Scientist, Scale-Up Lab

Do you have a passion for Science?

Would you like to apply your expertise to impact a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life changing medicines? Then AstraZeneca might be the one for you!

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you’re our kind of person.

About AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg, MD:

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland facility creates life-changing medicines for people around the world. This campus employs more than 3,500 experts in our field and is only a short drive from Washington, DC. This modern and vibrant scientific campus is the home of R&D and Oncology in the US. Here, we play host to some of the most cutting-edge technology and lab spaces, all designed to inspire collaboration and cross-functional science. We believe employees benefit from being challenged and inspired at work. We are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion and collaboration. The Gaithersburg site offers a variety of amenities to help boost productivity and help keep our employees happy and healthy. This includes a fitness center, employee healthcare clinic, electric vehicle charging stations, dry cleaning, full-service cafeteria, and copy center. This is where you’ll find newly designed, activity-based workspaces to suit a variety of working styles while increasing collaboration between teams.  

Summary of the group:

The Manufacturing Sciences Scale Up Lab (SUL) is responsible for production of cell culture and microbial materials for development, toxicology, and process scale-up studies in a non-GMP environment.  This team works closely with process development scientists, process engineers, automation scientists, and the technical transfer group to demonstrate process scale up and technology capabilities.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Planning, performing, and solving 50L to 200L bioreactors in an R&D setting for fed-batch and perfusion cell culture processes

• Planning, performing, and solving of a 30L single use fermenter for microbial processes

• Harvest operations including continuous flow centrifuges, depth filtration, and TFF

• Planning, performing, and solving for continuous downstream operations

• Produce data and material for downstream development, toxicology, formulation, and stability studies

• Make detailed observations, analyze data, interpret results, and present data at group and department meetings

• Evaluate new technologies and implements new tools to improve process outcomes

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Successful candidate will have a Bachelor or Master of Science degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related life sciences field. 

• Relevant industry related experience: B.S. with 5-8 years of related experience or M.S. with 2-5 years of related experience

Required Skills:

• Experience operating cell culture and/or purification equipment: bioreactors, CIP skids chromatography skids, offline and online analytics, and excellent aseptic technique

• Knowledge and experience operating continuous centrifuges and depth filtration skids

• Strong problem solving, experimental design, interpersonal, presentation, and documentation skills

• Ability to work in a team environment or independently

• Requires periodic weekend work

Desired Skills:

• Knowledge of engineering principles including mass transfer and application to bioprocessing

• Experience culturing CHO and HEK cell lines; purification techniques of monoclonal antibodies

• Fermentation experience, E. coli preferred

• Experience working with pilot scale bioprocessing equipment (>50L)

• Programming experience (VB.net, python, etc.)

• Fundamental understanding of meaningful quality attributes vital for cell culture, fermentation, and purification

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial - finding those moments and recognizing their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organization to reset expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, groundbreaking cutting edge methods, and bringing unexpected teams together. Interested? Come and join our journey.

So, what’s next!

Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available, and we hope it’s yours.

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media,

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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.

AstraZeneca requires all US employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 but will consider requests for reasonable accommodations as required by applicable law.