaborating across a matrix organization in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Responsibilities

• Plan, conduct, and troubleshoot discovery research experiments independently with clear data interpretation
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-driven machine learning models to extract insights from structured and unstructured data
• Provide technical instruction to team members and allocate administrative work appropriately
• Prepare and deliver presentations within Cell Therapy Unit and across other organizational functions
• Ensure compliance of own work and peer work with AstraZeneca standards and external regulations

Requirements

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, or Computer Science
• Minimum 3 years experience in Cellular Therapy, Immunology, Immuno-Oncology, Computational Biology, or Data Science
• Proficiency in Python and/or R programming languages
• Experience with UNIX-based systems, high-performance computing (SLURM), and large-scale data management
• Expertise in omics technologies and processing large-scale biological datasets (single-cell, spatial transcriptomics)
• Deep understanding of AI, predictive modeling, and statistical methods for machine learning
• Hands-on expertise in T-cell functional characterization assays and multi-parameter flow cytometry

Compensation: $118,870.40–$178,305.60 base