Associate Principal Scientist - Computational Chemistry

Do you want to join a world leading team in developing the next generation of respiratory and immunology medicines?


AstraZeneca R&D, Gothenburg, Sweden seeks to recruit an Associate Principal Scientist or Senior Scientist, into Computational Chemistry, in the area of Respiratory & Immunology (R&I).


AstraZeneca is committed to the development of the next generation of innovative respiratory and immunology medicines. The Computational Chemistry team leads efforts to expand the use of state of the art in silico methods for molecular modelling, ligand design, property predictions and data analysis being an integral part of R&I drug discovery projects with a focus on small to medium sized molecules. The team operates in a highly cross disciplinary environment in close collaboration with scientists from the Chemistry, Translational, Bioscience, DMPK and Pharmaceutical Sciences departments to advance the R&I project pipeline.


What you'll do
As a Computational Chemist you will have a profound impact on multiple projects across the R&I portfolio. You will work collaboratively with medicinal chemists and multidisciplinary teams to design compounds with improved potency, selectivity, activity and/or ADMET properties. By working simultaneously across multiple projects, in all discovery phases, you will identify and drive ligand design strategies and efficiently and proactively apply a full range of drug design and computational chemistry approaches to tackle complex problems within a project, delivering results to timelines that impact the design of compounds for synthesis and testing.


You will be accountable for identifying areas of scientific improvement within computational sciences and their potential for application to projects within AstraZeneca and will contribute to the development of new computational capabilities at AstraZeneca through collaboration with external groups or colleagues at other AstraZeneca sites. You publish original work and literature reviews in peer reviewed journals and at conferences, maintaining an up-to-date awareness of recent literature and current developments within the field. Your level of professional experience will be relevant for your initial career level (Associate Principal Scientist or Senior Scientist).


Essential for the role
We are seeking an engaged computational chemist with a PhD (or equivalent experience) in computational chemistry, chemistry, pharmacology, or a related field with a strong computational background. Industry experience or a track record of applying innovative solutions with resulting impact in drug discovery project delivery is a plus, but not a must. The successful candidate is expected to have a high degree of independence and to be knowledgeable in several computer-aided drug design techniques to assist target identification and advancement of discovery programs.

We expect the right candidate to have;
o Solid knowledge of computational chemistry and medicinal chemistry concepts
o An understanding of how computational chemistry contributes to drug discovery projects together with a good knowledge of the drug discovery process encompassing other disciplines, such as synthetic, structural and medicinal chemistry, DMPK, structural biology, biophysics, biological science etc
o Experience in structure-based and ligand-based design techniques is essential, knowledge in scientific computing, and programming skills (e.g., Python, Perl, C, C++, Java) is required
o Specific knowledge in molecular modeling, specifically in molecular dynamics (MD) applications with a track record of applying these techniques to a relevant problem in the field is favorable
o Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work well in multidisciplinary project teams
o Excellent time management skills, forward planning and delivery focus


Why AstraZeneca?
Our Gothenburg site is one of AstraZeneca's three strategic R&D centers. Here, you'll feel a global atmosphere in a multinational environment. Collaboration comes in all forms - across teams, functions, countries and even companies.
With more than 2,400 employees from over than 50 countries, our vibrant Gothenburg site is a truly inspiring place to work. Here, the history and future of scientific breakthrough come together. We believe that the diversity of our people is crucial to bringing new discoveries to life.


What's next?
If you are ready to make a difference - apply today, and we'll make it happen together! Please send in your application no later than March 18, 2023.

For more information about this position please contact hiring manager Dr Christian Tyrchan, Medicinal Chemistry, BioPharmaceuticals Research and Early Development, Respiratory & Immunology, Christian.Tyrchan(@)astrazeneca.com


Additional information
Our Gothenburg site: https://www.astrazeneca.com/our-science/gothenburg.html
Life in Gothenburg: https://www.movetogothenburg.com/
Make a move to Global Gothenburg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Iqbb4aw38
Relocate to Gothenburg: https://www.astrazeneca.se/om-oss/verksamheten-i-sverige/goteborg/relocate-to-gothenburg.html
About BioPharmaceuticals R&D: https://www.astrazeneca.com/r-d.html