Senior Scientist (In Vivo Core Skills)
Animal Science & Technologies
Location
Cambridge
Salary
Competitive
Introduction
At AstraZeneca, ideas become life‑changing medicines. This role sits at the heart of in vivo science, where rigorous experimentation, high standards of animal welfare and scientific curiosity unite to advance treatments for some of the world’s most challenging diseases. Based at our dynamic Cambridge site, the position offers the chance to deepen specialist in vivo expertise, influence study design and delivery, and see the impact of your work on real patient outcomes. As a Senior Scientist in the AST Core Skills team, the role leads and delivers specialist procedures, drives refinements and innovation, and ensures that Core Skills are seamlessly integrated into in vivo studies across multiple therapy areas. Working largely independently within a multidisciplinary environment, this position combines hands‑on technical excellence with leadership, training and operational stewardship.
Accountabilities
In this role you will plan and execute specialist in vivo procedures and platforms, ensuring delivery to high scientific and regulatory standards. You will provide contingency support across sections and therapy‑area led studies, maintaining continuity and quality when priorities shift or new demands arise. A key part of the role is maintaining robust data integrity, traceability and contemporaneous documentation for all activities, including in‑life data capture, time accounting and animal welfare records. You will uphold technical and regulatory standards, contribute to protocol optimisation and workflow improvements, and help implement innovative approaches and refinements. Close collaboration with Study Leads will be essential to align specialist tasks with study timelines, welfare considerations and facility constraints. You will also take operational stewardship for specialist equipment and spaces, ensuring they are maintained, compliant and ready to support evolving scientific needs. Alongside this, you will mentor and train less experienced colleagues, share best practice across teams and champion continuous improvement in in vivo research.
Essential Skills & Experience
* Current or past Home Office personal licence holder (modules A, B & C) or equivalent qualification
* Current or recent competency in a broad range of in vivo skills
* Proficient with a range of rodent animal models
* Ability to lead within at least one Core Skills area
* Understanding of 3Rs principles
* Problem‑solving skills related to in vivo research
* Fully conversant with all aspects of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Directive 2010/63/EU and associated Home Office guidelines
* Understanding of current principles and concepts in own area of work
* Experience with data integrity, traceability, and contemporaneous documentation systems
* Fluent in verbal and written English
* Highly motivated independent scientist able to work effectively as part of a team and develop ideas by incorporating the views of others
Desirable Skills & Experience
* Proven cross‑sectional delivery and leadership experience in coordinating specialist activities across multiple stakeholders and study teams
* Ability to lead across multiple core skills
* Experience as NACWO or deputising for NACWO
* Experience in complex necropsy procedures
* Experience as trainer/assessor
* Experience refining peri‑operative care and anaesthesia
* Experience contributing to evidence‑based animal welfare refinements, welfare monitoring systems and/or in vivo innovations
* Proficient in IT and digital tools, including troubleshooting
* Experience in pharmaceutical industry
* Post‑graduate degree in relevant sciences, or proven track record of specialist in vivo work
* Experience with root cause analysis, critical reflection/review of study outcomes, troubleshooting and/or implementation of corrective actions
* Experience with experimental design and data analysis
We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments and accommodations to help all candidates perform at their best. If you have a need for adjustments, please complete the section in the application form.
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