Principal Clinical Information Scientist
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Salary: Competitive + Excellent Benefits

We are currently recruiting for a Principal Clinical Information Scientist (PCIS) to take a key role within our Information Practice team.

Working within AstraZeneca’s Information practice is an innovative place to be.

• As a recently created unit within Biometrics & Information Science the information practice team has a novel structure designed to drive creative and optimal use of internal and external sources of information in design and decision making to add value to the portfolio. It champions Good Information Practice to drive efficiency and maximize information re-use.
• As a member of Information Practice you will blend drug development experience and information science expertise. Embedded within fast moving project teams, you will efficiently deliver the information teams need to make decisions.
• Working in a group of strong leaders you will facilitate clinical design teams, so that expert input is maximized, optimal designs are considered and design memory is recorded as a business information asset. You will develop, access and deploy a variety of internal and external information sources and expert networks.
• Always driving good information practice so that search, retrieval and re-use of information becomes easy and helps the business achieve its goals.
• Working in a project delivery environment, a role within Information Practice is much more than just library services.

Within AstraZeneca our Biometrics & Information Science unit (B&I) drives good design to generate the data needed for quality decision making on AstraZeneca’s late stage Projects. The goal of B&I is to deliver value to the pipeline by excellence in delivery, improving decision making, and engaging and shaping the external environment whilst accessing and implementing innovative solutions. B&I is part of our Global Medicines Development division. The area of our business responsible for progressing innovative molecules into medicines.

Core Accountabilities & Responsibilities:

You will work as part of drug project teams on projects transitioning into Global Medicines Development, into late phase development, or into Established Brand teams. The significant areas for PCIS contribution are:

Support Clinical Design Teams

• Support decision making in clinical design. Accountable for bringing facts, evidence and data to the Design team and storing design memory in a retrievable environment.
• Facilitating Design teams to bring out the scientific thinking and deliver the content of Design & Interpretation deliverables, to quality and time.
• Projects range from concept to Phase 3. Activity will frequently be submissions focused.

Drive Objective Decision Making

• Use experience of internal and external information sources/information science techniques (e.g. text mining, data visualization, competitive intelligence, benchmarking) such that decision makers have better access to relevant information and quantitative methods for faster, higher quality (more robust) more objective decisions.

Ensure Good Information Practice

• The PCIS is known and recognized throughout the organization as the drug project information advocate/champion who can facilitate access to complex information needs
• People from inside or outside the drug project team are guided and advised by the you in using existing tools/technologies to obtain information
• You ensure access to and (re)use of clinical information, documents and data is performed in accordance with AZ information sharing policies.

Your Experience and Education

• Your career will be built on a strong Bachelors degree in a Life Science, Computer Science or Information Science.
• You will be recognized as an information science/information management expert. Your career to date will demonstrate success a variety of information roles. Settings could include but are not limited to Clinical Development, Medical Writing, Medical Communication or Clinical Operations.
• Successfully delivering within a project team is crucial to your success. You will have proven ability to influence strategic decision making within a multidiscipline setting.
• You will demonstrate strong experience in a diverse range of clinical design projects within a development setting. Areas of input could include data access, trail transparency, data privacy, design memory etc.
• Extensive experience in the application of information and knowledge management within pharmaceutical, biotech or technology industries. Knowledge supporting clinical submissions process would be advantageous.
• Excellent communication skills and facilitation skills