AstraZeneca

Associate Principal Bioinformatics Specialist, Omics, Oncology Data Science Platforms

Introduction to role:

Are you an expert in bioinformatics pipelines and data engineering workflows for biomarker discovery? Do you want to make a significant impact on cancer research by applying your knowledge in a company that transforms scientific ideas into life-changing medicines? If so, AstraZeneca could be your next career destination!

Accountabilities:

Join our growing ODSP team to support AstraZeneca Oncology's strategic initiatives in high-throughput molecular data generation, including somatic DNA sequencing, single-cell and bulk transcriptomics, proteogenomics, and digital pathology. As a Bioinformatician with expertise in NGS 'omics data, you'll design and apply innovative computational analysis methods to advance our multi-omics research portfolio. Your strong quantitative skills will help build scalable solutions to interrogate diverse cancer 'omics datasets, empowering researchers to use AI systems for data-driven decision-making and biomedical knowledge generation.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field with 5+ years of applied experience in bioinformatics data analysis or Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field with 0+ years of experience
• Deep understanding of at least one type of molecular profiling data and experience in analysing Illumina NGS results.
• Investigating, developing and testing to explore novel automated and manual bioinformatics methods approaches to improve sensitivity and specificity of NGS based workflows.
• Strong, professional communication skills and excellent attention to detail, capable of developing good effective collaborative relationships with diverse teams of technical and non-technical analysts, engineers, scientists, strategists.
• Experience working within a team environment.
• Takes ownership of tasks and has a can-do attitude.
• Proven programming skills, (Python preferred). and familiarity with software development best-practices (end-to-end tests, unit testing, version control)
• Experience working in Unix environments, and exposure to at least one common workflow languages such as Nextflow or Snakemake
• Cloud computing (preferably AWS), and High-Performance Computing (HPC)
• ‘Builder’ mindset and adopts reflexive AI approach
• Familiarity with Azure OpenAI or using other large language models in software development to accelerate the software lifecycle; understanding of best practices

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Proficiency analysing and interpreting data from multiple 'omics platforms (NGS sequencing, transcriptomics, epigenomics, genomics, proteomics etc.) in an oncology context
• Exposure to public cancer knowledgebases and resources (e.g. dbSNP, COSMIC, gnomAD, GDC, TCGA, 1000 Genomes etc)
• Direct experience or strong familiarity with LLM frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LlamaIndex) and their application to scientific problems
• Experience with code sharing and versioning (Github) and Atlassian suite (Jira, Confluence)
• Well networked within external bioinformatics and NGS communities
• Awareness of machine learning, graph modelling, Bayesian analytics or other non-traditional approaches to model biological data for biomarker discovery

At AstraZeneca, we are committed to creating the future of medicine by becoming a healthcare provider beyond medicines. We focus on being truly patient-centric by using technologies to better understand diseases, develop new medicines, and support patients comprehensively. Our digitally-enabled Research & Development cycle enhances clinical trials, data collection, digital therapeutics for rapid diagnostics, wearables, machine learning, visual analytics for informed decision-making, integrated data for improved patient outcomes, and insights for the next generation of products. Here, you are empowered to explore and disrupt while working on cutting-edge innovations. If you thrive on adapting your skills and learning from setbacks as we evolve and innovate simultaneously, AstraZeneca is the place for you.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join our team!

Date Posted

02-Jul-2025

Closing Date

15-Jul-2025Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.