AstraZeneca Posted August 6, 2026

Scientist, Cellular Resilience

Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America Full time
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research

AstraZeneca is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

At AstraZeneca, we're embarking on an exciting new frontier in medical science – the quest to extend human healthspan. Our newly formed Aging Research Group is at the forefront of this groundbreaking initiative, aiming to develop innovative therapeutics that not only add years to life but life to years. We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist to join dynamic team. As a key member of our group, you'll play a pivotal role in conducting assays to support drug development of biologics and small molecule compounds that support cellular resilience throughout the aging process.

At AstraZeneca, you'll have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of healthcare while working in a collaborative environment at the cutting edge of research. The ideal candidate will thrive in this setting, contributing to our growth trajectory as we build our evolving team.

Key Responsibilities

Collaborate with project teams to generate pre-clinical data packages

Design and execute in vitro experiments to assess intervention of the cellular aging process, with an emphasis on signaling pathways

Troubleshoot and optimize cell-based assays for internal and external transfer

Support ex vivo activities to complement CRO-run in vivo studies

Analyze and interpret experimental data, and present findings to internal stakeholders

Stay current with scientific literature and emerging technologies in the field of aging

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or equivalent experience with a minimum of 3 years post-graduation research experience

Experience in designing, executing, and interpreting cell-based assays

Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships in a small team setting

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

Desired Skills and Attributes

Broad knowledge of cellular growth/stress pathways

Strong molecular and cell biology skills with ability to intuitively troubleshoot and optimize complex assays

Experience with biologics

Highly self-driven with the ability to work both independently and part of a team

Adaptable and comfortable with changing priorities in a fast-paced research environment

As AstraZeneca continues to put patients at the forefront of our mission, we are excited for our move to Kendall Square/Cambridge in 2026. Find out more information here: Kendall Square Press Release

Ready to join us on this mission? Apply now!

If you’re curious to know more, please contact Bobbi Poole, our Talent Acquisition Partner.

Competitive remuneration and benefits apply

We offer a competitive Total Reward program including a market driven base salary, bonus and long-term incentive. We have a generous paid time off program and a comprehensive benefits package.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $91,008.80 - $136,513.20. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives, an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Date Posted

06-Aug-2026

Closing Date

29-Aug-2026 Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 383 comparable Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 47 biopharma companies.

383Comparable roles tracked
346Currently active
47Companies hiring similar roles
16Countries represented

Salary context

137 of 383 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Scientist 1, Oncology | Drug Discovery · AbbVie $0/hr – $0/hr (≈ $0–$0/yr)
Highest disclosed · Head, Oncology Drug Discovery – San Diego · Novartis $248,500/yr – $461,500/yr
Peer group range $0 – $355,000 (median $165,300)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 383 comparable roles

United States303
India17
Germany13
United Kingdom9
Canada9
Switzerland6

+ 10 more countries

Seniority mix

297 of 383 peers have a known seniority level

Senior111
Principal57
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc34
Director26
Associate23
Associate Director21
Senior Director12
Executive/VP8
Manager5

Therapeutic area mix

54 of 383 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology31
Cardiovascular / CVRM10
Immunology6
Neuroscience4
Vaccines & Infectious Disease2
Respiratory1

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

40%similar
AstraZeneca Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America Principal
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly San Francisco, California, United States of America Executive/VP
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Executive/VP
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly San Diego, California, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

40%
Principal Scientist Drug Product Development
AstraZeneca · Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Postdoctoral Researcher in Translational Oncology
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Advisor / Senior Advisor, CNS/PNS NAMs – Investigative Toxicology
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Director / Sr / Exec Dir - Applied Intelligence for Discovery (AI4D)
Lilly · San Francisco, California, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.