Statistical Science Associate Director

Job Title: Statistical Science Associate Director

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to apply advanced statistical thinking to shape pivotal decisions across the full drug development lifecycle, from preclinical to late-stage submissions? In this role, your work will directly influence evidence strategies, regulatory interactions, and how we bring life-changing medicines to patients faster and with confidence.

You will join a high-visibility team that partners across therapy areas to design smarter studies, quantify benefit–risk with clarity, and translate sophisticated data into decisive action. With access to a broad pipeline and extensive capabilities, you will lead multiple studies and indications, guide external partners, and help set standards that others will follow. How will you use modelling and simulation to accelerate robust decisions while elevating quality?

Accountabilities:

• Project Leadership and Delivery: Serve as lead statistician for a project or indication in clinical or preclinical areas; direct statistical staff and CRO partners to ensure delivery to standards, quality, and timelines.
• Statistical Strategy and Decision Support: Lead statistical contributions to study design, development plans, regulatory strategy, health technology assessment, and commercial activities; develop design options and provide high-quality decision support for informed study and project decisions.
• Benefit–Risk and Value Quantification: Quantify the benefit, risk, value, and uncertainty of emerging asset and product profiles to guide portfolio choices and external engagement.
• Methodological Innovation: Investigate and apply novel statistical approaches, including modelling and simulation, to address key statistical issues, respond to regulatory guidance, and strengthen value demonstration.
• Standards, Best Practice, and Capability Building: Establish and improve standards and procedure; contribute to and/or lead process improvements and capability development to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
• External Representation and Influence: Consult across project teams in your area of expertise; interact with external scientists and represent AstraZeneca Biometrics through publications and presentations on novel statistical methods and procedure.
• People Development and Mentoring: Mentor, coach, and support the education and training of statistics staff; deliver pragmatic solutions at pace, then refine and develop them as needed to scale impact.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Lead the statistical thinking and contributions to the delivery of studies, development plans, regulatory strategy, health technology assessment and/or commercial activities.
• Direct project work, including statistical staff and/or CRO partners, to ensure delivery to standards, quality and time.
• Develop design options and provide high quality decision support to enable the business to make informed decisions about a study or project.
• Quantify the benefit, risk, value and uncertainty of the emerging asset/product profile.
• Investigate and apply novel statistical approaches, for relevant statistical issues and/or regulatory guidance and/or value demonstration, including modelling and simulation.
• Mentor/coach and support the education and training of statistics staff.
• Ability to consult across project teams within area of expertise.
• Application of expert skills to investigate, apply novel statistical approaches, for relevant statistical issues and/or regulatory guidance and/or value demonstration, including modelling and simulation.
• Produce pragmatic solutions, often within a tight time scale where the emphasis will be to deliver first, then refine and develop solutions thereafter.
• Contribute to/or lead the development of a process improvement and/or capability area within the department.
• Establish and improve standards and procedure, apply novel statistical approaches to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
• Interact with external scientists and represent AstraZeneca Biometrics externally via publications and presentations on novel statistical approaches and procedure.
• Mentor/coach and support the education and training of statistics staff in the technical arena.

• Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Experience as a Global Project Statistician for a standard drug project, leading delivery and oversight across multiple studies/indications.
• Track record applying modelling and simulation to complex development questions and value demonstration.
• Experience partnering with CROs and directing statistical workstreams across cross-functional teams.
• Record of external publications and presentations on innovative statistical methods and procedure.
• Demonstrated leadership in establishing standards, process improvement, and departmental capability building.
• Advanced degree or equivalent experience in statistics, biostatistics, or a related quantitative field, and proficiency with R and/or SAS.
• When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we ignite 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.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here, statisticians shape outcomes from the earliest study designs to high-stakes submissions, working with diverse experts to solve sophisticated, exciting problems that matter to patients. You will be trusted to innovate and experiment, backed by extensive capabilities and a rich pipeline that offers meaningful variety and scale. We blend courage with kindness, challenge with support, and put unexpected collaborations to work—so your ideas can influence decisions across therapy areas and your craft can grow through continuous learning, constructive critique, and real-world impact.

Call to Action:

Step into a role where your statistical leadership will accelerate decisive, patient-focused outcomes—bring your expertise to our team and help shape the next wave of life-changing medicines!

Date Posted

Closing Date

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 authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.