AI Technical Project Manager

Job Description

AI Strategy & Innovation

The AI Strategy & Innovation team sits within R&D IT. It is the team underpinning the delivery of the ORD AI Strategy as endorsed by ORD LT. This multi-million-dollar investment serves to provide immense value through utilization of AI across the entire R&D value chain, brining deeper insights, automation, and scale to the portfolio.

To deliver this transformational project, the team is growing in size, both onshore and offshore. As well as this, it will need to continue to act as part of #OneIT to utilize and support solutions from central IT and other teams in R&D IT.

Role Summary

As a Technical Project Manager aligned to the AI Strategy & Innovation team, you will work closely with technical R&D stakeholders to clearly articulate requirements for solutions, infrastructure, architecture, machine learning and data science environments and tooling to support AstraZeneca’s R&D priorities. You will focus on enabling the transition from proof of concept to scaled solutions in a sustainable and agile manner. You will be able to balance the needs of the wider enterprise with regards to sustainability, governance, legal, and privacy, with the need for pace in the R&D sector. The AI Technical Project manager will be highly technical, with an eye for detail, and with excellent stakeholder management skills. The candidate will have a proven track record of managing challenging stakeholders, success in a highly matrixed environment, successful product and/or platform delivery, and excellent technical understanding including cutting edge ML and supercomputers.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Project Leadership: Lead end-to-end management of complex and multi-function AI technical projects within the R&D landscape, developing comprehensive project plans while contributing to the R&D IT team's strategic roadmap.

• Adept Influencing: Influence across multiple platforms/teams in the enterprise to own and drive a roadmap and vision to meet key strategic R&D needs whilst satisfying governance requirements and reusing existing infrastructure and estate. As this role has no direct line management, ability to thrive in a highly matrixed environment Is crucial.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Establish and nurture collaborative partnerships across R&D IT, Data Science, and enabling functions, while breaking down organizational silos to ensure collective ownership of AI initiatives.

• Stakeholder Management: Navigate and influence challenging senior stakeholder relationships across the organization, proactively managing expectations through transparent communication, while acting as a trusted technical advisor who translates complex AI concepts into detailed technical requirements.

• Technical Coordination & Delivery: Utilise your deep knowledge of the AI space to clearly articulate need to have and nice to have requirements, and to navigate quality standards, regulatory requirements, and other enterprise measures while meeting stakeholder expectations

• Scaling AI Solutions: Lead delivery of AI proof-of-concepts into production-ready, enterprise-scale solutions with clear sustainability plans, developing transition roadmaps that address technical debt, performance optimization, and infrastructure requirements while implementing robust validation frameworks to ensure scaled solutions maintain accuracy and reliability.

• Agile Implementation: Champion agile methodologies tailored to the unique requirements of AI projects in pharmaceutical R&D, establishing processes that accommodate both technical and business stakeholders while managing the tension between agile flexibility and regulatory compliance requirements.

• Risk & Change Management: Identify and mitigate project risks through proactive monitoring and contingency planning, while implementing change management strategies that support successful adoption of AI solutions across the organization, measuring and communicating business impact to demonstrate value and drive continued investment.

Requirements & Qualifications

Essential

• 5+ years in product/project management with AI/ML products

• Bachelor's degree in a related field

• Deep technical understanding of data science, machine learning, deep learning, infrastructure, architecture

• Proven project management skills in delivering, leading and controlling large projects (managing plans, budgets and forecasts, tasks, risks and issues, change management and status reporting to support effective decisions and project reporting to stakeholders and review boards)

• Highly competent at chairing and facilitating steering meetings, presenting to influence and informing at senior level

• Agile delivery experience including driving the planning and developing complex plans across multiple delivery teams, including working with engineering teams taking solutions into production and through Acceptance to Service processes

• Benefits identification and delivery management – defining value prior to delivery and tracking post delivery

• Experience of negotiating and working with external vendors and onshore and offshore suppliers

• Proven experience scaling AI proof-of-concepts to enterprise-ready solutions

• Expertise in agile methodologies and their application to AI/ML development lifecycles

• Demonstrated exceptional ability to foster collaboration across diverse functional teams with competing priorities

• Clear evidence of successful management of challenging stakeholder relationships and influencing at senior management levels

• Excellent communication skills with ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences

• Proven track record of delivering projects on time, within scope, and budget

Desirable

• Knowledge of pharmaceutical R&D processes and drug discovery context

• Understanding of GxP and regulatory requirements in pharmaceutical development

• Experience implementing DevOps practices for AI/ML solutions

• Certification in project management (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent) and agile methodologies (Scrum, SAFe)

• Experience with change management methodologies to support adoption of AI solutions

Impact & Influence

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of drug discovery through the implementation of cutting-edge AI technologies. You will directly influence how AI transforms pharmaceutical R&D at AstraZeneca, working at the intersection of science, technology, and business strategy. Success in this role requires exceptional stakeholder management skills, the ability to navigate complex organizational dynamics while maintaining focus on technical excellence, and the vision to transform experimental AI concepts into sustainable, enterprise-scale solutions that deliver measurable business value.

Career Development

As an AI Technical Project Manager in the AISI team, you will gain exposure to senior leadership, develop deep expertise in AI applications for life sciences, and position yourself for growth opportunities across technical leadership and strategic management paths within AstraZeneca's global organization. You will build valuable skills in scaling innovative technologies, orchestrating cross-functional collaboration, and delivering transformational change in a complex scientific environment.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from 142,740.80 - 214,111.20 USD annual base salary. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Ready to take on this exciting challenge? Apply now to join our team!

Date Posted

21-Jul-2025

Closing Date

11-Aug-2025Our 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.