Postdoctoral Fellow – Biocatalysis in Drug Discovery

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

Postdoctoral Fellow – Biocatalysis in Drug Discovery

About our Postdoc Programme

Bring your expertise, apply your knowledge, follow the science, and make a difference. AstraZeneca’s Postdoc Programme is for self-motivated individuals looking to deliver exciting projects in an encouraging, engaging, and innovative environment. You'll work with multidisciplinary scientific teams from a diverse set of backgrounds and a world-class academic mentor specifically aligned to your project. Our postdocs are respected as specialists, encouraged to speak up, and supported to share their research at conferences, publish papers, achieve their goals.

Make a more meaningful impact in your career, with greater ownership and accountability and make a contribution whilst making a difference to the lives of our patients!

About the Opportunity

The primary objective of this position is to offer an emerging researcher an exceptional opportunity for advancing their expertise and proficiencies where biocatalysis is used to develop clean, atom economic and sustainable routes to small molecule targets of interest utilising hydrogen in combination with Ni-Fi or Fe-Fe hydrogenases for efficient cofactor recycling with particular focus on UPO (unspecific peroxygenase) catalysed oxidations. The role is part of a larger consortium including TU Munich, TU Delft and TU Graz. For more information see https://www.circulh2.com/.

This Postdoc is an EU Horizon 2020 project funded under the call HORIZON-CL6-2023-CIRCBIO-01 (Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors), Project no. 101135542. The role is funded for 2 years.

Postdoctoral fellows assume a pivotal role in propelling scientific understanding and catalyzing innovation within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. The candidate selected for the postdoc role will become an integral part of AZ's Compound Synthesis and Management Department, within Discovery Sciences (DS), which collaborates closely with Pharmaceutical Sciences and the ONC, CVRM and RIA Therapy areas. You will work together with experts in small molecule organic synthesis, automation, analytical chemistry and protein engineering and take part in a fantastic collaborative research environment which accommodates graduates, PhD candidates, visiting scholars, fellow Postdocs, and staff scientists.

Project Focus

This project will conduct pioneering research in the development of hydrogenases for the large-scale deployment of H2 as a circular energy carrier in industrial biotechnology based on enzymatic cascades. More specifically we are interested in developing technologies for atom efficient cofactor regeneration using hydrogenases and hydrogen in combination with unspecific perooxygenases for small molecule oxidations.

Our Postdoctoral fellow will form a collaborative nexus with accomplished interdisciplinary scientists from the CirculH2 consortium, and from within AstraZeneca, lead by Prof. Martin Hayes (Discovery Sciences) an expert in biocatalysis and Dr Giulia Bergonzini (Director, Synthetic Chemistry in DS). There will be close collaboration with staff scientists at Enzymicals, https://enzymicals.com/ a biocatalysis focussed SME based in Griefswald, Germany.

What You’ll Do

As a postdoctoral fellow you will pioneer and lead research aimed at advancing ground-breaking biocatalytic chemistry using methyl(alkyl) transferases for the late stage modification of early stage hit/ lead small molecules.

You will take part in collaborative efforts with other departments in AstraZeneca and with external technology providers to prosecute the development of these biocatalysts as credible catalysts for use in industry.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Devise strategies for the implementation of innovative enzyme cascades combining H₂, hydrogenases and UPOs for the selective oxidation of C-H bonds in target small molecules
• Use automation, miniaturisation, and data analytics to build workflows and understanding for in vitro screening and scale up to be efficiently performed
• Plan, draft and publish impactful papers in high impact scientific journals and skillfully present research findings internally and at external conferences
• Opportunities to mentor PhD students, graduate scientists, and master thesis students

Qualification, Skills & Experience

The AZ Postdoc programme is aimed at individuals who are either:

• Not more than 5-years after completing their doctoral degree (PhD, DVM, or MD) - PhD already awarded, or
• Postgradute Students, about to obtain doctoral degrees (the PhD must be awarded within 6 months of joining AstraZeneca)

Essential Requirements

• A PhD, or equivalent in biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, organic chemistry or a related field
• Passionate about science - Your ability to conduct independent and innovative research is vital
• Established track record of research productivity, substantiated by proven publication record and/or presentations
• Experience in designing and executing experiments, as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional collaborator - Working effectively in a team, exchanging ideas, and contributing to joint research efforts

Desirable Requirements

• Proficiency in synthetic organic chemistry and protein engineering
• Experience with analytical tools esp. HT-LCMS, GCMS, NMR
• Experience building enzyme cascades, biocatalytic reaction scale up
• Interest in data and workflows, and application to biocatalysis
• Experience of modelling, docking, MD tools as applied to biocatalysis

Reasons to Apply

• Cutting-Edge Research: AstraZeneca is at the forefront of biocatalysis research, offering the opportunity to work on innovative projects that have the potential to make a significant impact in the field.
• Collaborative Environment: AstraZeneca fosters a collaborative and inclusive work environment, providing the opportunity to work alongside experienced researchers and experts in the field of biocatalysis.
• Access to Resources: As a postdoctoral researcher at AstraZeneca, you would have access to state-of-the-art facilities, resources, and technologies, enabling you to conduct high-quality research and develop new biocatalytic processes.
• Professional Development: AstraZeneca is committed to supporting the professional development of its employees. As a postdoctoral researcher, you would have the opportunity to enhance your skills, expand your knowledge, and develop a strong professional network.
• Impactful Work: AstraZeneca's research in biocatalysis has the potential to contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient processes for pharmaceutical manufacturing, addressing key challenges in the industry.
• Career Opportunities: AstraZeneca values talent and is dedicated to nurturing the careers of its employees. A postdoctoral research role at AstraZeneca can open doors to future career opportunities within the company or in the broader scientific community.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

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.