Data Analyst Contractor Jobs in Worcester, MA (NOW HIRING)

Senior Business Analyst - Biologics Discovery Platform

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to accelerate the discovery of life-changing medicines? At AstraZeneca, we unite modern science with data-driven, platform-enabled R&D to transform early biologics discovery. As a Senior Business Analyst, you'll play a pivotal role in translating sophisticated scientific and operational needs into scalable, high-impact solutions. Your insights and rigorous requirements will shape decisions that enable faster experimentation, smarter portfolio choices, and seamless integration of AI-ready data flows. Partnering closely with Biologic Engineering scientists, senior business partners, and program managers, you'll lead requirements gathering and establish demand management for lab and data-flow automation. Operate independently while collaborating across a global IT organization to drive outcomes and mentor Business Analysts, elevating skills and embedding standard methodologies.

Accountabilities:
- Facilitate workshops and partner interviews to capture needs across target ID, screening, and lead optimization; translate into clear epics, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
- Drive agile processes with scrum masters by refining backlogs to prioritize value and translating user stories into software development tasks.
- Map, document, and maintain end-to-end business processes to support clarity, consistency, and continuous improvement.
- Shape multiquarter roadmaps and prioritize initiatives based on value, risk, and dependency analysis aligned to discovery milestones and portfolio needs.
- Build strong relationships across early discovery science, platforms, data science, and IT; align on priorities and ensure transparent status reporting and decision logs.
- Translate ambiguous scientific or operational challenges into structured problem statements, options, and decision frameworks for senior collaborators.
- Lead elicitation through to validation and signoff; ensure traceability from business objectives to user stories, test cases, and release notes.
- Coordinate between discovery labs, data/AI teams, automation engineering, and platform IT to resolve dependencies and ensure integrated delivery.
- Maintain risk registers, run scenario analyses, and present option tradeoffs with quantified impact to guide escalation decisions.
- Coach BAs and scientists in requirements hygiene, story writing, and value tracking; contribute playbooks, templates, and communities of practice.

Essential Skills/Experience:

- Minimum 6+ years' experience working with complex integrated systems, preferably in molecular biology and antibody discovery in a pharmaceutical research organization.
- Demonstrable experience of successfully deploying a variety of business analysis tools & techniques to enable business change; adept at virtual collaboration to lead, shape and develop innovative solutions.
- Experience shaping product visions, defining value hypotheses, outcomes, and success metrics; able to balance short-term delivery with long-term platform scalability.
- Strong engagement, communication, and collaborator management skills across scientific and IT partners.
- In-depth knowledge of computational and experimental techniques used within biologics discovery.
- Skilled in analysing and documenting end-to-end data flows, including profiling, mapping, and how data is analysed.
- Ability to manage high levels of risk by making complex judgements, developing innovative solutions, and applying a comprehensive multi-functional and industry understanding.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

- Experience with Atlassian based software management tools (e.g. Jira, Confluence).
- Comfort with low fidelity prototyping, journey mapping, and usability testing to ensure solutions fit scientist workflows.
- Contracting and vendor governance including developing measurable acceptance criteria and ability to govern vendors against outcomes rather than activity.
- Understanding of lab automation ecosystems (e.g., scheduling, liquid handlers, plate readers) and how instrument data flows into ELN/LIMS and analytics.
- Good understanding of industry technology trends regarding Agentic AI.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $139,200 to $208,800.00 Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives-an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

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.

At AstraZeneca, you'll be part of a journey to create the future of medicine as we work towards becoming a healthcare provider beyond medicines. Embrace new ways of working with technologies that better understand diseases and support patients holistically. Be empowered to act in a digitally-enabled Research & Development cycle that improves clinical trials, data collection, diagnostics, wearables, machine learning, visual analytics for informed decision-making, integrated data for better patient outcomes, and insights for next-generation products. If you thrive on adapting your skills while learning from setbacks as we innovate together-this is the place for you.

Ready to make an impact? Apply now!

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