Associate Principal Scientist - Oligonucleotide Chemistry

Are you a passionate Scientist with expertise in Oligonucleotides and have a great interest in research and development of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics? Do you wish to join a growing team where you will have the opportunity to further exploit our drug discovery platforms? If yes, we have just the position for you at AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences in Gothenburg, Sweden! We are currently recruiting a motivated Associate Principal Scientist with passion, expertise, and experience to join the Oligonucleotides and Targeted Delivery Chemistry team within the Oligonucleotide Discovery Department in Discovery Sciences R&D in Gothenburg, Sweden. AstraZeneca is committed to the development of next generation innovative medicines and is focused on expanding the use of oligonucleotides and molecular conjugates thereof, in the treatment of diseases across therapy areas. As a member of the chemistry team you will have a key role to influence the strategy as well as to develop and lead the science in the field to expand the use of therapeutic oligonucleotides in drug projects within AstraZeneca. You will drive scientific leadership within oligonucleotide medicinal chemistry through internal efforts and in collaboration with leading academic institutions and biotech companies. What you will do This is a senior scientific role within the Oligonucleotide Discovery department, and you will work in close collaboration with scientists in other Medicinal Chemistry departments, Discovery Sciences, Pharmacology, DMPK, Safety and Pharmaceutical sciences with a focus to design and develop the oligo therapeutics of the future. You will be a strategic leader for the scientific area and have impact across multiple projects in the AstraZeneca portfolio. You will also contribute to shaping the future therapeutic oligonucleotide build, identifying opportunities to innovate in the interface between oligonucleotide chemistry and conjugation to other chemical modalities. You are expected to mentor junior scientists by providing expert advice and opportunities to grow scientifically. Job accountabilities include: * Have expert knowledge with proven track record of design and synthesis of therapeutic oligonucleotides and conjugates thereof * Strongly influence the strategic direction for the build of therapeutic oligonucleotides and conjugates thereof and their application to relevant disease areas in AstraZeneca * Provide scientific expertise needed to impact multiple projects in all phases of oligonucleotide-based drug discovery in AstraZeneca * Strong influence across disciplines in the project core teams to ensure state of the art approaches in oligonucleotide medicinal chemistry are used to answer the scientific hypotheses * Coach and support scientists in oligonucleotide medicinal chemistry by advising and challenging them and by providing expert knowledge and interpretation of complex data * Recommend and champion new innovations that enable Oligonucleotide Discovery department to meet its overall objectives * Show strong leadership capabilities in collaborative working, strategic thinking and leading through others * Demonstrate scientific leadership through high quality publications, conference presentations and by building networks with key opinion leaders and academic groups * Have a solid knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry in the global context and ability to translate this into new business opportunities * To evaluate and manage external collaborations & in-licensing opportunities Essential Requirements * A PhD in Organic Chemistry and a post-doc experience (or equal experience) * > 5 years of professional experience in pharmaceutical industry or academia * Expert knowledge and significant experience in oligonucleotide medicinal chemistry including IP strategies * Substantial track record of innovation and milestone delivery in oligonucleotides drug discovery projects across phases * Strong knowledge in biological processes enabling the design of effective oligonucleotide ligand conjugates * Strong influencing skills to build capabilities and implement improvements in oligonucleotide medicinal chemistry and drug discovery across disciplines * Sound knowledge of related disciplines including DMPK, pharmacology, in vitro screening, safety, IP, pharmaceutical development, and early clinical development * Strong social and interpersonal skills, showing respect and inclusion when engaging with scientists across disciplines * Strong evidence of experimental impact through a track record of High-Impact and High-Quality publications and external presentations * Excellent written and verbal communication skills including ability to present to senior leaders and an ability to operate effectively in a multi-disciplinary research environment Why AstraZeneca? Our Gothenburg site is one of AstraZeneca's strategic science centres. We thrive in a multinational environment working cross-functionally across the globe with AstraZeneca colleagues as well as academic and industry partners. Our way of life is to develop a working environment that furthers collaboration, openness, and innovation. Therefore, we have built space for meetings, and socializing, where spontaneous meetings can give birth to new innovations. Does this sound like your next challenge and a good workplace for you? Welcome to apply today! We look forward to your application, but no later than August 4, 2024. For more information about the position please contact hiring manager Anders Dahlén at +46 31 706 4842 or anders.dahlen@astrazeneca.com