Senior Scientist – Ex Vivo Patient-Derived Platforms & FACS
AstraZeneca•Gaithersburg, MD
•Onsite
About The Position
AstraZeneca is seeking an exceptional Senior Scientist to join their Oncology Translational Science team. This role will focus on advancing the understanding of tumor immunology and therapeutic response through sophisticated ex vivo patient-derived platforms and multi-parameter flow cytometry. The ideal candidate will drive innovation in assay development, lead translational research initiatives for Tier 1 assets, and contribute to predictive biomarker strategies that bridge preclinical findings with clinical outcomes.
Requirements
- MS in Immunology, Cell Biology, Cancer Biology or related discipline with 5+ years of experience, or BS with 10 + years of relevant pharmaceutical/biotechnology research experience
- Expert-level proficiency in multi-parameter flow cytometry including panel design, spectral cytometry, intracellular staining, and cell sorting
- Demonstrated experience with ex vivo patient-derived tumor platforms (PDTF, tissue slices, or organoids)
- Strong background in tumor immunology, immune cell biology, and cancer drug discovery
- Hands-on expertise in T-cell functional assays, tumor/immune co-cultures, and primary cell isolation/enrichment
- Proficiency in stable cell line generation using lentiviral or electroporation methods
- Experience with cytokine detection platforms (ELISA, MSD) and cellular viability/cytotoxicity assays
- Advanced skills in flow cytometry analysis software (FlowJo, SpectroFlo, BD FACSDiva)
- Proficiency in statistical analysis and data visualization (GraphPad Prism or equivalent)
- Excellent technical writing skills for protocols, SOPs, study reports, and regulatory documentation
Nice To Haves
- Experience supporting IND submissions and regulatory filings
- Track record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
- Familiarity with bispecific antibodies, immune engagers (T-cell, NK-cell, neutrophil), or CAR-T therapies
- Experience with machine learning approaches for biomarker discovery
- Knowledge of GLP/GCP principles and quality systems
Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end workflows for patient-derived tumor platforms including PDTF (patient-derived tumor fragments) and tissue slice cultures
- Design and execute ex vivo pharmacodynamic profiling studies to evaluate AstraZeneca and competitor therapeutic candidates
- Establish robust tumor/immune cell co-culture systems to assess therapeutic efficacy, including cytotoxicity, immune cell activation, and target engagement
- Process and analyze primary patient specimens with meticulous attention to sample integrity and experimental reproducibility
- Design, optimize, and implement high-dimensional spectral flow cytometry panels (20-30+ colors) for comprehensive immune profiling of patient tumors
- Conduct antigen density quantification, intracellular signaling assessments, and functional immune cell characterization
- Perform single-cell sorting, fluorescent antibody labeling, and specialized applications including trogocytosis and proliferation assays
- Utilize platforms including Cytek Aurora, BD FACSymphony, and other state-of-the-art cytometry instruments
- Develop and validate novel flow cytometry-based assays to evaluate immune cell function, T-cell modulation, and therapeutic mechanisms of action
- Optimize cellular assays including cytotoxicity, phosphorylation, proliferation, and cytokine secretion readouts
- Generate stable cell lines using lentiviral transduction and electroporation-based methods for target validation and assay development
- Establish CAR-T cell generation protocols and functional evaluation pipelines
- Integrate multi-modal readouts (flow cytometry, cytokine profiling, target engagement) to provide comprehensive pharmacodynamic assessments
- Develop predictive models linking ex vivo responses to clinical outcomes, supporting patient stratification strategies
- Collaborate with computational biology teams to build machine learning pipelines for therapy response prediction
- Contribute scientific findings to regulatory submissions (IND), publications, and patent applications
- Partner with Discovery, Clinical Development, and Biomarker teams to align translational strategies with program objectives
- Serve as the ex vivo platform subject matter expert for oncology programs, particularly novel immune engagers and targeted therapies
- Mentor junior scientists and provide technical guidance on complex immunological assays
- Present data at internal reviews, cross-functional meetings, and external scientific conferences
Benefits
- Competitive compensation package including salary, bonus, equity
- Comprehensive benefits
- Qualified retirement programs
- Paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves)
- Health, dental, and vision coverage
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
