Principal, AI Engineering for Discovery

On-site in Barcelona·Full-time·Added yesterday

AstraZeneca

36 open roles

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What they offer

Full-time hours
Per the ad.

What they ask for

Have the right to work in Spain
AstraZeneca doesn't mention sponsorship in the ad.
Work in English
English is required, per the ad.
Work on-site in Barcelona
No relocation package mentioned.

The role

Are you ready to turn cutting-edge AI research into robust, secure products that accelerate how new medicines are discovered? Do you want to build the platforms and workflows scientists rely on to ask bolder questions and make faster, better decisions? In this role, you will lead the engineering that brings high-value AI breakthroughs to life at enterprise scale. You will partner closely with researchers, scientists and platform teams to design, harden and run AI systems that are reproducible, performant and trusted. Your work will shorten the path from idea to impact, helping teams progress promising science with greater speed and confidence. You will operate across cloud and on-premises environments, shaping standards, automation and reusable capabilities that uplift the entire organization. If you thrive on solving hard problems, mentoring others and proving what's possible with AI in real-world settings, this is the place to make your mark.

What you'll do

Provide technical leadership for AI platform and product engineering, with particular focus on software design, reproducibility, performance and maintainability.
Engineer research prototypes into secure, scalable and supportable products and reusable platform capabilities for Discovery.
Develop and optimize machine-learning training and inference workflows across cloud and on-premises infrastructure.
Own and promote software engineering standards, documentation, testing, code review and reusable delivery patterns.
Use CI/CD, DevOps, GitOps and MLOps automation to improve delivery speed, reliability and operational efficiency.
Partner with AI researchers, scientists, platform teams and external collaborators to translate scientific needs into effective technical solutions.
Mentor engineers, contribute to architecture decisions, and promote responsible, compliant and reproducible AI engineering.

How you'll work

This is an in-office role based in Barcelona, ES, with a requirement to work a minimum of three days per week on-site. Remote or travel flexibility is not available.

Date Posted

22-sept-2026

Requirements

What we're looking for

A master's degree or PhD in a relevant field
A track-record of implementing software engineering best practices for multiple use cases.
Advanced proficiency in Python and common scientific libraries (e.g. PyTorch, Numpy, Pandas).
Experience with optimization of distributed training of machine learning models.
Experience building and deploying AI/ML systems in production environments.
Experience with GitHub for source control, GitHub Actions, CI/CD, and other MLOps practices.
Experience with deployment of cloud-native applications and use of cloud vendors such as AWS, GCP or Azure.
Excellent problem-solving and technical communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

Nice to have

Experience implementing Large Language Model (LLM) and Generative AI solutions at enterprise scale.
Experience contributing to architecture design and technical roadmaps.
Experience providing technical leadership on AI or software engineering projects involving responsible AI, governance, security, and reproducibility practices.
Experience with Kubernetes and infrastructure as code.
Understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and its processes.
Experience working in a domain subject to regulatory oversight.
Experience working in scientific research environment.

Here, data, technology and science meet in unexpected ways-computational engineers, clinicians and bench scientists in the same room, unleashing bold thinking that tackles complex disease. You will work with modern tooling and meaningful datasets to build AI capabilities that directly influence research decisions and, ultimately, patient outcomes. We value curiosity alongside rigor, kindness alongside ambition, and we back learning with real opportunities-from experimenting with new approaches to seeing work recognized through publications. With strong collaborations across academia and industry, you can push boundaries while being supported by teams that move quickly, share knowledge and turn promising ideas into tangible progress.

Shape the engineering backbone of discovery-share your CV and tell us about the toughest AI system you've taken to production, and take the lead on what comes next!

How they hire

2 steps1 interviewa task to do

Application
Recruiter contact · With a recruiter
Assessment
Not every role
Some roles, especially graduate roles, add a game-based assessment, a video or telephone interview, or an assessment day.
Interview
A two-way conversation about your skills and suitability for the role, and a chance for you to find out if AstraZeneca is right for you.
Pre-employment screening
Offer

Candidates who reach interview stage or beyond usually get feedback within 14 days of the role's closing date.
Interview travel expenses are reimbursed for journeys over 100km.
Alcohol and drug testing is carried out for new hires where required by local country legislation.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes prescription medicines in therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, and respiratory and immunology. With a workforce of over 80,000 employees worldwide, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and operates across more than 100 countries, focusing on innovative medicines and advanced technologies like AI and data science to transform patient care.

In Spain, AstraZeneca has a significant presence with offices in Madrid and Barcelona, contributing to clinical development, regulatory affairs, and commercial operations. The company is known for its collaborative and inclusive culture, offering international professionals opportunities to work on global projects, particularly in areas like cell therapy, AI-driven health solutions (Evinova), and patient safety. With a strong commitment to diversity and innovation, AstraZeneca Spain is an attractive destination for talent seeking to make a global impact while living in Spain.

Industry: Pharma
Founded: 1999
Employees: 10,000+
Headquarters: Cambridge, UK
In Spain: Madrid, Barcelona
Website: astrazeneca.es

Good to know if you are moving

AstraZeneca offers a global, multicultural work environment with opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the world.
The company has a strong commitment to employee development and offers various career growth programs.
Spain offices are located in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona, offering a high quality of life and vibrant culture.
AstraZeneca is a leader in innovative therapies, providing employees with the chance to work on cutting-edge medical advancements.
The company supports flexible working arrangements and promotes a healthy work-life balance.

In their own words

Additional information

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 authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.

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