Associate Principal Process Engineer

Key Accountabilities

The role of the Associate Principal Process Engineer has the following responsibilities:

• Serve as a key expert in pharmaceutical unit operations with a focus on the mechanistic understanding of process-equipment interface, providing advanced technical leadership and support.
• Apply process engineering principles to identify, develop and use modelling and simulation tools for predicting process performance, resolving operational issues, and optimising both equipment function and system integration.
• Provide technical leadership and expertise in resolving complex process-related manufacturing issues, utilising core engineering modelling and simulation to resolve complex manufacturing challenges and enhance process efficiency.
• Contribute to product supply strategy projects, including sourcing, asset transfers, capacity expansions, and the introduction of new equipment.
• Lead technical support for the transfer of established product manufacturing processes within internal manufacturing sites and to external partners, employing scale-up modelling, equipment selection, and comprehensive manufacturing engineering support.
• Propose and execute physical characterisation studies for raw materials, intermediates, and finished products to support investigations and drive improvements in formulation and manufacturing processes.
• Identify opportunities for manufacturing improvement, lead impact assessments, and support the implementation of technical improvements or major change initiatives with a focus on maintaining product performance, including contributions to regulatory file authoring, license renewals, and responses to regulatory queries, supported by model-based risk assessments.
• Drive the standardisation and modernisation of manufacturing equipment and processes across Operations, leveraging advanced modelling and simulation to meet regulatory requirements, support good business practices, and ensure manufacturability and quality standards.

Required Skills & Knowledge

• Demonstrate an understanding of the overall drug development and commercialization process from development, launch, and through life cycle management.
• Process/chemical Engineering BSc/MSc with 5+ years of relevant pharmaceutical industry experience post degree or PhD level with 3+ years of experience post degree
• Demonstrate an understanding of a range of unit processes and equipment for OSD manufacturing (e.g. mixing, drying, compression, roller compaction, continuous direct compression, coating) and awareness of physical characterisation of raw material, intermediate and final products (e.g. mechanical testing, PSD, imaging etc).
• Have experience in process scale up, manufacturing engineering and digital twins/modelling
• Have experience in data analysis/data science languages and the use of digital tools.
• Have experience with a range of CMC elements related to commercial product manufacturing process requirements – e.g., process establishment, optimisation and validation, control of drug products, stability, packaging and commercial manufacturing, with good understanding of SHE and cGMP.
• Experience in Pharmaceutical Operations and/or R&D with a track record of successful project leadership and delivery within a matrix organisation.
• Evidence of good communication and relationship skills.

Preferred Skills & Knowledge

• Experience in or exposure to multiple disciplines in CMC and related functions (e.g. Product Development, Operations, Global Supply, Marketing Companies)
• Have previous experience and training in Lean and Six Sigma, problem solving tools.
• Have experience in physical testing techniques of raw materials, intermediate and final drug products.
• Experience in or exposure to coding and programming languages.

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.