Jobs / United States / Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals Lp

Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals Lp

Senior Automation Scientist/Engineer — Biologics Engineering

US - Gaithersburg - MD Posted today

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Sponsorship verdict

Sponsorship possible

One solid signal, not two. Worth applying, and worth asking about sponsorship early.

  • Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 99 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first.
  • The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
  • No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area.
  • What Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals Lp paid sponsored hires in similar roles12 certified filings for “Assoc.
  • Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
Details and sources
Employer is on a government sponsor record
The US Department of Labor certified 99 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
No salary bar for this route
H-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
What Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals Lp paid sponsored hires in similar roles
12 certified filings for “Assoc. Princ. Scientist, Vector Engineering & Cell Line Dev.” (Molecular and Cellular Biologists) in MD: $103k–$158k, median $136k. Most were filed at wage level IV (33%) — 4 lottery entries, ≈61% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).

US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).

A verdict summarises public evidence. It is not legal advice and never a guarantee: the employer and the immigration authority decide. Sign in to factor in where you can already work.

About the role

Biologics Engineering (BE), part of Oncology R&D, is transforming biologics discovery through the integration of laboratory automation, advanced informatics, and AI. We are building next-generation capabilities to accelerate workflows, improve data quality, and enable smarter scientific decision-making. This is an exciting time for the organization as we create an industry-leading biologics discovery platform that unites scientific excellence, automation, and digital innovation.  We are seeking a  Senior Automation Scientist/Engineer  to help drive this transformation by embedding laboratory automation and robotics into our workflows and shaping the future of biologics discovery science. You will lead the design, integration, and optimization of robotics, high-throughput systems, and associated data workflows across the BE organization—building solutions that connect instruments, workflow control, data systems, and labware into platforms that are robust, scalable, and operationally sustainable. The successful candidate will bring a strong sense of ownership, taking responsibility for the reliability and long-term performance of our platforms. Working in a matrix organization, you will partner closely with scientists to understand assay goals, advise on the most effective automation approaches, and translate scientific requirements into fit-for-purpose solutions. Success in this role depends on pairing strong expertise in laboratory automation, scripting, and liquid handling with a clear understanding of the underlying science and how equipment capabilities and design choices affect data quality and reproducibility.  Typical Accountabilities   • Deliver robust, scalable automation platforms  that integrate high-throughput, bench-scale, and related laboratory systems—partnering with scientists to document and map workflows, capture assay requirements, and translate them into fit-for-purpose automation solutions.  • Serve as the technical authority  across multiple automation platforms, scheduling software, and scripting environments—guiding design decisions, resolving complex technical issues, and advising on how equipment capabilities and limitations shape data quality and scientific outcomes.  • Own the reliability and continuous improvement  of shared automation systems and workflows, identifying root causes, driving durable fixes, and raising the operational performance of the platform over time.  • Support the ongoing operation and troubleshooting  of deployed automated workflows to ensure sustained performance and rapid resolution of technical issues.  • Grow the technical capability of the team  by training, mentoring, or supervising junior engineers and scientists, and by influencing scientific thinking and project direction across the automation community and broader stakeholder network.  Essential Qualifications • Bachelor's or advanced degree in life sciences, engineering, computer science, or a related field, with  4+ years of relevant industry experience.  • Experience integrating automation with R&D bench science in a biologics, drug discovery, or related life sciences setting.  • Deep hands-on experience with  diverse laboratory automation platforms, liquid handlers, and/or high-throughput analytical technologies . Practical experience with  liquid class development and labware definition, evaluation, or optimization .  • Expertise in automation scheduling software and advanced programming knowledge of liquid handler platforms (e.g., Hamilton, Labcyte, Agilent), including creating, modifying, and troubleshooting robotics and automation scripts.  • Strong understanding of the science underpinning laboratory workflows and assays, and how equipment capabilities and limitations affect automation design and d

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