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Early Careers at AstraZeneca

Quality Apprenticeship Programme

Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland (Metro Washington DC)

Applications are now open for our 2024 intake! Adverts opened August 5, and close September 15. Click R-206299 to apply.

About the Programme

Our 2-year programme, starting November 2024, offers a unique full-time opportunity that combines training with hands-on, paid practical experience.  As an apprentice, you'll not only receive a competitive salary but also work towards achieving a nationally accredited vocational qualification that can be carried with you wherever your career takes you.

Throughout the programme, you’ll work alongside experts and mentors to gain in-depth experience and tackle real tasks. This means being part of our journey to provide life-changing medicine to patients all over the world.

two women in a lab looking at a tablet

About Quality at AstraZeneca

Within our Operations business area, the Quality function partners closely with Process Development, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain to ensure the safety and efficacy of our medicines before they are used in clinical trials or the commercial market.

We’re currently offering Laboratory Technician Apprenticeships within our Quality Control (QC) team in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This department supports the testing of products and monitors our manufacturing environments to ensure patient safety and the timely release of our medicines globally.  

Through the apprenticeship, you’ll receive training in QC standards, routine testing, environmental monitoring, and data entry. As an Apprentice QC Lab Technician, you may carry out duties such as performing aseptic sampling for environmental monitoring, preparing solutions and standards with appropriate documentation, and assisting in QC archiving, logbook management, and records retention.

Here, you'll learn while making important contributions, because regardless of role or level, we all have an important part to play in making a positive difference. Join us and take your first step towards a successful career in the biopharmaceutical industry!

Learning and Development

We’re huge advocates of early careers, and we all want you to succeed. Bring us passion and energy and we’ll support you all the way, encouraging you to fulfil all your potential.

Here, you’ll learn and earn in a supportive team, guided by expert managers, mentors and buddies who will help you develop the skills you seek and push and encourage you to get the most out of our programme.

In our highly energized environment, the potential for growth is immense. We want you to actively engage in your personal development and seize every opportunity to learn. And if you have ideas about how to improve our processes and performance, we want to hear them.

Essential Requirements

We’re looking for enthusiastic individuals, with a passion for learning and team-players who take the initiative and apply logical thinking and problem solving.  

Please see individual job advertisements for specific educational requirements.

Our Commitment to Inclusion and Diversity’

AstraZeneca will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, or because they are an individual with a disability or a person 40 years old or older. AstraZeneca will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30.

To find out more about our inclusion and diversity policy, click here.

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Glassdoor logo Rated four stars on Glassdoor

Great culture, great work assignments, supportive management. Rotation opportunity within the company. They value inclusion and diversity.