(Associate) Director, Animal Welfare

AstraZeneca is seeking a qualified veterinarian to join our R&D team in Shanghai as the Associate Director/Senior Manager, Animal Welfare. This role will be critical in ensuring first-line compliance with AstraZeneca’s Bioethics Standard and the Global Standard: Animal Care and Welfare. The successful candidate will be integral to our global approach to animal research, providing expertise and assurance of compliance while collaborating with project teams and managing external partnerships. This role will report to VP, Head of Development Science and dotted line to Senior Director, Global Animal Research Assurance.

Typical Accountabilities

• Compliance Management: Oversee and ensure compliance with AstraZeneca’s Bioethics Standard and Global Standard: Animal Care and Welfare, specifically in the context of animal research conducted by R&D China.
• Project Collaboration: Maintain a presence in R&D China to establish direct connections with project teams, responsible for outsourcing animal studies, providing immediate compliance support during the early development stages.
• Leadership in Animal Welfare: Act as the R&D China lead for the AstraZeneca Council for Science and Animal Welfare(C-SAW), accountable for animal welfare compliance within Asia region and contributing to strategy and decision-making in collaboration with international peers to maintain high levels of animal welfare compliance. Provide on-site inspection and compliance evaluations for animal research conducted across Asia, supporting the wider AstraZeneca business.
• Onboarding of Gracell: Facilitate the onboarding of Gracell into AstraZeneca's Bioethics Standards, ensuring their practices align with compliance requirements and supporting integration processes.
• Consultation and Expertise: Work with the C-SAW Consultation Forum to engage influential stakeholders in animal research, providing expert insights on emerging issues and opportunities.
• IT Platform Management: Manage the “Partner” IT platform by training and supporting project teams and scientists on compliance standards and usage of the system; Review and approval of study submissions in line with AstraZeneca standards; Conducting assessments of CROs and or collaborators, including background checks and virtual/on-site evaluations; Tracking, investigating, and reporting any non-compliance issues related to Global Standards, Bioethics, and Animal Care and Welfare.

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Must be a qualified veterinarian with a strong understanding of animal welfare regulations and ethical standards in research
• Previous experience in animal research compliance management, preferably within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology environment
• Familiarity with regulatory standards and frameworks related to animal welfare (non-GxP)
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with project teams and external partners
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Proficient in managing IT compliance platforms and conducting assessment

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.