Associate Principal Scientist, Biologics AI

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the AI strategy for biologics discovery and engineering to deliver measurable impact on pipeline goals.
• Lead cross-functional discovery initiatives from problem framing through deployment, translating computational insights into experimental design.
• Architect and develop cutting-edge models, including protein language models, geometric methods, and de novo protein design.
• Establish closed-loop design–build–test–learn workflows with experimental teams using active learning and uncertainty quantification.
• Set standards for high-quality data generation, curation, and metadata in collaboration with wet-lab leaders.
• Oversee the end-to-end ML lifecycle, including data pipelines, model development, validation, and deployment.
• Mentor and upskill scientists across AI/ML and experimental domains.
• Communicate strategy, progress, and scientific insights to senior stakeholders and external partners.

Requirements

• PhD in a quantitative field (Computer Science, ML, Bioinformatics, Physics, Chemistry, etc.) with 8+ years of experience, or a Master's with 12+ years of experience.
• Proven track record applying AI/ML to proteins, antibodies, or related biologics.
• Deep technical expertise in deep learning, generative models, and structure-aware/geometric methods.
• Experience establishing iterative computational–experimental cycles (e.g., active learning, design–build–test–learn).
• Proficiency with modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience with cloud-based ML environments and scalable data workflows.
• Strong ability to lead and influence in matrixed, multidisciplinary environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with antibody/nanobody engineering and multi-objective optimization.
• Expertise in diffusion models, autoregressive LMs, and graph neural networks.
• Experience integrating multi-modal data types (sequence, structure, and biophysical assays).
• Background in MLOps and deploying scientific software into production discovery workflows.
• Strong external scientific profile through publications, patents, or open-source contributions.

About the Company

AstraZeneca is a forward-thinking BioPharmaceutical company dedicated to delivering life-changing medicines. We foster a collaborative and inclusive environment where innovation drives our mission to help patients worldwide.