Head of Automation and Digital Science

Are you driven by the potential of digital transformation to revolutionize pharmaceutical development? AstraZeneca is seeking a Head of Automation and Digital Science for our Chemical Development team—an exciting role where you’ll lead the integration of automation and digital science to reshape the future of process development and manufacturing. As a strategic leader, you’ll ensure that digitalization and automation not only enhance our approach to process development but are fully aligned with our goals in Chemical Development, accelerating our journey from discovery through to manufacturing.

Why This Role?

In this critical position, you will shape the vision for automation and digital strategy within Chemical Development, enabling a robust, data-centric approach to process innovation. At AstraZeneca, digital science and automation are essential to our Chemical Development framework, providing the connective infrastructure that links lab-based experiments, process optimization, and large-scale manufacturing. This role gives you the unique opportunity to lead end-to-end digital integration across Chemical Development, enabling seamless data continuity that drives rapid, informed decision-making across all stages of development and production.

Your Impact

Integrated Chemical Development Digitalization: Lead the development and execution of a digital framework that spans the entire Chemical Development process. By implementing a unified data and automation strategy, you will ensure that critical insights flow seamlessly from early research to production, driving precision, quality, and innovation across each stage.

Automation in Process Development: Oversee the creation of integrated automation platforms that connect data from high-throughput experimentation (HTE), process development, and scale-up. Your work will allow real-time, data-driven insights to support predictive analytics and continuous optimization throughout the Chemical Development lifecycle.

Data Architecture & Process Alignment: Design AstraZeneca’s operational data framework to support Chemical Development objectives, ensuring that process engineering, computational chemistry, and lab data are integrated into a unified digital ecosystem. You will streamline data capture, harmonize information, and align digital infrastructure with Chemical Development demands, enabling smarter, faster decision-making in process development.

Collaborative Innovation in Chemical Development: Partner with IT, data science, and global engineering teams to refine digital architectures that align with our Chemical Development needs. Your leadership will drive a cohesive data ecosystem, bridging static data sources with real-time insights, and enabling a responsive, efficient process across the business.

Your Key Responsibilities

Optimize Automation and Data Continuity: Drive integration of automation with real-time data capture and analysis, establishing a continuous feedback loop that accelerates both decision-making and process optimization across the Chemical Development spectrum.

Ensure Data Accessibility across Chemical Development: Develop and implement best-in-class data models that make data accessible and actionable across AstraZeneca’s chemical development operations, from research through full-scale production, to drive efficiency in all stages of Chemical Development.

Advance Digital Infrastructure for Chemical Development: Shape and execute a data continuum strategy that aligns with our Chemical Development requirements, ensuring data is effectively captured, transformed, and leveraged across research, development, and manufacturing.

Champion Collaborative Digitalization: Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to build advanced digital frameworks supporting AstraZeneca’s long-term digitalization goals, including predictive maintenance, process optimization, and the vision for a “future factory” in Chemical Development.

What You Bring

Domain Expertise in Chemical Development and CMC: Extensive experience in data management, information architecture, and digital strategy within pharmaceutical or chemical development settings, with a focus on enabling data-driven process development. Knowledge of CMC processes across the full drug development spectrum, from drug substances to drug products.

Comprehensive Knowledge from Drug Substance to Drug Product: Deep understanding of the CMC and Chemical Development lifecycle, including the transition from drug substance development through formulation and final drug product production. Your insight into these stages will support a seamless digital and data strategy that aligns with every phase of development.

Automation Vision for Chemical Development: Strong ability to leverage data and automation in Chemical Development environments—from lab automation to enterprise-level data solutions—that enhance process efficiency, quality, and control.

Leadership in Cross-Functional Digital Strategy: Proven success leading cross-functional teams to create a cohesive digital ecosystem, ensuring a continuous flow of information that aligns with Chemical Development objectives across research, development, and manufacturing.

Innovative Perspective: A forward-thinking approach to data strategy, capable of transforming Chemical Development processes through a data-centric model that drives efficiency, innovation, and streamlined regulatory compliance.

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca, data is at the core of everything we do. As Head of Automation and Digital Science, you will not only define the future of our automation strategy but also lead a data revolution across our Chemical Development processes. Join us in creating a data ecosystem that seamlessly connects research, development, and manufacturing, empowering breakthroughs that change lives.

Apply Today and lead the digital transformation of Chemical Development at AstraZeneca!

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.