Data Sciences & AI Graduate Programme

Imagine turning your passion for Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence into insights, predictions and actions that could help develop life-changing medicines. Pushing the frontiers of innovation to accelerate cures. Collaborating with some of the finest minds in their fields. Working in an environment that stimulates your curiosity, and enables you to develop your expertise and reach your potential.
AstraZeneca is a global, science led biopharmaceutical business and our innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Artificial Intelligence (AI), including deep learning (computer algorithms inspired by biological neural networks), is revolutionising all stages of drug discovery and development from drug design to pivotal clinical trials and beyond. At AstraZeneca, we are deploying AI across the drug discovery phases to uncover new connections between data, provide novel insights, accelerate scientific understanding, and increase productivity. For example, we are using AI to help design and synthesise new drug molecules, analyse and interpret the vast amount of data from imaging studies, and for biomarker research to match the right drug to the right patient. In our clinical trials, AI is also enabling us to continuously monitor incoming safety data and alert our scientists to safety signals that require timely intervention.
As a Data Scientist and AI Graduate you will help our scientists make their data ‘AI-ready’, and integrate the latest AI advances into all our drug development programmes. Together we will harness the power of our data and AI to deliver life-changing medicines to patients worldwide.
What does the programme involve?
Your two-year programme comprises of 3 eight month rotations where you’ll apply your developing skills and experience to help us overcome challenges in some of our active research projects. Your first rotation will be selected to reflect your skills and interests and allows you to get an introduction to drug discovery, and how we harness the potential of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Your following two rotations will be self selected.
Your placements will help you develop your technical skills and industry knowledge, and on our Global Graduate Development Programme you’ll develop the interpersonal and business skills that will set you up for success.
Throughout the programme you’ll work alongside our experts, and take advantage of our close collaborations with leading international academic institutions and organisations to deliver work with real impact.
Placements could involve…
Applying the latest techniques in machine learning and artificial intelligence to preclinical data from drug projects to help detect and understand safety risks and guide the development of new medicines. Exciting work which could also help us refine, reduce and replace animal experiments.
Combining innovative de novo molecule design methodologies utilizing state-of-the-art artificial intelligent technologies with chemistry automation to design novel molecules of therapeutic interest.
Working with our Quantitative Clinical Pharmacology and Data Science and AI Teams optimizing clinical development programs using Bayesian statistic and machine learning modelling.
Developing Bayesian machine learning models for predicting the mechanism and probability of drug toxicity in liver, heart, and other organs. Incorporating existing knowledge of causal relationships and toxicity mechanisms into the prediction problem, and applying Bayesian models to account for uncertainty to improve predictions.
Contributing to challenging projects using advanced Machine Learning models to improve drug discovery by generating testable hypotheses about targets, predicting compound properties, automating complex decision-making processes, and turning data into knowledge.
Applying Artificial Intelligence to integrated electronic health records and genomic data to optimize clinical trial design, generate comparative effectiveness evidence, and help improve patient outcomes.
Working with our Data & Analytics Team to identify, assess and recommend the most innovative external partners, and high impact AI technologies. Writing algorithms to support next generation natural language processing, and optimising code to enable powerful predictive models to be used across AstraZeneca.

As a Data Sciences and AI Graduate you’ll discover how we’re pioneering more open innovation, and actively sharing knowledge and ideas to make the next scientific breakthrough. Are you ready for the challenge?
Qualifications and Skills Required:
Highly numerate with a strong Maths, Physics, Statistics or Computer Science focussed Bachelors or Masters level qualification gained in 2019 or due in 2020.
A postgraduate qualification in Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Biology, Computational Chemistry, Bioinformatics or Cheminformatics would be advantageous, but is not essential.
Innovative thinking, with enthusiasm, energy and drive.
Open-minded, and ready to embrace and adopt new ideas and different perspectives.
Strong critical thinking, planning, organisational and time management skills.
Ability to work as part of a collaborative team that focuses unequivocally on patient needs.