Associate Director Data Engineering

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.

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Data Engineer to join our dynamic team. You will significantly impact the role of data engineering on the delivery of Data Products to the Oncology R&D organisation. Ensuring we are continuously advancing our data stack as well as our automation and observability capabilities will be central to your work.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Building and maintaining the infrastructure and pipelines for extracting, transforming, and loading data for use in data products and analyses.

• Working with data scientists and other stakeholders to understand the data needs and requirements of the organization and designing data systems and pipelines to meet these needs.

• Implementing data ingestion, transformation, and storage systems in a FAIR and high-quality way

• Ensuring the reliability, scalability, and performance of data systems and pipelines.

• Implementing data governance policies and procedures to ensure the security, privacy, and integrity of data.

• Collaborating with other members of the data team to build and maintain data products and services.

• Staying up-to-date with new technologies and best practices in the field of data engineering

Essential Requirements

• Computer Science, Engineering, or Bioinformatics background (Master level) with 5 years of relevant experience

• Deep knowledge of Python and vast experience with Python data and scientific libraries like pandas, numpy/scipy, polars, etc

• An ability to interact with various data sources, both structured and unstructured (e.g. HDFS, SQL, noSQL)

• Experience working across multiple scientific compute environments to create data workflows and pipelines (e.g. HPC, cloud, Unix/Linux systems)

• Understanding of the FAIR data principles and how they apply to the delivery of integrated X-Omics solutions

• Deep understanding of typical data quality issues, cleaning and masking techniques

Desirable Skills

• Experience working with metadata models, controlled vocabularies and ontologies

• Experience with deploying data pipelines using orchestration services: Airflow/Prefect/AWS Glue/Dagster/etc.

• Experience using AWS services: S3/EBS, EC2, CloudWatch, SNS and Lambda.

• Understanding of software development, testing and quality processes, experience with testing frameworks and documentation

• Expertise with biological/health data, especially NGS and other ‘omic technologies.
• Ability to understand, map, integrate, and document complex data relationship and business rules.

#EAI

Date Posted

23-oct-2026

Closing Date

29-oct-2026

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.

About Us

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company. We

focus on discovering, developing and commercialising prescription medicines for some

of the world’s most serious diseases. But we are more than one of the world’s leading

pharmaceutical companies.

At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered

to push the boundaries of science, challenge convention and unleash your entrepreneurial

spirit. To embrace differences and take bold actions to drive the change needed to meet

global healthcare and sustainability challenges.

There is no better place to make a difference in medicine, patients, and society. An inclusive

culture where you will connect different thinking to generate new and valuable opportunities.

Where you will find a commitment to lifelong learning, growth and development for all.

Championing Inclusion and Diversity

Our Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) mission is to create an inclusive and equitable environment where people belong, using the power of our diversity to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to the success of our company, because innovation requires breakthrough ideas that only come from a diverse workforce empowered to challenge conventional thinking.

Life at AstraZeneca

We’re curious about science and the advancement of knowledge. We find creative ways to approach new challenges. We’re driven to make the right choices and be accountable for our actions.

As an organisation centred around what makes us human, we put a big focus on people. Across our business, we want colleagues to wake up excited about their day at the office, in the field, or in the lab. Along with our purpose to bring life-changing medicines to people across the globe, we have a promise to you: to help you realise the full breadth of your potential.

Here, you’ll do work that has the potential to change your life and improve countless others. And, together with your team, you’ll shape a culture that unites and inspires us every day. This is your life at AstraZeneca.