Chemical Engineering - Macclesfield - Work Experience

Year 12 Work Experience Programme

Chemical Engineering - Macclesfield

About AstraZeneca 

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Disease, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism and Respiratory & Immunology. 

Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca has a strong global presence with 6 strategic R&D centres in the US, UK, Sweden and China, and 30 manufacturing sites across 17 countries.  Its innovative medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide.  

Our R&D focuses on delivering life-changing medicines for today’s highest unmet medical needs and investing in transformative technologies to pioneer next generation solutions for tomorrow and the day after.  By partnering across industries and borders, we collaborate and pursue opportunities to access the best science, fostering innovation and co-creating solutions that meet patients’ needs. 

We create great employee experiences that ignite innovation, unite diverse talent and unlock capacity.  We do this by being champions of inclusion and diversity and fostering personal growth and enterprise leadership.

Programme description

During the work experience placement, you will experience:

• An introduction to the pharmaceutical industry. 

• Application of STEM subjects to drug development andmanufacturing.

• Tours of our world-class laboratories and manufacturing facilities. 

• An introduction to common processing steps and equipment in the pharmaceutical sector (including batch vs continuous chemistry, types of chemical reactors, heat transfer principles, fluid flow, process safety, and process scale up).

• Practical demonstrations related to A-Level Chemistry.

• Career advice from those currently working for AstraZeneca plus a chance to chat with the current cohort of the apprenticeship scheme, industrial placement students, and graduates. 

What knowledge/skills will you gain?

• Understanding of what it takes to deliver a new medicine to the market. 

• Difference between Drug Substance & Drug Product. 

• Awareness of roles based on STEM in AstraZeneca, and the different entry points. 

• Application and development of STEM knowledge and skills. 

• Experience the workplace environment whilst making new friends. 

What we won’t cover 

• Target selection and Discovery Science around how the medicine works. 

• Biology/Pharmacy/DMPK/Clinical Trails. 

Programme information

AstraZeneca has an exciting opportunity for 1 x one-week unpaid work experience placement based at our Macclesfield site. The placement dates are as follows: 

• Monday 6th July to Friday 10th July 2026
  

Working hours will be 9 am to 4 pm* 

(* Monday will be 8:30 am start to allow time to register with reception)

Who can apply?

To be eligible to apply, students must be in Year 12, studying Maths and Chemistry, plus one other relevant science-based subject such as Further Maths, Biology or Physics A-Level, and wanting to have a career based around STEM.