Level 6 Laboratory Scientist Degree Apprenticeship – Discovery Sciences

Cambridge, UK

Starting base salary of £21,500 + 11% benefits fund + bonus

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. We’re deeply committed to our strategy of being a great place to work. For us, that includes fostering an environment where everyone can be among inclusive, supportive individuals with curious minds.

A company that genuinely follows the science and values individuals at all levels, you’ll be backed and encouraged to speak up, ask questions, and share ideas to push the boundaries of science and continuously learn and explore.

Make the start of your journey a life changing one!

As part of our Early Talent Programme, you’ll be involved in projects and learning opportunities that have real impact from day one.

Being part of our journey and helping us to provide life changing medicine to patients all over the world and transform lives for the better. Making important contributions and embracing our values to deliver on our purpose. Because regardless of role or level, we all have an important part to play in making a positive difference.

Cambridge

Cambridge is one of the most exciting bioscience hotspots in the world. The Discovery Centre (DISC), located at the heart of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, is designed to play a central role in our mission to deliver life-changing medicines to patients. As our largest research and development centre in the UK, it will have more than 2,000 people working across therapy areas and drug discovery and development once fully occupied.

About the Apprenticeship Programme

We have three opportunities available in our Discovery Sciences function. Please see below for more details:

The Cell Immunology & Microenvironments Team:

As a Laboratory Science Apprentice in the Cell Immunology and Microenvironments Team, you will join a highly motivated and enthusiastic team delivering next-generation cell therapies. The team is responsible for engineering and testing cell therapies using patient-derived 3D organoids.

You will engineer cell therapies but also evaluate the cytotoxicity and efficacy of these cells on solid 3D tumour immune cell models.

You will contribute to cutting-edge research focused on improving translational models to better predict patient responses in the clinic.

Key Responsibilities:

Development of Translational Models: Collaborate with teams to develop and refine patient-derived tumor models.

Next-Generation Cell Therapies: Work on projects involving the latest advancements in cell therapy, aiming to enhance the efficacy and safety of these treatments.

Data Analysis: Assist in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of experimental data to support ongoing research.

Lab Work: Perform laboratory techniques, including 3D cell culture, molecular biology assays, immune cell engineering (CRISPR/Cas9) and imagining.

Collaboration: Work closely with scientists and researchers across different departments to integrate findings and drive projects forward.

Functional Genomics Team:

As a Laboratory Science Apprentice in the Functional Genomics department, you will contribute to building next-generation phenotypic screening platforms to identify and validate novel drug targets. You will collaborate closely with colleagues at the Centre for Genomics Research (CGR) and within our key therapy areas, including immunology.

The Functional Genomics department supports the discovery of novel drug target hypotheses harnessing the power of functional genomics screening and validation. The department is responsible for the identification and validation of novel targets to support AstraZeneca’s clinical pipeline through use of innovative technologies and approaches. You will join an extraordinary team with a track record of delivering portfolio impact.

This role is initially laboratory-based, with opportunities to develop computational skills for analysing large volumes of experimental data generated. It's a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience in both laboratory and digital skills.

Key Responsibilities:

Design and Execute Experiments: Utilise expertise in cell biology and molecular biology to develop, optimise, and execute cell-based and phenotypic assays using techniques like CRISPR Cas-9 in miniaturised plate formats.

Innovate and Optimise: Scout for and integrate scientific and technical advancements in CRISPR screening, genome engineering, and functional genomics to enhance assay development and enable the discovery of novel targets in multiple therapy areas

Collaborate and Communicate: Work effectively within cross-functional teams, leveraging strong communication and networking skills to collaborate across different disease areas and expertise.

Mechanistic Biology & Profiling (MBP) Team:

As a Laboratory Science Apprentice within the Mechanistic Biology & Profiling (MBP) group you will learn and perform a wide variety of biochemical and cellular assays and mechanistic experiments aimed to explore the impact of drugs on proteins and cells.

In the MBP team we drive the identification of the best drug candidates through quantitative mechanistic understanding of the interactions between targets and potential therapeutic agents. MBP is responsible for support early-stage safety, efficacy profiling and bespoke mechanism of action evaluations.

Key Responsibilities:

Learn how to analyse, interpret, and report data

Learn about the drug discovery process

Work with a variety of human cells in culture

Prepare samples from cells to be analysed with a wide array of high-end scientific instrumentation

Perform biochemical and cellular assays involving state-of-the-art technologies

Undertake write ups of experiments and present findings to different stakeholders

Conduct literature reviews to gain greater understanding of the science behind the drugs tested

Training and Development

AstraZeneca will sponsor you through your Lab Science Degree with our university provider NU London.

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/laboratory-scientist-degree-v1-0

The apprenticeship combines working, earning a full-time salary, with fully funded part-time learning (on average 1 day/week). This will give you the opportunity to gain a Level 6 Lab Science degree qualification, just as you would if you went to university full-time, with the advantage of gaining relevant work-life skills and the excitement of helping to develop new medicines whilst taking your first steps towards a rewarding career.

We truly value Early Talent– their thoughts, ideas and contributions. So throughout the programme, you’ll be encouraged and inspired to speak up, have a voice and make an impact.

Skills and Capabilities

We would be looking for the following attributes from our successful applicants:

Enthusiastic individuals who are keen to learn and with a genuine scientific curiosity

Able to act independently but also to work and contribute in a team environment

Good organisational skills with an excellent attention to detail & a proactive approach to problem solving

The ability to work on multiple tasks and understanding how to prioritise

Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills

Entry Requirements

Five GCSEs (or equivalent) grades 9 to 5 including Maths, English and Science

To have achieved or predicted to achieve at least BBB or equivalent at A Level of which one needs to be Biology

Open and close dates

To apply for this position, please click the apply link.

Opening date of advert: 13th January 2025

Closing date of advert: midnight 16th February 2025

Successful candidates will be asked to attend a virtual Assessment Day during w/c 24th March 2025

Should you require any reasonable adjustments or accommodations, please let us know on your application.

At AstraZeneca, we aim to set you up for success, and we recognise the challenges that starting a new job can bring. We therefore offer a relocation package to help with the costs and process of moving for candidates who currently live more than 60 minutes from the site location for this Apprenticeship.

This is a 3.5 -year fixed term contract opportunity.

Start date for the apprenticeship programme is 1st September 2025

Where can I find out more?

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

Inclusion & Diversity: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/inclusion-diversity

Career Site: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/

Date Posted

13-Jan-2025

Closing Date

16-Feb-2025

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.