Director, Next-Generation Sequencing - Biologics Engineering

Role Summary

You will lead the transformation of NGS capabilities within AstraZeneca's Biologics Engineering department, positioning our organization as the global leader in AI-driven antibody discovery and engineering. This is a high-visibility, strategic role where you will build a world-class NGS platform that seamlessly integrates with our cutting-edge AI/ML initiatives, directly enabling breakthrough therapeutics in oncology and beyond. In this role, you'll architect the future of data generation for drug discovery. You'll oversee the implementation of advanced sequencing technologies, design custom bioinformatics workflows optimized for antibody discovery, and lead a high-performing team of scientists and bioinformaticians. Your strategic vision will directly impact how AstraZeneca discovers and engineers the next generation of therapeutic antibodies.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Vision & Leadership: Develop and execute the comprehensive NGS strategy for Biologics Engineering, focusing on antibody discovery and engineering, and supporting Therapeutic Areas across global R&D. Drive integration of NGS data generation into AI/ML pipelines and establish AstraZeneca as a world leader in NGS for biologics discovery.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of 4 scientists, fostering innovation and internal partnerships to cultivate future leaders.
• Technology & Innovation: Evaluate and adopt emerging sequencing technologies (long-read, single-cell, spatial genomics); ensure NGS data processing integrates with clustering, down-selection, and machine learning models; develop pipelines for antibody sequence analysis (repertoire, lineage tracing, affinity maturation); drive automation to increase efficiency and throughput.
• Data Strategy & Bioinformatics: Design scalable bioinformatics workflows; integrate NGS data with structural, developability, and assay data; establish data governance, quality metrics, and reproducibility for seamless AI integration.
• Global Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Align strategies with Cambridge, UK, support Waltham operations, partner with Therapeutic Areas, and manage external relationships with vendors and academic collaborators.
• External Leadership & Thought Leadership: Represent AstraZeneca at major conferences and publish peer-reviewed research demonstrating NGS-AI integration for antibody discovery; build the company‚Äôs leadership reputation through speaking engagements and partnerships.
• Resource Management & Budget Oversight: Oversee resource allocation and strategic planning for the NGS team; advise on capital investments, staffing, and partnerships to maximize impact and ROI.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biochemistry or related field
• 7+ years of progressive experience in NGS technologies and applications within pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry
• Demonstrated success leading and managing scientific teams (3+ direct reports)
• Extensive hands-on experience with multiple NGS platforms (Illumina, PacBio, Oxford Nanopore, etc.) and emerging sequencing technologies
• Strong background in laboratory automation and high-throughput genomics workflows
• Deep expertise in antibody discovery processes and biologics development

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in Python and/or R for bioinformatics pipeline development
• Experience designing scalable, reproducible scientific workflows
• Familiarity with cloud computing environments (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) for bioinformatics applications
• Understanding of machine learning fundamentals and ability to communicate data requirements with AI/ML teams
• Knowledge of NGS quality assessment, variant calling, sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis
• Experience with version control, containerization (Docker), and reproducible research practices

Leadership & Communication Skills

• Ability to influence and collaborate across organizational levels
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences
• Strategic thinking with execution excellence; comfortable setting vision and tackling technical challenges
• Experience building high-performing teams and cultures of innovation
• Track record of managing multiple stakeholders with competing priorities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience integrating NGS data into machine learning pipelines
• Hands-on expertise with antibody repertoire sequencing and analysis
• Publications or presentations at peer-reviewed conferences in NGS or genomics
• Experience with single-cell sequencing technologies (10x Genomics)
• International experience or familiarity with multi-site coordination in global organizations
• Background in project management or program leadership within R&D environment