Postdoctoral Fellow – High Concentration Protein Formulations, Biopharmaceutical Development
Postdoctoral Fellow – High Concentration Protein Formulations, Biopharmaceutical Development
Location: Gaithersburg, US
Department: Biopharmaceuticals
Our Postdoc Programme is for self-motivated individuals looking to take on interesting, high impact projects in a collaborative, challenging and reputable environment. Do you have expertise in, and passion for, biophysics, analytics, and formulation development? Would you like to apply your expertise to impact the development of high concentration patient-centric formulations in a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life changing medicines?’ Then join the Formulation Sciences department at AstraZeneca and unlock the power of what science can do.
Therapeutic Area Description:
The BioPharmaceutical Development team is a fully integrated global organization. We are passionate and proud of what we do, we’re developing our deep pipeline of new therapeutics by delivering projects from early research to late-stage development. We combine a bold ambition with huge potential. Our innovative team develops high-yielding, efficient production processes for even the most challenging and novel molecules. We’re providing clinical products with stable formulations and developing a range of drug delivery options. In combination with advanced device development, we’re creating medicines that patients want to use. Contribute to our growth at this exciting time and you’ll be immersing yourself in cutting-edge science you won’t find everywhere, in a way you won’t find anywhere.
Research Supervisor:
Vivek Prabhu, Polymers and Complex Fluids group leader, NIST
Job Summary:
In this exciting Postdoctoral Fellow position, you’ll research and develop advanced analytical tools to characterize protein-protein interactions in ultra-high concentration liquid formulations. This project is supported by the Dosage Form Design and Development (DFDD) group that develops pharmaceutically stable, market competitive, user-centric biopharmaceutical dosage forms for biologics, including drug products, drug delivery systems, and delivery devices for clinical and commercial use. The Formulation Sciences team develops robust formulations and optimizes the drug product presentation to deliver patient-centric medicines.
Project Focus:
This project will conduct pioneering research in the development of ultra-high concentration formulations by understanding the role of protein-protein interactions in crowded environments. Our Postdoc will collaborate with experienced AZ interdisciplinary scientists with diverse set backgrounds, and an exceptional research mentor and his team, specifically aligned to the project, to develop advanced scattering techniques and appropriate biophysical methods to characterize proteins at ultra-high concentrations. This work will enable the prediction of protein-protein interactions based on the experimental data generated and a computational model.
Supported by Monica Castellanos, Associate Director at AstraZeneca, you'll also receive research mentorship and guidance from Vivek Prabhu, Group Leader, Polymers and Complex Fluids at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Key Duties & Responsibilities:
Our Postdoctoral Fellow will conduct ground-breaking research in a state-of-the-art laboratory that is focused on the development of biotherapeutic drug substance and drug product designs, formulations and fill-finish process for therapeutic proteins. You will use advanced scattering techniques to underpin the role of protein-protein interactions, and work with a cross-functional team to develop models that enable predictions of such interactions in liquid formulations at high concentration.
Perform biophysical characterization and/or analytical assays in support of protein solubility, stability, elucidation of protein degradation mechanisms.
Lead and drive the project under the supervision of cross-functional AstraZeneca team and in collaboration with external partners.
Presenting scientific findings to both internal audiences within the company and external scientific community.
Plan, write, publish, and present high-quality scientific papers and technical reports.
Essential Qualifications / Education:
PhD degree in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutics, chemical/biochemical engineering or related field
A maximum of 4 years of postdoctoral experience
Experience with scattering techniques, such as static and dynamic light scattering, X-ray and/or neutron scattering
Extensive knowledge of biophysical characterization of proteins
Basic/working knowledge of programming/coding language and computational models
Desirable Requirements:
Knowledge of one or more of the following areas is a plus, but not required: formulation development, rheology, spectroscopy techniques, polymer physics, machine learning, or data science
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Strong planning, organizational, and time management skills
Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary, research environment
You will work in an industry-leading group with a strong publication track record, while being supported by a leading external collaborator and his team. Ultra-high concentration formulations have the potential to transform patient outcomes and drive differentiation by enabling the delivery of high doses subcutaneously. Current workflows require extensive lab experiments and time, which delay the development of patient-centric stable dosage forms at high concentrations. By understanding the mechanisms driving self-association and protein-protein interactions in crowded conditions, a rational and efficient approach for high concentration formulation development can be established.
AZ’s Postdoc Programme: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/postdocs-astrazeneca
Life at AstraZeneca: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/life-at-astrazeneca
This is what we’re made of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmFx_jr2eFo&t=2s
Req Open Date: Apr 21, 2025
Req Close Date: May 25, 2025
Stages of interview: Applicants are reviewed for fit/skills and invited to each step. You may not be invited to each step. (1) One-way video interview and (2)
Virtual Interview Panel with presentation.
To find out more go to: astrazeneca.com and https://careers.astrazeneca.com/bpd
We anticipate a high volume of applicants, so do not delay, applying today!
Compensation for this role, depending on years of research experience, is a minimum of $99,900 to $107,500 + short-term incentive. Some relocation supplements depend on distance and location at the employer's discretion.
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 authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.
