Associate Director, AI for Discovery — New Target Discovery

AstraZeneca • Cambridge, MA

16h • $144,649 - $216,973 • Hybrid

About The Position

This is an expert, hands-on role at the intersection of artificial intelligence and drug discovery biology. You will bring deep technical expertise in AI and biology to drive the adoption and application of agentic AI and predictive modeling tools across AstraZeneca’s therapeutic areas to accelerate new target discovery.

Requirements

• PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, AI/ML, systems biology, or a related quantitative discipline, with 5+ years of post-doctoral and/or industry experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in agentic AI, LLM-based reasoning systems, or multi-agent architectures applied to scientific problems.
• Experience with predictive AI modeling for biology — foundation models, graph neural networks, perturbation models, or virtual cell approaches.
• Deep understanding of drug discovery biology: target identification, target validation, mechanism of action, or translational science.
• Strong technical proficiency in Python (required); experience building production-quality code, pipelines, and tools for scientific applications.
• Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, JAX, or equivalent) for model development and evaluation.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams as a technical expert and strategic contributor.
• Strong scientific communication — track record of publications, conference presentations, or external collaborations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with multi-agent orchestration frameworks or scientific reasoning platforms.
• Knowledge of targeted delivery modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecifics, or degraders.
• Experience integrating multimodal biological data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, functional genomics).
• Familiarity with clinical translation — biomarkers, patient stratification, or preclinical-to-clinical bridging.
• Experience with cloud computing (AWS) and high-performance computing environments.
• Proficiency in R for statistical analysis or bioinformatics workflows.
• Experience working in pharma or biotech R&D.

Responsibilities

• Partner with therapeutic area scientists to identify high-impact use cases where agentic AI and predictive models can accelerate target identification and validation.
• Apply technical expertise to deploy multi-agent AI systems into therapeutic area workflows, translating cutting-edge AI capabilities into actionable scientific insights.
• Advise cross-functional matrix project teams on leveraging AI-driven approaches for target prioritization and investment decisions.
• Contribute to the development and benchmarking of predictive foundation models for in silico biology — including perturbation prediction, virtual cell models, and preclinical efficacy forecasting.
• Contribute to the team’s scientific strategy and roadmap in close partnership with the Senior Director and team members.
• Build AstraZeneca’s external visibility through publications, conference presentations, and scientific collaborations.
• Act autonomously as a subject matter expert, influence through technical credibility, and drive outcomes across organizational boundaries.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Excellent Benefits
• Short-term incentive bonus opportunity
• Equity-based long-term incentive program
• Qualified retirement program (401(k) plan)
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid leaves
• Health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree