AstraZeneca

Senior Assay and Data Specialist

AstraZeneca$116K — $174K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD in Pharmacology, Bioengineering, Quantitative Biology, Computational Biology, or related field with 2 years of relevant experience
  • Proven experience coding for data analysis and pipeline development
  • Demonstrated understanding of assay design AND statistical interpretation
  • In-depth technical knowledge of assay development with dedication to quality and scientific rigor
  • Strong communicator and teammate with experience in multi-disciplinary teams
  • Ability to tackle challenges creatively in assay technologies and processes.

Responsibilities

  • Work with cross-functional teams to standardize and automate high-throughput biochemical and cellular assays
  • Optimize automated in-vitro assay workflows, primarily 2D and plate-based
  • Capture high-quality, high-throughput data with well-structured, FAIR-compliant metadata
  • Curate, process, and analyze large assay datasets, developing scripts for QC and normalization
  • Collaborate with data engineers and scientists to create predictive ML/AI models based on assay data
  • Enhance throughput and data integrity through automation and analytical improvements.
  • Document processes in ELN/LIMS for traceability and metadata integrity.

Benefits

  • Qualified retirement programs
  • Paid time off including vacation, holidays, and leaves
  • Health, dental, and vision coverage
  • Eligibility for short-term incentive bonuses
  • Equity-based awards for salaried roles
Full Job Description
Senior Assay and Data Specialist

As a Senior Assay and Data Specialist, you'll work alongside wet lab assay scientists, automation engineers, and data scientists to build interconnected workflows. You'll be the primary assay and data hybrid scientist responsible for creating end-to-end data workflows for standardized cellular assays, ultimately employed for machine learning and AI initiatives. This role is equal parts lab-based and computational, involving independent design, execution, interpretation of scientific experiments, and effective communication of findings as part of a multi-disciplinary project team.

Accountabilities:
  • Work in cross-functional teams to standardize and automate HT biochemical and cellular assays.
  • Operate and optimize automated in-vitro assay workflows (mostly 2D, HT plate-based, flow-based).
  • Ensure high-quality, high-throughput data capture, with well-structured metadata compliant with FAIR principles.
  • Curate, process, and analyze large assay datasets, developing scripts/pipelines for QC and normalization.
  • Collaborate with data engineers and data scientists to build predictive models (ML/AI) based on assay data.
  • Continuously improve throughput and data integrity, driving automation and analytical maturity.


Assay operations & automation:
  • Develop, validate, and execute routine and complex in-vitro assays (cell-based, biochemical, flow-based, plate-reader, binding/functional).
  • Perform troubleshooting and optimization of assay conditions to maximize reproducibility and throughput.
  • Document all processes in ELN/LIMS, ensuring full traceability and metadata integrity.


Data curation, QC, and infrastructure development:
  • Design and implement automated data ingestion and QC pipelines for assay outputs (plate-reader, HT flow, imaging, kinetic, etc.).
  • Define and enforce data and metadata schemas for all assays.
  • Build basic ETL (Extract-Transform-Load) pipelines into centralized storage (data lake or on-prem system).
  • Liaise with informatics to connect instruments 12 LIMS/ELN 12 analytics layer.


Analytics & modeling:
  • Perform statistical analysis and visualization (curve fitting, EC50/IC50, QC metrics, reproducibility analysis).
  • Build and train machine learning models to predict assay behaviors, detect anomalies, or classify hits.
  • Integrate multi-assay data (e.g., bioassay + biophysics + omics) into analytical frameworks for decision-making.
  • Communicate data insights to program teams and leadership through dashboards or reports.


Essential Skills/Experience:
  • PhD in Pharmacology, Bioengineering, Quantitative Biology, Computational Biology, or related field with 2 years of relevant experience
  • Proven experience coding for data analysis and pipeline development
  • Demonstrated understanding of assay design AND statistical interpretation
  • Experience and in-depth technical knowledge of assay development with a dedication to quality and scientific rigor.
  • Strong teammate with good communication skills and experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams.
  • Ability to tackle challenges creatively, which contribute and improve assay technologies and processes.


Desirable Skills/Experience:
  • 3-6 years of experience in biopharma or biotech assay development/screening, ideally with automation exposure
  • Experience working in antibody or small molecule discovery teams


The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $116,284 to $174,426.. 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 plan.

Date Posted
17-Jun-2026

Closing Date
18-Jun-2026

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of prescription drugs. The company was formed in 1999 through the merger of Astra AB and Zeneca Group plc. AstraZeneca's products are used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes. The company has operations in over 100 countries and employs more than 76,000 people worldwide. AstraZeneca is committed to developing innovative medicines that improve the health and well-being of people around the world.
Learn more about AstraZeneca
Size
83,100 employees
Market Cap
$211.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
$3.1 billion
Founded
1999
5 Year Trend
+10.2%
Revenue
$26.6 billion
NASDAQ

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