Principal Programmer Analyst

Description

The role is Principal Programmer Analyst in the clinical programming team, supporting pipeline delivery for complex and pivotal studies.

You will work in an agile, squad-based setup with cross-functional colleagues, leading study delivery and bridging scientific requirements with technical solutions for stakeholders in clinical, statistical and operational functions.

The work supports clinical development programmes in a global setting.

The company offers a competitive salary, an annual bonus tied to company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and a shares and savings programme.

The company runs a Performance with Choice programme, which offers a hybrid working model that lets you choose the balance between remote and in-office work.

The company is a global biopharma business focused on vaccines and medicines across four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases. Its R&D combines immunology with advanced technology.

The company aims to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade.

Responsibilities

• Lead programming work on one or more studies, owning the development, maintenance and validation of complex analysis packages.
• Keep programming work aligned with standards such as Good Programming Practices and CDISC to protect quality.
• Coach junior programmers on technical tasks and industry best practices.
• Lead programming support for regulatory interactions, such as with the EMA and FDA.
• Spot gaps and inefficiencies, then propose and deliver new solutions that follow standards and best practice.
• Set up and maintain governance frameworks, flag risks early, plan mitigations and escalate in good time.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in mathematics, computer science or a related field.
• At least 5 years of programming experience in one or more languages, and the judgement to choose the right tools or languages for each task.
• At least 3 years in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a strong grasp of clinical trials and therapeutic areas that you use to improve programming output and decisions.
• Experience leading discussions on programming strategy, displays and custom programs.
• Experience applying governance, quality control and compliance with regulatory and programming standards.
• Preferred, not essential: experience guiding others on AI/ML tools or using them to work more efficiently.
• Preferred, not essential: experience contributing to internal technical discussions, forums or external technical bodies.
• Preferred, not essential: critical thinking to apply standards, and working with stakeholders when deviations are needed.
• Preferred, not essential: the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Preferred, not essential: contributing to department strategy or key technical initiatives through working groups or sub-teams.
• Preferred, not essential: a proven record of networking and collaborating across departments, divisions and external partners.
• Preferred, not essential: helping integrate matrix teams and contributing to planning and running programming work.
• Preferred, not essential: guiding teams and individuals toward continuous improvement, collaboration and innovation.
• Preferred, not essential: demonstrated proficiency in R.
• Apply by using the cover letter or CV to show how you meet the competencies listed above. Both documents are used to assess your application.
• Useful skills, listed as desirable: agile leadership, agile methodology, clinical development, data engineering, data science, influencing without authority, learning agility, problem solving and statistical programming.

Conditions

The role follows a hybrid model, with the balance between remote and office work set through Performance with Choice.

Accommodation requests for the application process go to the recruitment team by email.

Agencies must have prior written authorisation from the company before referring candidates; the company will not pay fees for unauthorised referrals.

US licensed healthcare professionals may have expenses reported under US transparency rules if they are interviewed.

Benefits

• A competitive salary and an annual bonus based on company performance.
• Healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and a shares and savings programme.
• Benefits detail for US employees is available from the company.