AI Lead: Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Job Title: AI Lead:
Manufacturing & Supply Chain
Location: Boston Seaport, USA

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge‑sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.

Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face‑to‑face in our offices 3 days a week
. Our head office is purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.

As AstraZeneca continues to put patients at the forefront of our mission, we are excited for our move to Kendall Square/Cambridge in 2026. Find out more information here:
Kendall Square Press Release

Alexion is seeking a visionary AI leader to shape and implement the AI strategy across our manufacturing, quality, and supply chain operations. In this pivotal role, you will partner with global operations teams to turn sophisticated production and quality challenges into intelligent, AI‑powered solutions that drive efficiency, enhance reliability, and ensure patients receive life‑changing therapies safely and on time.

You will lead the design, development, and adoption of sophisticated AI/ML capabilities that optimize drug production, strengthen quality systems, streamline distribution, and enable data‑driven operational excellence. This role blends deep technical expertise with strong product thinking, manufacturing insight, and exceptional partner leadership.

• AI Strategy & Portfolio
  :
  Identify and prioritize high‑impact AI use cases in manufacturing, quality control, and supply chain optimization. Govern the portfolio from proof of concept through validation to scaled products, with clear stage gates, success metrics, and value tracking.
• Ownership & Delivery
  :
  Act as the product owner for AI solutions (e.g., yield optimization, anomaly detection, batch release acceleration, demand and supply forecasting, inventory optimization, network planning, etc.). Set problem statements, adoption thresholds, and benefits realization plans; oversee delivery with internal teams and partners.
• Business Interface & Partnerships
  :
  Serve as the primary interface between manufacturing, quality and supply chain teams, and external AI partners. Translate business needs into AI solutions. Evaluate buy, build, partner options and manage vendors/consortia.
• Workflow Integration & Change
  :
  Lead cross‑functional integration of AI into MES, ERP, LIMS/ELN, QMS, APS, WMS, and logistics platforms, maintaining a strong focus on GMP/GxP compliance. Ensure AI‑driven insights are actionable in daily operations, supporting root cause analysis and continuous process improvement. Motivate change management (stakeholder engagement, training/upskilling, super‑user networks, SOP/role updates, communications, feedback loops) to accelerate adoption and scale.
• Data & Platforms
  :
  Partner with the Head of Data and tech teams to ensure data quality and secure integration across manufacturing and supply chain data sources. Influence platform choices and manage buy/build/partner decisions with clear success criteria and vendor governance.
• Governance, GMP/GxP, and Responsible AI
  :
  Ensure adherence to GMP/GxP, data integrity (ALCOA+), validation (CSV/CSA), privacy, and audit requirements. Apply responsible AI practices including model validation, explain‑ability, monitoring and drift management, change control, role‑based access, and inspection‑ready documentation.
• Impact & Communication
  :
  Define goals and achievements/critical metrics tied to business outcomes (e.g., uptime, efficiency/yield, batch release cycle time, deviation recurrence, schedule adherence, inventory turns, etc.). Track and communicate progress, impact, and value to business teams and executive leadership with clear narratives and evidence.
• Talent & Culture
  :
  Drive upskilling, change management, and a…