12 Month University Industrial Placement Student (UIPS): Synthetic - Organic Chemistry

12 Month University Industrial Placement Student (UIPS): Synthetic – Organic Chemistry 

Cambridge & Macclesfield, UK 

£28,000 Base Salary, Bonus & Flexible Benefits 

Do you want to be part of a team of supportive, collaborative and likeminded peers to develop your expertise? Then Astra Zeneca might be the one for you!  

 

About AstraZeneca: 

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-centred biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious disease. But we’re more than a global leading pharmaceutical company. At AstraZeneca, we‘re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and fuel your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. 

About the University Industrial Placement Student (UIPS) Programme: 

Join a Truly Inclusive and Supportive International Team.   

As an AstraZeneca placement student, there is a huge network of support available to you. You’ll have a dedicated supervisor, a supportive early talent peer network, and a variety of Employee Resource Groups you can join. 

We help and empower each other, and our supervisors are committed to providing you with all the guidance and support you need to build your skills, confidence and capabilities. 

Whatever your background and experience, you'll be welcomed and encouraged to speak up, ask questions and share knowledge. You will be a valued part of an international team of truly supportive, collaborative and inclusive individuals.  

Are you ready to explore this exciting next step in your career? Apply today! 

We discourage multiple applications to our UIPS opportunities. Please therefore submit one application to the opportunity that best matches your skills and aspirations. We reserve the right to review and progress one application per candidate based on the role's criteria and candidates' skills.

About the Opportunity: 

We are looking to recruit for 12 Month Industrial Placements in Synthetic Organic Chemistry across sites in Cambridge and Macclesfield in the UK. At each location the placement will be focused on synthetic organic chemistry working as part of a team to deliver new potential drug candidates to help patients.  

The placements will provide you with the opportunity to learn about organic synthesis, purification, reaction monitoring, automation techniques, bio-catalysis, crystallisation, physical organic chemistry and/or peptide chemistry.  You will also have the opportunity to present your work to other chemists and wider teams that will enhance your communication skills which will all help you to develop a range of transferable skills as well as promoting and extending your proficiency as a chemist. 

Roles based in Cambridge will work with medicinal or peptide chemists to develop novel multi-step synthetic routes to a range of new compounds to enable testing of these compounds as potential drug candidates. 

Roles based in Macclesfield will work with process development chemists to develop safe, sustainable and economical synthetic routes that are capable of manufacturing kilogram quantities of potential drug candidates. 

Qualification, Skills & Experience 

Required: 

• Currently undertaking an Undergraduate Chemistry Degree with the opportunity to spend 1 year in industry starting in September 2027
• Where possible, please list your course modules including any results obtained within your application. 
• To support your application, please include a cover letter highlighting any scholarships, publications, lab experience or extracurricular activities demonstrating leadership and teamwork. Your cover letter should be included in the same document as your CV, and the uploaded file should be named in the format Surname Firstname.

Why AstraZeneca?  

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial - finding those moments and recognising their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organisation to reset expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, pioneering cutting-edge methods and bringing unexpected teams together.

Interested? Come and join our journey 

Applications Open: 4th September 2026

Applications Close: Midnight 2nd October 2026 

Virtual Assessment Day: 3rd & 4th November 2026

Start Date: 6th September 2026

This position is a 12-month fixed term contract.    

Where can I find out more? 

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603  

Inclusion & Diversity: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/inclusion-diversity    

Career Site: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/      

AstraZeneca is proud to be ranked as a Top 100 ‘Best Student Employer’ in the UK by HIGHERiN. Browse our reviews here (link)

Date Posted

04-Sept-2026

Closing Date

02-Oct-2026

Our 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.