Associate Director, Early Data Science and Computational Oncology, AstraZeneca Oncology R&D

Join AstraZeneca, a global, science-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and delivering innovative, meaningful medicines and healthcare solutions. Our vision in Oncology is to redefine cancer, redefine our solutions to cancer, and restore patients' lives. We are expanding our Early Data Science team to meet the challenges of pre-clinical and clinical big data generation initiatives in AZ Oncology. We are seeking a talented and motivated bioinformatician with strong expertise in single-cell sequencing and/or cancer genomics. This is your chance to make a big impact. Be part of the team that will eliminate cancer as a cause of death!

Accountabilities:

• You will leverage multi-omic data (scRNA, scATAC, WES, bulk RNAseq, proteomics) from preclinical models and patients to understand mechanism of action of our compounds in the TDR and DDR areas.
• You will work as part of our TDR/DDR project teams to define novel markers of response & resistance from preclinical models and patients on our clinical trials.
• You will work on the development and application of computational approaches with a strong focus on drug portfolio applications.
• You’ll apply innovative computational/statistical algorithms and visualizations to:
  • Generate actionable biological insight from genomic data.
  • Discover and develop new molecular target, mechanism and biomarker hypotheses.
  • Link multi-omic data sets from patients and in vitro/vivo models.
  • Integrate and interpret proprietary and public data spanning multiple platforms.
• You will proactively engage in knowledge sharing and peer support, including training our bench science community to build expertise in the tools critical to Oncology bioinformatics.
• Build and steer development of small prototype tools for bench scientists to access and visualise project data.
• Collaborate with industry and academia, and utilise external resources, to find the most effective solutions to our drug discovery problems.
• Publish your work in high impact journals.

Essential requirements:

• PhD and significant postdoctoral experience in either:
  • bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing technologies.
  • cancer genomics.
• Proficiency analysing and interpreting data from multiple 'omic platforms (NGS sequencing, transcriptomic, epigenetic, proteomic etc.).
• Expertise in the analysis of genomic data (WES, targeted panels, WGS) covering QC, handling, processing & interpretation.
• Expertise in querying, mining and interpreting cancer variants from public resources (TCGA, MSK-IMPACT).
• Expertise in pathway enrichment tools and interpretation of the data to derive actionable biomarkers.
• Knowledge of statistical methods  applicable to cancer biology.
• Knowledge of cancer genetics and/or the DNA damage response.
• R and/or Python programming and visualisation expertise.
• Skilled in effective communication of complex data to a non-expert.

Desirable requirements:

• Publication record in either cancer genomics, bulk or single-cell transcriptomic applied to cancer.
• Knowledge of databases of clinical interpretation of cancer variants.
• Biological understanding of cancer signaling pathways.
• Expertise in the development of novel statistical approaches for the analysis of biological data.
• Awareness of machine learning, graph modelling, artificial-intelligence, Bayesian analytics or other non-traditional approaches to model biological data.
• A thorough understanding of the contribution of bioinformatics to drug discovery.
• Well networked within external bioinformatics and oncology communities.

• Capability of successfully managing multiple simultaneous projects.
• Working effectively within cross-disciplinary science teams, including with functional leaders.
• Experience contributing to the research community through publication, conferences and code.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca?
Join the team dedicated to Oncology, with an ambition to eliminate cancer as a cause of death. It's our big vision that unites and inspires us. With multiple indications and high-quality molecules at all stages of our innovative pipeline, we keep pushing forward. Fusing cutting-edge science with the latest technology to achieve breakthroughs. Backed by investment, we are aiming to deliver 6 new molecular entities by 2025. A place built on courage, curiosity and collaboration, we make bold decisions driven by patient outcomes. Empowered to lead at every level, free to ask questions and take smart risks that write the next chapter for our pipeline and Oncology team.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now and join us in our mission to eliminate cancer as a cause of death!

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.