Associate Director – Continuous Engineering, Data and Control

Job Title: Associate Director – Continuous Engineering, Data and Control

Introduction to role

Join us as an Associate Director in our Chemical Engineering & Continuous Processing function! You will lead a dynamic team of engineers, data scientists, and control specialists in developing continuous processes and new technologies to support the clinical and commercial manufacture of our small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Chemical Development team, where technology is a key lever in delivering more medicines to patients quickly, affordably, and sustainably.

Your Business Area

In Chemical Development we believe that nothing is impossible, and we are determined to push the boundaries of science to deliver medicines to our patients. We combine people’s technical knowledge and understanding with their talent and drive to design, develop and optimise chemical processes that deliver the APIs of our medicines in a sustainable, commercially viable way.  We believe in innovation and continuous improvement, working closely with colleagues in academia and across industry, to ensure that we apply the latest technologies and principles in the processes we develop.

Our ambition is to establish an environment that facilitates the seamless integration of the right new technologies with the right process understanding to deliver safe, robust and sustainable manufacturing processes for the future.  To achieve our bold ambition, we have an open position for Associate Director – Continuous Engineering, Data and Control, to help define and coordinate the delivery of the technical understanding necessary for successful implementation of continuous processing.

Accountabilities

As an Associate Director, you will lead your team in collaboration with continuous chemistry specialists to define technologies, process understanding, and implementation of continuous processes both internally and through external partners. You will collaborate with drug project teams to integrate continuous operations into drug development processes and workflows. Additionally, you will support Operations manufacturing sites, Pilot Plant, and external CMOs to trial and embrace the right manufacturing technology to meet our future drug substance needs.

You will act as a mentor and coach for engineers, data scientists, and control specialists in the activities required for continuous processing implementation; driving technical excellence, alongside a high-performing safety culture and regulatory compliance. Your leadership will foster effective communication and collaboration between different departments to achieve common objectives and lay the pathway for successful implementation.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelors/Masters/PhD in chemical engineering, chemometrics or similar subject area

• Excellent working knowledge of the science behind a broad range of API pharmaceutical unit operations and their control.

• Good technical understanding and experience of continuous unit operations and technologies used in the development and manufacture of API

• Experience of the implementation of digital tools and data analytics within development and/or manufacturing

• A good understanding of the drug substance development process from discovery through to launch and first-hand experience of supporting development activities and clinical or commercial manufacture.

• A thorough understanding of the principles and management of SHE and cGMP

• Strong understanding of change management principles and demonstrated ability to drive change.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to engage and collaborate across boundaries

• Demonstrated ability to mentor and coach to build capability in others.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Experience of supporting development activities and/or clinical and commercial manufacture working with contract manufacturing organisations

• Application of risk-based approaches in project delivery

• Experience in the application of continuous unit operations and technology in a manufacturing environment

• Experience of automation control systems used in the laboratory and/or plant environment

• Functional understanding of software and coding platforms used for data processing and control logic eg. Python, Matlab, Simca, PharmaMV

• Understanding of the pharmaceutical regulatory environment, ideally with experience of application to new technology

• A natural facilitator, with understanding of lean principles and experience of the application of lean tools

• Passionate about innovation, technology, and manufacturing science, with an appreciation for the wider landscape, including Industry 4.0/5.0.

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 our commitment to deliver accelerated growth for AstraZeneca and make people's lives better. We thrive on new challenges and work towards innovative solutions. Our inclusive community supports each other on our journeys, backed by personal commitment. With opportunities for global careers and great rewards, AstraZeneca is where you can make a significant impact.

Ready to take on this exciting challenge? Apply now!

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.