Director, Immunology Cell Therapy Discovery

Job Title: Director, Immunology Cell Therapy Discovery 
Location: Waltham, MA 

Hybrid Working: 3 days per week in the office
 

About the Position 

AstraZeneca, a global leader in biopharmaceuticals, is committed to discovering and delivering innovative therapies that transform patient outcomes. We are seeking an experienced and visionary Director to join our Immunology Cell Therapy Discovery team. The role focuses on leading both ex vivo and in vivo cell therapy discovery efforts, underpinned by an in-depth understanding of immunological disease biology and expertise in cell therapy (e.g., CAR-T) discovery. 

Key responsibilities 

• Strategic leadership: Develop and execute strategy to advance cell therapy discovery, leveraging state‑of‑the‑art ex vivo and in vivo cell therapy technologies to help build a robust pipeline. 

• Scientific domain expertise: Maintain a comprehensive, up‑to‑date understanding of the immunological disease landscape and emerging trends to inform program direction and target selection. 

• Cross‑functional collaboration: Partner with discovery, translational, preclinical, CMC, and regulatory colleagues to progress programs and expand AstraZeneca’s immunology cell therapy portfolio. 

• Team leadership: Build, mentor, and lead a high‑performing team; foster a culture of innovation, scientific rigor, accountability, and agility. 

• Stakeholder engagement: Align strategies and milestones with internal and external stakeholders and consortia to accelerate delivery against R&D objectives. 

• Compliance and governance: Ensure adherence to all applicable laws, regulations, and company policies related to the research and development of medicines. 

• Assay and process development: Direct the development of in vitro assays and research processes to evaluate, optimize, and validate novel cell therapy modalities and mechanisms. 

Required qualifications 

• Education: PhD (or equivalent) in Immunology, Molecular or Cell Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field. 

• 5-10 years of relevant industry experience.

• Scientific expertise: Demonstrated in‑depth understanding of immunological disease biology, including B and T cell mediated immunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, allergy & asthma, fibrosis etc. 

• Leadership: Proven track record of leading scientific teams and delivering on strategic initiatives in a dynamic, matrixed environment. 

• Collaboration and communication: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills across functions and organizational levels. 

• Regulatory understanding: Comprehensive knowledge of the regulatory landscape for cell therapy and genetic engineering. 

Preferred qualifications 

• Vector and construct design: Experience designing and engineering lentiviral, retroviral, or AAV vectors. 

• Genetic engineering: Hands‑on experience applying CRISPR or related tools to innovate and refine cell therapies. 

• External network: Established relationships within the cell therapy, genetic engineering, and immunology communities. 

• Publications: Strong record of peer‑reviewed publications in vector engineering, cell therapy engineering, or related fields. 

If you are passionate about leading and innovating in the field of immunology cell therapy, we invite you to consider this pivotal opportunity at AstraZeneca. Join us in our mission to transform patient outcomes through groundbreaking scientific discovery.

The annual base pay ranges from $225,208 - 337,812. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.