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- Tasks: Lead innovative in vivo studies and enhance animal welfare standards.
- Company: Join AstraZeneca, a leader in life-changing medicines and inclusive culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, continuous learning, mentoring, and career growth opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with collaboration across diverse therapy areas.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on healthcare by tackling complex diseases with cutting-edge science.
- Qualifications: Experience in in vivo research and strong problem-solving skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
This job is with AstraZeneca, an inclusive employer. This role sits at the heart of in vivo science, where rigorous experimentation, high standards of animal welfare and scientific curiosity come together to advance treatments for some of the world's most challenging diseases. Based at our dynamic Cambridge site, this position offers the chance to deepen specialist in vivo expertise, influence study design and delivery, and see the impact of your work on real patient outcomes.
As a Senior Scientist in the AST Core Skills team, the role leads and delivers specialist procedures, drives refinements and innovation, and ensures that Core Skills are seamlessly integrated into in vivo studies across multiple therapy areas. Working largely independently within a multidisciplinary environment, this position combines hands-on technical excellence with leadership, training and operational stewardship.
Accountabilities:
- Lead the planning and execution of specialist in vivo procedures and platforms, ensuring they are delivered to high scientific and regulatory standards.
- Provide contingency support across sections and therapy area-led studies, helping maintain continuity and quality when priorities shift or new demands arise.
- Maintain robust data integrity, traceability and contemporaneous documentation for all activities, including in-life data capture, time accounting and animal welfare records.
- Uphold technical and regulatory standards, contribute to protocol optimisation and workflow improvements, and help implement innovative approaches and refinements.
- Collaborate closely with Study Leads to align specialist tasks with study timelines, welfare considerations and facility constraints.
- Take operational stewardship for specialist equipment and spaces, ensuring they are maintained, compliant and ready to support evolving scientific needs.
- Mentor and train less experienced colleagues, share best practice across teams and champion continuous improvement in in vivo research.
Essential Skills/Experience:
- Current or past Home Office personal licence holder (modules A, B & C) or equivalent qualification.
- Current or recent competency in a broad range of in vivo skills.
- Proficient working with a range of rodent animal models.
- Ability to lead within at least one Core Skills area.
- Understanding of 3Rs principles.
- Problem-solving skills related to in vivo research.
- Fully conversant with all aspects of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Directive 2010/63/EU, associated Home Office guidelines and their implications.
- Understanding of current principles and concepts in own area of work.
- Experience with data integrity, traceability, and contemporaneous documentation systems.
- Fluent in verbal and written English language.
- Highly motivated, independent scientist able to work effectively as part of a team and develop ideas by incorporating the views of others.
Desirable Skills/Experience:
- Proven experience of cross-sectional delivery and leadership experience in coordinating specialist activities across multiple stakeholders and study teams.
- Ability to lead across multiple core skills.
- Experience as NACWO or deputising for NACWO.
- Experience in complex necropsy procedures.
- Experience as trainer/assessor.
- Experience refining perioperative care and anaesthesia.
- Experience contributing to evidence-based animal welfare refinements, welfare monitoring systems and/or in vivo innovations.
- Proficient in IT and digital tools, including ability to troubleshoot.
- Experience in pharmaceutical industry.
- Post-graduate degree in relevant sciences, or proven track record of specialist in vivo work.
- Experience with root cause analysis, critical reflection/review of study outcomes, troubleshooting and/or implementation of corrective actions.
- Experience with experimental design and data analysis.
AstraZeneca offers an environment where scientific curiosity is encouraged, learning never stops and people are empowered to explore new ideas that push the boundaries of what is possible in healthcare. Here, data, technology and biology come together to tackle complex diseases from multiple angles, supported by strong collaborations with academia, biotechs and industry partners.
If this role excites you and matches your experience, apply now to join us on our journey to deliver life-changing medicines!
We welcome your application no later than 14th May 2026.
Senior Scientist , Animal Science & Technologies employer: AstraZeneca
Contact Detail:
AstraZeneca Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Scientist , Animal Science & Technologies
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and engage with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching AstraZeneca's values and recent projects. Tailor your responses to show how your skills align with their mission. Practise common interview questions and think of examples that highlight your experience in in vivo science.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Bring along a portfolio of your work or any relevant publications to interviews. This not only demonstrates your capabilities but also gives you a chance to discuss your contributions to past projects in detail.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A simple thank-you email reiterating your interest in the role and mentioning something specific from your conversation can leave a lasting impression. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Scientist , Animal Science & Technologies
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience in in vivo science. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing your expertise!
Showcase Your Passion: Let your enthusiasm for animal science and technologies shine through in your application. We love candidates who are genuinely excited about advancing treatments and improving animal welfare, so share your motivation!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and make sure your key achievements stand out. This helps us quickly see why you’d be a great fit!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application via our website! It’s the best way to ensure we receive your details directly and can consider you for this exciting opportunity at AstraZeneca.
How to prepare for a job interview at AstraZeneca
✨Know Your In Vivo Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your in vivo skills and the latest techniques in animal science. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with rodent models and any innovative approaches you've implemented in past roles.
✨Understand the 3Rs
Familiarise yourself with the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. Be prepared to share examples of how you've applied these principles in your work to enhance animal welfare and improve study outcomes.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves mentoring and leading teams, think of specific instances where you've successfully led projects or trained colleagues. Highlight your ability to coordinate activities across multiple stakeholders and how you’ve contributed to a collaborative environment.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect questions about data integrity, traceability, and documentation systems. Brush up on relevant regulations like the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and be ready to discuss how you ensure compliance and maintain high scientific standards in your work.