Preclinical Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetic (DMPK) Project Lead - Respiratory & Immunology (R&I)
About this role
Do you have Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetic (DMPK) expertise with a background in medicinal chemistry, pharmacy, pharmaceutical science and/or drug discovery, and would you like to apply your expertise in a global company that follows the science and turns ideas into life-changing medicines? Then you could be the new colleague we are looking for!
We are now looking for an experienced and driven individual to join the team as a
Preclinical DMPK Project Lead
preferably with experience across multiple modalities (Senior Scientist/Associate Principal Scientist, depending on your level of professional experience). The position is placed at AstraZeneca’s dynamic R&D site in
Gothenburg, Sweden
, a world-class facility with state-of-the-art laboratories and shared spaces to accelerate decision making and problem solving while benefiting from the Swedish focus on work-life balance. The working language is English, and the site is a multicultural environment with scientists from over 70 countries.
What you’ll do:
You will work collaboratively with discovery project representatives from other disciplines including medicinal chemistry, biology, safety and pharmaceutical sciences. You will influence drug design and optimization of ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity) properties. It is your responsibility to ensure delivery of all DMPK related activities, including in vitro ADME, biotransformation, bioanalysis, preclinical PK and PD underpinning human dose prediction to early drug projects from target selection to candidate drug selection. We believe that you have a solid understanding of DMPK and chemistry and that you will be able to provide expert advice and interpretation of complex drug discovery data.
Main Duties and Responsibilities will include:
Responsible for leading all DMPK related activities, including coordinating and engaging with internal and external DMPK colleagues and collaborators, on project related activities
Deliver DMPK input and data to projects within agreed timelines and to the right quality to ensure that DMPK challenges are thoroughly assessed and resolved
Contribute to the design of preclinical in vivo studies to answer crucial project questions
Accountable, together with other functions such as Medicinal Chemistry, Bioscience and Safety, for compound design and effective cross-discipline optimization
Apply an understanding of DMPK and PKPD (PK/Pharmadynamics) to support/influence project progression and strategy as well as providing the framework for human dose predictions
Prepare clear presentations related to the above for internal governance interactions
Requirements
- PhD in Medicinal, Organic or Physical Chemistry or bio-pharmaceutics/ pharmacokinetics or equivalent experience in a relevant field
- Formal training or proven experience of working with pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism and a good understanding of pharmacodynamics
- Understanding of correlations between physicochemical characteristics and their influence on DMPK properties and subsequent design of new compounds
- Have (at least) basic PK modelling skills, experience of human dose and PK prediction as well as understanding of disease biology and link to PKPD
- Experience (3+ years) of working in preclinical DMPK
- Experience from drug discovery, cross-functional working and compound/project progression
- Ability to engage and collaborate across boundaries with a problem-solving attitude and focus on delivery
- Strong communication skills
- Why AstraZeneca?
- At AstraZeneca, we're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. You'll be empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. This role offers the chance to lead significant scientific advancements in a country known for its innovation and high quality of life.
- We offer
- Impact:
- Direct influence on medicines that change patient lives
- Collaboration:
- An inclusive culture that champions diversity
- Growth:
- Commitment to lifelong learning and career development
- Innovation:
- Work on a rich and diverse pipeline of both small and large molecules
- There's no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients, and society. Join us on our exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.
- Work policy:
- When we put people 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.
- This role is located in Gothenburg, Sweden and is not available for remote work or with travel or commuting support.
- What's next?
- If this sound like the position and place for you - apply today!
- We look forward to receiving your application, but no later than
- May 31, 2026
- . The interview process will be ongoing, so don’t hesitate to apply early.
- Additional information:
- Our Gothenburg site
- Life in Gothenburg, Sweden
- About AstraZeneca R&D
- Date Posted
- 18-maj-2026
- Closing Date
- 31-maj-2026
- Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.