
Associate Director, Patient Safety Scientist
AstraZeneca
Summary
The Associate Director, Cell Therapy Patient Safety Scientist is an experienced safety scientist within the Cell Therapy Patient Safety Unit, Global Patient Safety (GPS). The role leads defined safety science activities for assigned cell therapy assets, working with the Global Safety Program Lead (GSPL), Patient Safety Physicians and cross-functional partners. The Associate Director integrates safety data from multiple sources, supports benefit-risk decisions, delivers high-quality safety documentation, and helps manage patient risks across the product lifecycle.
Job description
This is what you will do
The Associate Director, Cell Therapy Patient Safety Scientist is an experienced safety scientist within the Cell Therapy Patient Safety Unit, Global Patient Safety (GPS). The role leads defined safety science activities for assigned cell therapy assets, working with the Global Safety Program Lead (GSPL), Patient Safety Physicians and cross-functional partners. The Associate Director integrates safety data from multiple sources, supports benefit-risk decisions, delivers high-quality safety documentation, and helps manage patient risks across the product lifecycle.
You will be responsible for
- Conduct and coordinate safety surveillance, signal detection, validation, evaluation and management for assigned cell therapy assets; develop MedDRA search strategies with appropriate guidance.
- Translate emerging safety data into clear analyses and recommendations for asset teams, escalating complex or high-impact issues to the GSPL and Patient Safety Physician.
- Lead defined components of pharmacovigilance and risk-management planning, including RMPs, REMS, risk-minimization tracking and benefit-risk assessments.
- Author and project-manage aggregate reports and safety deliverables, including DSURs, PBRERs/PSURs, PADERs, RMPs, REMS and ad hoc analyses.
- Author and coordinate safety content for protocols, Investigator Brochures, Reference Safety Information, informed consent forms, clinical study reports, Data Monitoring Committee materials and core data sheets.
- Support safety contributions to submissions and health-authority responses, including NDA/BLA and MAA packages, and participate in inspections and regulatory interactions as assigned.
- Coordinate and contribute to SSaMT/Safety Surveillance Team activities, prepare governance materials, and present analyses to SIRC or other governance bodies as appropriate.
- Represent the Cell Therapy Patient Safety Unit on program and cross-functional teams, ensuring agreed safety actions are documented and delivered.
- Contribute safety expertise to third-party agreements and partnerships, supporting clear accountabilities and compliant safety processes.
- Provide day-to-day guidance, training and coaching to junior safety scientists, fellows and colleagues in relevant safety processes.
- Contribute to process improvements, standard procedures, templates and quality-control practices for safety analytics and reporting.
- Apply agentic AI and other AI tools to approved safety workflows, including literature and data synthesis, document authoring support and workflow automation, while maintaining human oversight, validation, traceability, confidentiality and output verification.
- Partner with digital and data-science colleagues to test, document and improve approved agentic AI workflows and reusable prompts/agents.
- Support additional Patient Safety priorities as directed by the line manager.
You will need to have
- Bachelor's degree in life sciences, pharmacy, nursing or a related discipline with relevant experience, or an advanced degree with relevant experience.
- Substantial pharmaceutical, biotechnology or CRO experience in patient safety/pharmacovigilance and drug development, with experience independently delivering safety-science activities.
- Experience in at least three of the following: clinical development safety; signal management; periodic safety reports; risk-management plans; safety sections of protocols/IBs/ICFs/CSRs; regulatory responses; governance support.
- Good knowledge of US, EU and UK pharmacovigilance regulations and ICH guidelines.
- Experience with benefit-risk assessment, safety databases, MedDRA coding/search strategies and interpretation of data from multiple sources.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, project-management, scientific writing and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a global matrix.
- Practical experience using large language models and agentic AI tools for scientific or safety work, including prompt/agent design, workflow automation, human oversight, validation, traceability, data privacy and critical verification of outputs.
- Fluent written and verbal English.
We would prefer you to have
- MSc, PhD, PharmD or equivalent advanced degree in immunology, autoimmune disease, pharmacology or a related discipline.
- Experience in immunology research or drug development and in cell and gene therapy product development.
- Experience with clinical and safety databases, pharmacoepidemiology, real-world evidence or quantitative safety methods.
- Experience supporting regulatory submissions, inspections or health-authority responses.
- Experience configuring or evaluating an agentic AI workflow in a regulated scientific environment.
- Knowledge of pharmacovigilance regulations beyond the US, EU and UK.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in life sciences, pharmacy, nursing or a related discipline with relevant experience, or an advanced degree with relevant experience
- Substantial pharmaceutical, biotechnology or CRO experience in patient safety/pharmacovigilance and drug development
- Experience independently delivering safety-science activities
- Experience in at least three of: clinical development safety; signal management; periodic safety reports; risk-management plans; safety sections of protocols/IBs/ICFs/CSRs; regulatory responses; governance support
- Good knowledge of US, EU and UK pharmacovigilance regulations and ICH guidelines
- Experience with benefit-risk assessment, safety databases, MedDRA coding/search strategies and interpretation of data from multiple sources
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, project-management, scientific writing and communication skills
- Ability to work effectively in a global matrix
- Practical experience using large language models and agentic AI tools for scientific or safety work
- Prompt/agent design, workflow automation, human oversight, validation, traceability, data privacy and critical verification of outputs
- Fluent written and verbal English
- Preferred: MSc, PhD, PharmD or equivalent advanced degree in immunology, autoimmune disease, pharmacology or a related discipline
- Preferred: Experience in immunology research or drug development and in cell and gene therapy product development
- Preferred: Experience with clinical and safety databases, pharmacoepidemiology, real-world evidence or quantitative safety methods
- Preferred: Experience supporting regulatory submissions, inspections or health-authority responses
- Preferred: Experience configuring or evaluating an agentic AI workflow in a regulated scientific environment
- Preferred: Knowledge of pharmacovigilance regulations beyond the US, EU and UK
Benefits
- Retirement programs
- Paid time off
- Health insurance
- Dental coverage
- Vision coverage
- Short-term incentive bonuses
- Equity-based awards
Company overview
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused pharmaceutical company dedicated to accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines that create enduring value for patients, society, and shareholders. With a workforce of over 94,300 employees worldwide, the company operates across three core therapy areas: Oncology, BioPharmaceuticals (including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, Respiratory & Immunology), and Rare Disease. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca maintains strategic R&D centers in Cambridge, Gaithersburg (US), Boston (US), Gothenburg (Sweden), Shanghai, and Beijing. The company generated $54.1 billion in total revenue in 2024 and invested $13.6 billion in scientific research and development. AstraZeneca's bold aspiration is to be pioneers in science, lead in disease areas, and transform patient outcomes, with a goal to launch 20 new medicines and achieve $80 billion in total revenue by 2030. The company is recognized for its commitment to sustainability, health equity, and creating an inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation.