Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, Data Science Summer Internship

Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, Data Science Summer Internship

Cambridge

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical business and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. AstraZeneca Summer Internships introduce you to the world of ground-breaking drug development, embedding you in highly dedicated teams, committed to delivering life-changing medicines to patients. Our 10–12-week program is designed for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. We offer exciting opportunities across Research & Development, Operations, and Enabling Units (Corporate functions).

Our internships immerse students in the pharmaceutical industry, allowing the opportunity to contribute to our diverse pipeline of medicines whether in the lab or outside of it. You will feel trusted and empowered to take on new challenges, but with all the help and guidance you need to succeed. This internship will help you develop essential skills, expand your knowledge, and build a network that will set you up for future success. You will be surrounded by curious, passionate, and open-minded professionals eager to learn and follow the science, fostering your growth in a truly collaborative and global team.

Introduction to role: Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences (CPSS) aims to accelerate delivery of the right dose of the right medicine for every patient by harnessing predictive sciences. This internship will advance that vision by applying data science to in vitro transcriptomics to improve candidate selection and elevate the quality of safety decision-making. The role focuses on building robust, reproducible analytics to interpret large-scale ‘omics datasets and evaluate how well transcriptomic signals predict outcomes from traditional toxicology profiling. By integrating dose–response transcriptomic signatures with established safety endpoints, the intern will help identify mechanistic risks earlier, quantify potency, and prioritize safer compounds more efficiently.

Accountabilities

Integrate within a multidisciplinary team: Collaborate closely with Informatics scientists, Safety ‘omics, Predictive safety and safety scientists to understand the source material and project aims.

Set up and explore data: Ingest a defined in vitro transcriptomics dataset; perform basic QC and normalization; document sources, assumptions, and a short data dictionary.

Baseline analysis: Conduct differential expression and pathway enrichment for a small compound panel focused on a single organ liability; produce clear plots and a brief methods summary.

Dose–response insights: Derive concentration–response trends for key pathways; estimate simple potency metrics (e.g., EC50) and summarize findings.

Reproducible delivery: Organize code and notebooks in a version‑controlled repository;

Communicate and hand over: Present a concise summary to stakeholders; deliver a handover note with recommended improvements and data/analysis logs.

Stretch objective: With support of the team, explore options to build a lightweight model linking transcriptomic signatures to one traditional toxicology endpoint; report performance with limitations.

Essential Criteria

Currently undertaking a Data Science (or closely related) degree.

Experience of (completed modules or projects focused on):

Modelling big data

Computational mathematics, and

Probability & statistics

Must be at least 18 years of age at time of application.

Must have UK right-to-work status.

Must return to schooling at program close (candidates graduating before/during the programmes are ineligible).

Desirable Criteria

Experience of communicating data science results.

AstraZeneca is where you can immerse yourself in groundbreaking work with real patient impact.

Trusted to work on important projects, you’ll have the independence to take on new challenges while receiving all the guidance you need to succeed. Our collaborative environment is designed to help you grow professionally and personally, surrounded by passionate individuals eager to make a difference.

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca, starting with the 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 reasonable adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

Ready to make an impact? Apply now and join us on this exciting journey!

#Earlytalent

Date Posted

21-Jan-2026

Closing Date

04-Feb-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.

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.