Associate Director Process Engineering – APICOM
Location: Dublin
Salary and Benefits: Competitive
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and delivery of life-saving medicines. We are committed to sustainability and strive to minimise the environmental impact of our work. Our culture inspires innovation, collaboration and diversity, empowering colleagues to express diverse perspectives and feel valued and rewarded for their ideas.
This role: The Associate Director will join a team that utilises technical excellence to ensure the safe and timely introduction of late-stage clinical and commercial active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) at the APICOM facility in Dublin. The state‑of‑the‑art facility incorporates autonomous batch and continuous manufacturing technologies. As a key member of the Manufacturing Technical Specialists and Process/Chemical Engineers, you will provide deep expertise in batch and continuous API manufacturing, support process transfer, and deliver new technology projects within APICOM.
* Carry out process‑engineering aspects of new active pharmaceutical ingredient projects in an autonomous, state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing facility, including scale‑up assessments, chemical‑reaction‑hazard evaluation, pressure‑relief calculations, and safety basis reviews.
* Utilise engineering calculations to optimise equipment performance, troubleshoot issues and enhance overall operational efficiency. Review and approve calculations from other team members, ensuring accuracy and compliance with standards.
* Take ownership of critical business processes, ensuring alignment with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Represent the department as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) during audits, providing insights and guidance on process‑related matters.
* Lead and/or participate in risk assessments such as HAZOPs, HAZIDs and Process Risk Assessments.
* Provide expert guidance on large‑scale capital projects to ensure adherence to AstraZeneca’s standards and industry regulations. Collaborate with stakeholders to integrate Safety, Health, Environment (SHE) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) into project plans and execution.
* Apply technical knowledge to improvement projects and evaluate new technologies/processes. Collaborate with specialist scientific and/or technology networks to introduce new technologies into the facility.
* Mentor and supervise junior colleagues and university students.
* A degree and/or PhD in Chemical Engineering.
* Chartered Chemical Engineer.
* Experience in pharmaceutical/fine chemical/food manufacturing.
* Well‑developed understanding of unit operations such as mixing, distillation, liquid‑liquid extraction, isolation and drying and their scale‑dependent equipment requirements.
* Good collaborative skills to enable effective working with different skill sets.
* Strong understanding of process safety principles and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
* Strong communication and influencing skills.
* Experience of chemical process development scale‑up and/or technical transfer.
* Strong understanding of GMP principles.
* Experience working across chemists, analysts and physical‑properties experts.
* Ability to use modelling software (e.g., Aspen, DynoChem, gPROMS, CFD) to support process understanding.
* Experience in continuous processing and advanced process control.
* Experience leading technical projects or acting as a lead process engineer on a project.
Why AstraZeneca
At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a great place to work. We empower our colleagues to push the boundaries of science and unleash entrepreneurship, while championing diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. We’re committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Date Posted: 23-Oct-2025
Closing Date: 03-Nov-2025
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