Senior Research Scientist – Protein Scientist

AstraZeneca


Job Location:

Cambridge - UK

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed
Posted on: 30+ days ago
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Job Title: Senior Research Scientist Protein Scientist

Location: Cambridge UK

Salary: Competitive with excellent benefits!

Introduction to the Role:

Biologics Engineering Functionin the UKis basedatour newstate-of-the-artDiscovery Centre (DISC)locatedon the Cambridge Biomedical Engineeringis responsible forthe discovery and optimisation of biological candidate drugs to support alltherapy area drug discovery pipelines and for the development of in-house biologics discovery platforms and novel drug modalities to support future drug discovery efforts.

About the Role

We areseekinga highly motivated Senior Scientist to join Biologics Engineering within the Protein Sciences & Analytics (PS&A) team supporting the generation ofBioconjugates.AstraZeneca are looking to strengthen capability in conjugation workflows and enabledata-drivenoptimisationof bioconjugate design and production.

The successful candidate will combine hands-on conjugationexpertisewith strong analytical and data science capabilities working at the interface of protein science chemistry and computational analysis.

Accountabilities:

  • Express purify and characterize antibodies and protein constructs (IgG VHH fusion proteins) to support conjugation workflows.

  • Independently perform bioconjugategeneration using a variety ofconjugation strategiesfor examplelysine/cysteine chemistries and enzymatic methods.

  • Execute analytical QC for conjugates and proteins usingSEC HIC RPHPLC LCMS and SDSPAGE; ensuredata integrity andtimelyreporting.

  • Support linkerpayload and conjugation route development by preparing highquality protein starting materials and performing smallscale conjugation trials.

  • Contribute to functional assays and collaborate with cell biologyandbiologicsprofiling teams for downstream evaluation.

  • Maintainaccurateelectronic lab notebooks SOP compliance and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in workflows and automation.

  • Present data at team meetings and contribute to technical reports for governance and project progression.

  • Mentor junior staff and support training in protein handling and QC techniques.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

  • Deliver purified proteins and conjugates to specification and timelines for multiple pipelineand technology projects for bioconjugates.

  • Troubleshoot purification and conjugation challenges; propose solutions to improve yield and quality.

  • Apply biophysical and biochemical characterization to assess protein quality stability andconjugationreadiness.

  • Collaborate closely with conjugation scientists analytical teams and project leads to ensure seamless integration of protein and conjugation workflows.

  • Uphold data integritystandards; contribute to lab organization and process optimization.

Education & Experience Requirements

  • PhD in Biochemistry Structural Biology ChemicalBiologyor related discipline.
  • Strong foundationin protein expression purification and characterization; experience with bioconjugation is highly desirable.
  • Familiarity with analytical techniques (SEC HIC RP-HPLC LCMS) and data interpretation.

Required Skills

  • Handson experience in protein biochemistry: expression systems (mammalian bacterial) purification (affinity ion exchange size exclusion) and QC.

  • Ability to learn and apply bioconjugationchemistriesand workflows.

  • Competence in analytical characterization and troubleshooting.

  • Experience with scientific databasese.g.GendataBiologics.

  • Strong organizational skills attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks in a fastpaced environment.

  • Familiarity with highthroughput automated purification systems.

  • Effective communication skills for crossfunctional collaboration and data presentation.

Desired Skills

  • Experience with structural biology or mechanistic studies of protein complexes.

  • Directexperience with bioconjugates for example antibody-drug and antibody-peptide conjugates (ADCs and APCs).

  • Exposuretocomplex biologicsformats and developability assessments.

  • Knowledge ofAI/ML-based approaches to protein design.

  • Experience with scripting or data analysis tools (e.g.Python R).

  • Experience contributing to publications or patents.

Why AstraZeneca:

AstraZeneca is a science-led global biopharmaceutical company with a focused portfolio in core therapies. At AstraZeneca we turn ideas into life changing medicines. We are committed to improving the health and lives of people across the globe through our research and development platform and a growing late-stage pipeline. Working in over 100 countries we have strength in emerging markets and our medicines are used by millions of patients and clinicians worldwide. Working here means being results-oriented and working together to make the impossible a reality.


Here you will apply cutting-edge biophysics automation and AI-enabled analytics to help transform the future of cancer treatment. We unite decisive science-driven teams who act fast on smart risks speak up and challenge conventionalways guided by evidence. With a deep pipeline and unparalleled data you will collaborate with diverse experts learn across disciplines and see your work directly influence how new medicines move forward. We value kindness alongside ambition and we bring unexpected teams together to unleash bold thinking that turns complex problems into meaningful progress for patients.

So whats next

Are you already imagining yourself joining our team Good because we cant wait to hear from you.

Where can I find out more

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03-Jun-2026

Closing Date

16-Jun-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations please complete the section in the application form.

Required Experience:

Senior IC

Job Title: Senior Research Scientist Protein Scientist Location: Cambridge UKSalary: Competitive with excellent benefits!Introduction to the Role:Biologics Engineering Functionin the UKis basedatour newstate-of-the-artDiscovery Centre (DISC)locatedon the Cambridge Biomedical Engineeringis responsi...

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