Senior Assay and Automation Scientist

AstraZeneca•Gaithersburg, MD

6d•Onsite

About The Position

This role is ideal for a scientist with a hybrid background in assay development, screening technologies, and laboratory automation, who can bridge biology and engineering to deliver robust, scalable platforms for biologics drug discovery. The Assays, Profiling and Pharmacology (APP) team within Biologics Engineering is responsible for developing high-throughput, robust, and innovative assay platforms to characterize novel biologics in collaboration with AstraZeneca’s therapeutic area teams. The group supports drug discovery across a broad range of therapy areas, including oncology, respiratory and inflammation, cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic disease. A major component of the team’s work is the design, development, and implementation of industry-leading automated workflows to enable high-throughput biochemical and cellular assays. The team combines assay biology, pharmacology, automation, and data analysis to deliver cutting-edge discovery capabilities and support AstraZeneca’s expanding biologics portfolio and novel drug modalities. In this lab-based role, you will serve as a hybrid assay and automation scientist, responsible for the development, optimization, standardization, and automation of biochemical and cell-based assays for biologics discovery and technology development. You will work closely with scientists, automation specialists, and IT partners to build end-to-end workflows that can be deployed across projects and implemented on integrated robotic platforms to support drug discovery pipeline projects. You will independently design, execute, analyze, and interpret experiments, while contributing scientific and technical expertise to multidisciplinary project teams. The role also includes identifying and developing new screening technologies, solving complex assay and platform challenges, and helping to establish scalable approaches for discovery of complex biologic modalities such as T-cell engagers, ADCs, cytokine fusions, and other next-generation therapeutics.

Requirements

PhD in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, or a related field, with at least 2-3 years of relevant experience in industry or academia, or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline with at least 5 years of relevant experience in industry or academia
Strong experience and technical depth in assay development, screening, and automation, with a clear commitment to quality, reproducibility, and scientific rigor
Experience developing 96- and 384-well biochemical and cell-based assays for screening and characterization
Hands-on experience with liquid handling systems such as Hamilton, Tecan, Integra ViaFlo, or comparable automation platforms
Experience developing or transferring assays onto automated or integrated high-throughput workflows
Experience using software tools for automated data analysis, visualization, and handling of larger datasets
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working effectively in cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams
Demonstrated ability to solve technical problems creatively and improve assay or screening technologies and processes

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with integrated automation and scheduling software from HighRes Bio would be a plus
Industry experience in biologics drug discovery and in vitro pharmacology
Experience with imaging platforms, multicolor flow cytometry, and immune-cell based assays
Experience with primary cell assays, especially in immune or functional screening contexts
Experience managing and interpreting large, complex screening datasets
Experience leading scientific initiatives or contributing within matrix project teams

Responsibilities

Design and optimize 96- and 384-well biochemical and cell-based assays for screening, hit identification, and pharmacological characterization of biologics.
Build and implement automation-ready assay workflows using platforms such as Hamilton, Integra ViaFlo, Tecan, or similar systems.
Create robust, scalable high-throughput screening assays for broad project use in partnership with cross-functional teams.
Identify and implement large data analysis packages (Eg: GeneData Screening) to automate HT data analysis.
Develop assays to evaluate T-cell engagers, ADCs, cytokine fusions, and other advanced biologic formats.
Use primary immune cells, imaging, ELISA, and flow cytometry to profile biologic activity and mechanism.
Collaborate closely with automation, data science, and IT teams to improve assay throughput, reproducibility, and integration.
Contribute to new assay, screening, and automation technologies that strengthen biologics discovery.
Present findings, recommendations, and risks clearly to multidisciplinary teams and support project decisions.