Living Here
Environment is everything. Where you work. And where you live.
An environment that frees you to create, solve, challenge is one that enables you to thrive. That's precisely the kind of environment we aim to create here, at each of our six locations across the UK. As for the cities we're located in, whichever one you choose, you'll find yourself in an environment that's exceedingly livable. Family friendly. Affordable. Schools and healthcare facilities are top-notch, plus you'll be in close proximity to world-class cultural attractions, shopping and entertainment.
So the question remains: where would you like to work?
Our two centers of excellence for Research and Development, Alderley Park, Cheshire and Charnwood, Leicestershire, offer state-of-the-art facilities for scientific and commercial development of new products. In addition, our major manufacturing and operations facilities in Macclesfield, Cheshire and Avlon, near Bristol, both enjoy superb quality of life locations close to a wide range of urban and recreational opportunities.
While London remains the global HQ for AstraZeneca worldwide, our UK sales and marketing headquarters is based near Luton, Bedfordshire in a vibrant high-tech office facility.
Great environments in which to live. Work. Play. That's what we strive to provide for you. Because at AstraZeneca, we believe it's of the utmost importance to have fulfillment not only in your career, but in life.
Work at Alderley Park, Cheshire
Alderley Park already has an enviable record in the history of pharmaceutical innovation, being involved in the discovery, research and development of a number of treatments across various therapy areas. These include:
- "Inderal" and "Tenormin", which revolutionised the treatment of certain heart diseases in the 1970s and 1980s
- "Diprivan", the world's best-selling intravenous anaesthetic
- "Nolvadex", the world''s most commonly-prescribed breast cancer treatment
- "Zoladex" which is used to treat hormone-dependent prostate cancer, pre-menopausal breast cancer and gynaecological disorders
- "Casodex", the world's leading anti-androgen therapy for prostate cancer
- "Tomudex", a treatment for colorectal cancer
- "Arimidex", a treatment for post menopausal breast cancer
Work at Alderley Park is divided into five main areas:
Research and Development
Research Scientists at Alderley Park focus their efforts on finding new treatments in seven therapeutic (disease) areas, with particular emphasis on oncology (cancer). The world's top selling breast cancer treatment was discovered here.
Operations
Operations staff are responsible for the manufacture and supply of AstraZeneca products. Challenges include cutting the cost and time it takes to get a new medicine onto the market.
International Sales and Marketing (ISMO)
Staff here are responsible for co-ordinating and managing the sales and marketing organisations in the many different countries where we sell our products.
Product Strategy and Licensing (PS&L)
Staff in PS&L work closely with many functions in the company to identify viable treatment targets and shape our product portfolio. This ensures that treatments are marketed and aligned with real medical needs and they fulfil their potential for success.
Business Services
Our new and emerging UK Business Services organisation brings together a diverse range of skills, knowledge and expertise to form a single, coherent, customer focused team. The scope of the group includes Information Services, Purchasing, Finance, Human Resources, Communications as well as Facilities Management and Site Services.
About Alderley Park, Cheshire
A key site in the AstraZeneca global network, our major facility at Alderley Park is home to some of the world's most skilled and experienced science professionals working at the frontiers of medicine.
Covering 400 acres, three-quarters of which remains woodland, water and farmland, Alderley Park is where several of the world's most important medicines have been discovered and developed. The site is both historic green parkland, yet ultra-modern high-tech steel and glass. A dynamic place to work, the site and its employees make a strong contribution to the local community.
A multi-million pound development programme underlines the site's vital role in the AstraZeneca global network. Recent developments - part of a 10 year plan - have included new offices and research buildings. Extensive and carefully-planned landscaping is melding new structures and areas of high activity with existing parkland and wildlife habitats.
Our Alderley Park site, located close to the village of Alderley Edge, is regarded as one of the most prosperous parts of the UK, surrounded by attractive towns, villages and countryside. As well as good road, rail and airport links the area boasts low crime levels as well as very good schools and colleges.
But it isn't just the high quality of life that attracts people to the area. The City of Manchester is only a short drive away and offers a tremendous range of cultural and entertainment activities as well as first class leisure and sporting facilities. Boosted by the success of the recent Commonwealth Games, Manchester now stands proud as a great regional city. With a largely revamped city centre, showcasing modern glass and steel architecture alongside magnificent historic buildings, the city offers everything from great nightlife and stylish bars to superb shopping and gourmet dining.
And if it's the great outdoors you are looking for, then the northwest region offers plenty of options for adventure and exploration. Whether you prefer to hike, bike or climb or simply enjoy a leisurely stroll, the national parks of the Peak District, Lake District and Snowdonia are within easy reach.
Work at Macclesfield
Our 100 acre site in Macclesfield is host to major parts of our global Manufacturing and Supply, Development, Commercial and UK-specific functions.Located in North East Cheshire, between the foothills of the Pennines, and the Cheshire Plain and the Peak District National Park, the site has seen a programme of continuous investment since it was first established in the 1960s and now has over 3,000 employees.
Manufacturing & Supply
Macclesfield is the second largest Manufacturing & Supply site in AstraZeneca and provides the link between Research & Development, and Sales & Marketing. Our Manufacturing and Supply teams work closely with Development colleagues based on site to achieve successful technology transfers and to undertake first manufacture of new products. The site supplies products for all of AstraZeneca's therapy areas, and currently sources 130 markets worldwide.
AstraZeneca at Macclesfield has a number of specific roles within the supply chain and manufacturing strategy, including one as a New Product Launch Site, and as the sole global supplier for one of our leading cancer products. Additionally, its role as a Quality Assurance Lead Site makes it responsible for the quality control and assurance of a range of products made both at Macclesfield and other Sites for supply to global markets.
Our Macclesfield site has a stated aim to build a reputation for consistent first class customer service. All UK Manufacturing employees have a clear understanding of what customer service means to them personally, to their teams and to the business. The concept of internal customer service is a key element.
We are committed to maintaining a workplace that meets Health, Safety and Environmental standards, with an active improvement programme. Governing every stage of the production cycle, Good Manufacturing Code of Practice ensures our products are 100% right, first time, every time. These structured procedures are rigorously documented and dictate the way many of our employees dress, as well as the way they handle materials and fulfil their job functions.
Macclesfield site has facilities for all three stages of pharmaceutical manufacture - bulk drug manufacture, formulation and packing.
Development
Our Development function at Macclesfield - part of the global AstraZeneca Development function - provides a key link between Research and Manufacturing. These are the people who take a compound and, from it, develop a product that will be effective and safe for human use. From there, they design the manufacturing process and the analytical testing methods.
Marketing
Marketing support and development at Macclesfield is targeted at smaller and emerging markets to spot business opportunities and create dynamic marketing strategies that will turn these into successful ventures
The Macclesfield area is regarded as one of the most prosperous parts of the UK, surrounded by attractive villages and countryside. With good rail links and being close to Manchester Airport, these excellent connections with the wider world were part of our reason for establishing major operations here.
We have obvious responsibilities to the local community in and around Macclesfield, and these go far beyond our aim of a safe, clean and healthy workplace.We have a long tradition of training and development, evidenced by our Investor in People status, supported by our own local programmes.
About Macclesfield, Cheshire
Our 100 acre site in Macclesfield is host to major parts of our global Manufacturing & Supply, Commercial and UK-specific functions. It is also a major centre for R&D, housing both Process R&D and Pharmaceutical Analytical R&D functions.
Located in North East Cheshire, between the picture-postcard foothills of the Pennines, and the Cheshire Plain and the Peak District National Park, the site has seen a programme of continuous investment since it was first established in the 1960s and now has over 3,000 employees.
The Macclesfield area is regarded as one of the most prosperous parts of the UK, surrounded by attractive towns, villages and countryside. As well as good road, rail and airport links the area boasts low crime levels as well as very good schools and colleges.
But it isn't just the high quality of life that attracts people to the area. The City of Manchester is only a short drive away and offers a tremendous range of cultural and entertainment activities, as well as first class leisure and sporting facilities.
Boosted by the success of the recent Commonwealth Games, Manchester now stands proud as a great regional city. With a largely revamped centre, showcasing modern glass and steel architecture alongside magnificent historic buildings, the city offers everything from great nightlife and stylish bars to superb shopping and gourmet dining.
And if it's the great outdoors you are looking for, then the northwest region offers plenty of options for adventure and exploration. Whether you prefer to hike, bike or climb or simply enjoy a leisurely stroll, the national parks of the Peak District, Lake District and Snowdonia are within easy reach.
Work at Avlon, Bristol
Our Avlon production facilities are operated and controlled, around the clock, by a highly skilled workforce. We employ 460 people here, supported by many specialist contractors, and Avlon has achieved the Investor in People accreditation.
With Avlon's output being transported all over the world, we manage supply and demand using a sophisticated integrated computer system and organise deliveries, manufacture, testing and despatch to ensure we meet our customers' requirements.
Work at Avlon divides into two main areas - Manufacturing and Process Research & Development.
Manufacturing
We manufacture a range of active pharmaceutical ingredients including antiseptics, heart, cancer and schizophrenia treatments. The active ingredient is then exported around the world for final formulation into the finished product, such as tablet, injection or inhaler, which can be taken by a patient.
Process Research and Development
Staff develop the best, most cost-effective ways to manufacture active components of medicines in bulk quantities. They also work closely with their colleagues in manufacturing to improve the manufacturing processes.
Our role at Avlon in Process R&D is to design, develop, scale-up and transfer to Manufacture safe, robust, commercially viable processes for the production of specific drugs within the AstraZeneca range. This work involves approximately 150 members of our workforce in supporting the project requirements of AstraZeneca research units by concentrating - in collaboration with the AstraZeneca R&D site at Charnwood, Loughborough - on Analytical Chemistry, Process Chemistry, Process Engineering and Development Manufacture.
About Avlon, Bristol
Our Avlon site, on the banks of the Severn Estuary on the west side of Bristol, is our key UK site for manufacture of a wide range of active pharmaceutical ingredients - often called bulk 'drugs'.
These include components for antiseptics, heart drugs, cancer and schizophrenia treatments. Avlon is also, along with Macclesfield site in the north west and Sodertalje in Sweden, an integral part of the global AstraZeneca Process Research and Development(R&D) organisation.
Originally farmland, the site was bought by the company in 1959. Since then it has seen the manufacture first of organic chemicals, then agricultural products, before pharmaceutical production began in 1971.
Our facilities occupy around 175 acres of land, of which 50 acres are currently dedicated to various aspects of Manufacturing, Process R&D or support activities.Recent investment has added state-of-the-art laboratories and has considerably extended the site's manufacturing capacity and associated infrastructure - including additional offices, restaurant and reception areas.
Stanhope Gate, London
Stanhope Gate in the heart of London is the location for the Corporate Office of AstraZeneca. With over 110 employees, it forms the base for most of our Executive Directors and members of the Senior Executive Team.
Global Functions
Many of the key global functions of our company are led from Stanhope Gate, whilst their principal management and operational teams are on our major sites in the UK, the USA and Sweden.
Examples of the many functions which have a strong presence at corporate headquarters are Finance, Treasury, Legal and Secretary's, Global Government Affairs and Policy, Investor Relations, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs.
Policy Making
Our work at Stanhope Gate is mainly focused on policy making and board support, although the location also means that some operational activities, such as Treasury and Government Affairs can be based appropriately close to the City of London, Government and Whitehall.
History
The building at 15 Stanhope Gate dates from the Georgian period, beginning in 1747 when Philip Stanhope, Fourth Earl of Chesterfield began to build a mansion at the address. Subsequent residents at the address have included peers, Ministers and military figures.
Now providing a compact and appropriate global headquarters for one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, it has been used by the company since the early 1990s, with its interior suitably modified to give office accommodation together with London-based conference and other facilities which are intensively used by staff from throughout the global AstraZeneca organisation.
Work at Horizon Place, Luton
Once a medicine has passed clinical trials to ensure it is safe and effective, our marketeers get to work. It's their job to raise awareness of the benefits of AstraZeneca medicines to audiences such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and hospital consultants.Sales Representatives then visit these people to explain how a treatment works and its benefits. Meanwhile, our Conference Department organises conferences and seminars to communicate developments with new and existing AstraZeneca medicines to the medical profession. Our Medical Information Department responds to questions about our products.Our UK Marketing Company ranks number one, in terms of sales, in the cancer therapy area, and is a leading player in the areas of gastrointestinal, anaesthesia, cardiovascular and respiratory.Strategically, the UK Marketing Company is one of the most important AZ marketing divisions alongside those in the United States and Japan.About Horizon Place, Luton
Our Luton site is home to the AstraZeneca UK Marketing Company which is responsible for selling our medicines in the UK. Over 500 people work here and around 1,200 Sales Representatives also report to the site.
The Luton site, called Horizon Place, is situated on Capability Green Business Park, only a mile from Luton town centre and a ten-minute drive from the airport. The new modern building is open plan with a restaurant, coffee shop and library. There is also a gym situated on the Business Park, which is available to AstraZeneca employees.
