Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in chemistry in water (CiW) and sustainable technologie[...] in Macclesfield

24 month fixed term contract; Location: Macclesfield, UK. Competitive Salary And Benefits. We offer a competitive salary and benefits as part of a major UK grant working towards the sustainable manufacture of pharmaceuticals. We are currently looking to recruit a Post-Doctoral Researcher in Early Chemical Development (ECD) to work on the development of sustainable technologies for the manufacture of our medicines. This is a fixed term 24 month contract as part of a major UK grant working towards the sustainable manufacture of pharmaceuticals. You will join our team in ECD, Pharmaceutical Sciences (PS) on our Macclesfield Campus, UK. As a dedicated BioPharmaceutical Research & Development organisation, we accelerate promising early-stage assets and lifecycle management programmes. From discovery to late-stage development, we always follow the science.

What you’ll do: At AstraZeneca, we have set an ambitious carbon‑reduction target, aiming to become carbon negative for all residual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 (Ambition Zero Carbon 2030). We are looking for a hardworking, creative and experienced organic chemist to join the team. The successful candidate will work in two discrete research areas, both of central importance for improving the sustainability of the production of medicines. We have an established CiW programme at AZ, having demonstrated successful application of CiW to a wide variety of the most commonly used reactions en‑route to active pharmaceutical intermediates (API), but we, and the industry as a whole, have a lot to learn if we are to apply this approach routinely to the large‑scale synthesis of API. Work will focus on increasing our understanding of the recovery of key platinum group metal‑based catalysts from our processes, with the aim of significantly reducing the associated carbon footprint for a medicine. Additionally, we will investigate the sustainable recovery of platinum group metals, leveraging fundamental understanding of metal speciation under a variety of conditions (solvent, pH, etc.) and empirical observation to increase the fraction of precious metal we are able to recover from a given process. Both research areas described above are rich in examples, but generally poor in fundamental understanding. Studies that increase this understanding are highly publishable and could help reduce the carbon footprint for the production of medicines across the pharmaceutical industry as a whole. You will also work as part of the Sustainable Future Factory SMMIP consortium project, representing AZ and collaborating with a range of academic and industrial partners, and joining a vibrant community of over 100 industrial Post Docs working in AstraZeneca on exciting science projects.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Investigate the use of CiW to manufacture API; understand speciation and recovery of platinum group metals from waste streams.
• Develop ways of working and best practice for applying CiW at scale and in a GMP environment.
• Take sub‑projects from CiW mg scale ‘lab hits’ to processes that isolate multitone quantities of key intermediates, considering the effects on the environmental footprint through lifecycle assessment, potential regulatory impact and key practical factors to consider when scaling up reactions in water.
• Contribute to development and implementation of a strategy to deliver chemistry‑in‑water processes within Early Chemical Development.
• Work as a member of cross‑functional teams, with a large degree of independence representing your own department or area of expertise.
• Enhance AZ’s scientific reputation by publishing high‑calibre research, engaging with external partners and building professional networks.

Essential criteria:

• Minimum requirement of a Bachelor’s degree with a science or engineering background; must hold a PhD/DPhil, ideally with a chemistry‑in‑water focus or equivalent experience.
• Experience in developing and optimising organic reactions and reaction work‑ups.
• A passion for chemistry and for applying new technologies.
• Practical lab skills, including analytical techniques to support impurity and solvent tracking.
• Ability to use literature databases such as SciFinder, Reaxys.
• Experience of leading your own work.

Desirable criteria:

• Awareness of wider application of chemistry‑in‑water in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Good collaboration skills.
• Excellent communication skills across interfaces of subject area, culture, and expertise both internally and externally.
• Ability to develop and analyse multiple solutions to problems.
• Ability to use coding and AI tools to enhance delivery of your role.
• Lab‑based pharmaceutical industry and/or process development experience, using a broad range of practical techniques.
• Strong self‑development focus, with an interest in learning about new scientific areas.

EEO and Inclusion Statement: Our 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.