Scientist, Research Histologist

AstraZeneca•Waltham, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At AstraZeneca, we push the boundaries of science to change the practice of medicine and transform the lives of patients living with cancer. With one of the broadest and deepest Immunology pipelines in the industry, there are many opportunities to work with new and novel drugs. Our collaborative environment empowers us to take smart risks, challenge the norm, and learn from failures. We are united in our vision to eliminate cancer as a cause of death, making bold moves that truly improve patient outcomes. Join us in our mission to make a meaningful difference for patients around the world! The annual base pay for this position ranges from $92,252.00 - $138,378.00. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Requirements

BS or MS in Biology or related discipline, with at least 2 years of experience in a histopathology laboratory
Experience and competency in performing routine histology procedures including trimming, embedding, microtomy, and staining tissues
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail applied to laboratory responsibilities, data recording, and transparent reporting to project teams

Nice To Haves

Experience developing, optimizing, and validating IHC assays, including antigen‑retrieval and titer optimization, and documentation of performance characteristics
Experience using image analysis platforms such as Indica Labs HALO for quantitative analysis of IHC endpoints
Histotechnician (HT) or Histotechnologist (HTL) (ASCP) certification

Responsibilities

Perform end‑to‑end histology processing of tumor and normal tissues from mouse xenograft studies, including tissue trimming, paraffin embedding, microtomy, routine histochemical staining, immunohistochemical (IHC) on validated automated staining platforms, and archival of formalin‑fixed, paraffin‑embedded (FFPE) samples
Work collaboratively with in vivo scientists to provide study-aligned histology endpoints as follows: Characterize new tumor models, including disseminated models of hematologic cancers and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), and models from drug-resistant patients and conditions
Use IHC-based endpoints with established markers to support pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) and efficacy studies in mouse models following therapeutic drug testing
Participate in general laboratory maintenance, including buffer preparation, reagent restocking, and basic equipment upkeep
Digitally archive slides using the Leica Aperio or similar platform
Accession FFPE samples into a digital specimen database and file blocks in designated storage to maintain retrievability
Summarize and present findings to project teams and capture complete records in an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) in a timely manner