Senior Process Engineer

AstraZeneca
Macclesfield, United Kingdom
Yesterday
£40,000 – £60,000 pa

Salary

£40,000 – £60,000 pa

Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Full-time
Work Location
On-site
Seniority
Senior
Education
Phd
Posted
6 May 2026 (Yesterday)

Job Title Senior Process Engineer

Location: Macclesfield

Salary: Competitive

Introduction to role:

A Senior Process Engineer role at AstraZeneca offers the chance to combine engineering expertise with cutting-edge science to develop and scale up sustainable drug substance manufacturing processes. Working in our Particle Science & Process Engineering team within Pharmaceutical Sciences, this position focuses on introducing new equipment and technologies into our Large Scale Lab and driving robust, efficient and environmentally responsible processes for clinical and preclinical supply.

We are looking for aSenior Process Engineer to join our Particle Science & Process Engineering team within Pharmaceutical Sciences.

As a Process Engineer you will work with colleagues in our Large Scale Lab to introduce new equipment and manufacturing technologies. You will also work closely in cross-functional teams to develop, optimise and scale-up robust and sustainable drug substance manufacturing processes to supply clinical and preclinical trials.

Accountabilities:

New Technology introduction:

  • Responsible for the safe and GMP-compliant introduction of new equipment into the kilo lab facilities, from design through to installation and commissioning.

  • Lead interactions and design activities with the large-scale laboratory chemistry and engineering teams, and equipment vendors, considering facility interfaces, maintenance requirements, installation requirements and FAT/SAT strategy.

  • Collaborate with QA colleagues to develop the commissioning and qualification strategy of new equipment including the authoring of User Requirements Specification, Design Qualification and IQ/OQ documentation.

  • Perform process and operational hazard identification and risk assessments (e.g. HAZOP) and define mitigation strategies throughout the project’s lifecycle.

  • Establish SOPs, guidance documents and training materials for safe, efficient operation. Mentor users and ensure efficient hand over to operational and maintenance teams.

  • Implement process control strategies, PAT and data acquisition; integrate with site digital systems as appropriate for traceability and tech transfer.

  • Act as change control owner for the documentation of Safety and GMP compliant actions.

Process Development:

  • Provide engineering expertise to the development and optimisation of chemical processes, This includes laboratory experimentation, modelling and simulation and assessment and communication of the results obtained.

  • Work closely with our Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) across the globe, providing process engineering input into process development and accommodation into manufacturing facilities

  • Carry out scale-up manufacturability assessments of processes to ensure right first-time scale-up, technical transfer and future viability.

  • Drive learning from manufacturing and deliver process improvements for subsequent manufacturing campaigns.

  • Solve problems arising during the manufacture or process development.

  • Champion and drive sustainability of processes with respect to environmental sustainability, efficiency and cost

  • Develop external contacts (industrial and academic) to bring learning and innovative process engineering science into AstraZeneca

  • Lead novel science and technology projects, applying engineering knowledge to develop core understanding of the subject area(s) and to assess future scale-up and technology needs.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• A PhD in Chemical Engineering, or a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or Biochemical Engineering with at least three years of experience working in the Pharmaceutical or Fine Chemicals industry or similar.

• Hands on experience of carrying out laboratory experimentation unit operations such as mixing, distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, crystallisation, tangential flow filtration, coprecipitation, isolation and drying and evaluating their dependency on scale and equipment through the use of risk assessments and modelling.

• Hands on experience of introducing process equipment and technology within existing facilities.

• Proven experience of using structured problem solving tools.

• Strong collaborative and communication skills.

• Experience working on a highly regulated environment.

• Demonstrable experience of applying principles of Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) regulations and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) to chemical manufacturing processes, including running change controls in manufacturing facilities.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

  • Experience of equipment commissioning and validation practices

  • Experience of chemical or process development, scale up and / or technical transfer

  • Experience of working across skillsets (e.g. chemists, analysts, formulators, statisticians)

  • Ability to use modelling software (e.g. Aspen, DynoChem, Computational Fluid Dynamics,) to support process understanding.

  • Experience of working with CDMOs.

  • Familiarity with the process of running HAZOPs.

  • Ability to mentor junior colleagues (graduates, placement students, apprentices).

AstraZeneca offers an environment where scientific curiosity meets real-world impact: teams work side-by-side with academia, biotechs and industry partners; digital, data science and AI are harnessed to unlock new insights; learning is continuous through diverse projects, development programmes and exposure to multiple disease areas; voices are heard across levels; leaders encourage bold thinking; and every project is driven by a shared commitment to transform treatment options for patients worldwide while advancing sustainable healthcare.

If this Senior Process Engineer opportunity matches your skills and ambition, apply now to join us on our journey to push the boundaries of science!

Why AstraZeneca?

Welcome to send us your application through our website at your earliest convenience, but no later than 20th May 2026.

Where can I find out more?

Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/

Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en

Date Posted

06-May-2026

Closing Date

20-May-2026Our 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.

Related Jobs

View all jobs
Spotlight

Senior Director Global Clinical Program Lead Cardiovascular & Renal

CSL
On-site

Senior Process Engineer

AstraZeneca Macclesfield, United Kingdom
£40,000 – £60,000 pa On-site

Process Project Engineer – Moulding / Manufacturing

NIRAS Ireland Castlebar, Mayo County, Ireland

Senior Manager - Engineering & Maintenance

Moderna Oxford, United Kingdom

Senior Manager - Engineering & Maintenance

Safety Process Director / Senior Safety Process Director

Roche Welwyn Hatfield, United Kingdom

Senior Analytics Engineer

Recursion London, United Kingdom

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Where to Advertise Biotech Jobs in the UK (2026 Guide)

Advertising biotech jobs in the UK requires a different approach to most technical hiring. The candidate pool spans life scientists, computational biologists, regulatory specialists and biomanufacturing engineers — each with distinct professional networks and job search behaviours. General job boards reach a broad audience but lack the specificity that biotech professionals expect. Specialist platforms, academic channels and sector-specific communities each serve a different part of the market. This guide, published by BiotechnologyJobs.co.uk, covers where to advertise biotech roles in the UK in 2026, how the main platforms compare, what employers should expect to pay, and what the data says about hiring across different role types.

Biotech Jobs UK 2026: What to Expect Over the Next 3 Years

Biotechnology is creating jobs at a rate that few other sectors can match. New disciplines are emerging from research labs and entering commercial hiring pipelines, existing roles are fragmenting into deeper specialisms, and the technologies driving it all — from AI-assisted drug discovery to next-generation gene editing — are advancing faster than the workforce can keep pace with. For job seekers, this creates an unusual challenge. In most industries, career planning means navigating a relatively familiar landscape and identifying where your skills fit. In biotech, that landscape is being actively redrawn. The roles generating the most hiring activity in 2028 may look quite different from the ones appearing in job adverts today. That's not a reason to feel overwhelmed — it's a reason to get informed. The candidates who thrive in this market aren't always those with the longest CVs or the most letters after their name. They're the ones who understand where the sector is heading: which disciplines are gaining commercial traction, which technologies are driving employer demand, and how the definition of a "biotech job" is expanding well beyond traditional pharmaceuticals and research roles. This article breaks down what the UK biotech jobs market is likely to look like over the next three years — covering emerging job titles, the technologies reshaping hiring, the skills employers are prioritising right now, and how to position your career ahead of the curve rather than behind it.

New Biotech Employers to Watch in 2026: UK and Global Companies Transforming Life Sciences Careers

The biotechnology job market in the UK is entering a new phase—one defined by scientific breakthroughs, targeted investment, and a growing pipeline of innovative employers. For professionals browsing BiotechnologyJobs.co.uk, the key question is no longer just which companies exist, but which ones are scaling, hiring, and shaping the future of life sciences. In this article, we explore the new biotech employers to watch in 2026, focusing on UK-based startups, scale-ups, and international firms with a growing UK presence. These organisations have recently secured funding, partnerships, or strategic backing—strong indicators of hiring momentum in the months ahead.