Do you have a passion for Science? Would you like to apply your expertise to impact a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life changing medicines? Then AstraZeneca might be the one for you!

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you’re our kind of person.

Advances in digitalization, data and advance analytics are changing industries at pace with the pharma industry showing signs of movement. The Digital Health Market will grow exponentially over the next 3 years, with new applications in digital showing in phase 3 studies significant benefits for patients including overall survival in Cancer.

AstraZeneca would like to leap frog in this area and has prioritized digital in R&D as a critical strategic area of focus by 2025, as part of the overall company strategy. Digital health, the point at which healthcare, technology, data and analytics converge, is the subject of great promise, with the World Health Organization believing it has the potential to improve health for everyone.

Digital Health at AstraZeneca is one of top 4 strategic priorities for the company, details on digital health strategy can be found here. Oncology is the largest therapeutic area within AstraZeneca and second highest cause of death globally, with AstraZeneca’s ambition to eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

The Executive Director (Head) of Data Science and Analytics for Digital Health R&D - Early Oncology will be a key leader to drive our digital health strategy through data science and analytics, helping to design and lead the data science and analytics strategy and implementation across Digital Health R&D program. This includes but is not limited to: digital therapeutic analysis plans, Real World Evidence (RWE) analysis, psychometric analysis, and ML/AI to support design of clinical trials, personalized treatments, and Disease Management algorithms for Oncology.

Responsible for building and leading a novel data science team with a global footprint through a combination of internal FTE and strategic external partnerships. Leading an Agile cross functional team working directly with engineers and developers to support clinical teams in the design of clinical trials and releasing analytical and machine learning models that are repeatable and scalable. Recognized externally as an inspiring leader and specialist within own area of specialization.

• Lead a cross functional technical team, working with the Chief Data Scientist in  Digital health to develop the strategy for digital health solutions in Oncology and lead the implementation of data science and analytics solutions that can help patients get better outcomes in Oncology.
• Lead the RWE and RWD analytics working very closely with Translational Scient Teams to aid them in the design of Phase I/II clinical trials in the Early Development Oncology portfolio.
• Applying novel multi-omics algorithms to genomics and transcriptomics data sets
• Play a key role in the design of the Data Science strategy across all Digital Health R&D. This includes but is not limited to: digital therapeutics analysis plans, real world evidence analysis, psychometric analysis, and ML/AI to support more efficient identification of treatment benefits vs harms (e.g. signal detection of treatment emergent adverse events, disease progression, construction of novel endpoints to characterize safety and tolerability) as well as, disease management systems for Oncology
• Design and implement ML information extraction:
• Probabilistic matching algorithms and models
• Research and develop innovative, scalable solutions
• Identify data sources and analyze large, complex datasets to extract insight
• Partner with key internal stakeholder to deliver: IT, Biometrics, partner data science functions
• Collaborate with R&D Data Hub leadership to ensure data is standardized, integrated and exposed in a way that facilitates the goals of the sophisticated analytics program
• Develop and implement a standardized framework for analytics projects, from requirements gather through to benefits demonstration

Define and implement strategies for leading the development of Data Science and analytical models and supervising their performance over time

• Championing the development of infrastructure and analytics environments that facilitate the delivery of value from the Data Science and Analytics team.
• Drive key advanced analytics project delivery decisions, such as whether to “buy versus build”
• Provides input to the Digital Health R&D Strategy and Oncology TA Strategy from a Data Science perspective
• Leads, mentors, evaluates and develops the team within Data Science & Analytics to ensure that the area achieves its objectives and follows all relevant regulations and laws

Required Skills:

• MSc/PhD in Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science relevant field with experience in pharma/healthcare or other relevant area
• A minimum of 8 years of experience
• Conceptual, analytical and critical thinking
• Previous experience with RWE/RWD and their application to design clinical trials
• Creative, innovative, solution-focused
• Curious, embraces new ways of problem solving, new ideas, new ways of working
• Managerial experience of both data scientists and engineering teams
• Strong communication skills and ability to build relationships
• Ability to serve as “translator” between scientific problems to data science solutions
• Ability to apply expertise to complex problems, problem solving and with a quality focus
• Proven leadership promoting motivation and empowering others to accomplish individual, team and organizational objectives
• Experience working with and architecting analytics solutions in AWS
• Experience defining strategies and approaches to AI/ML model monitoring, maintenance and management
• Experience delivering AI/ML models from conception, through development and into production

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with IT partners for business solutions
• Able to handle budget and productivity targets/responsibilities.
• A professional problem solving and conflict resolution.
• Diligence – attention to detail and ability to run a programme of concurrent activities
• Resilience – ability to overcome and motivate others in the face of a changing environment
• Knowledge of the latest technical and regulatory expectations
• Significant experience with NLP problems
• Experience using AI/ML to combine data from multiple modalities in the pursuit of novel insights
• Understanding of and experience with developing and delivering “Explainable AI” solutions

This role can sit at our Gaithersburg, MD; New York, NY; or Cambridge, UK location

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial - finding those moments and recognizing their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organization to reset expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, pioneering cutting edge methods and bringing unexpected teams together. Interested? Come and join our journey.

So, what’s next?

• Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.
• Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available and we hope it’s yours.

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/

Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity.  We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills.  We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics.  We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.