Empowering Future Leaders: A Summer of Growth Through Innovation at AstraZeneca
Where Innovation Begins
At AstraZeneca, we created the Personified series to showcase the the unique stories, motivations and personalities of our leaders, employees, and interns who have had a positive impact in making AstraZeneca a great place to work. This summer, Olivia Merced, Corporate Affairs intern in Wilmington, DE, interviewed four interns who have embodied AstraZeneca’s core values, demonstrating the qualities we strive to instill in our future innovators and leaders through our summer internship program.
Our participating interns, Rose Coats, Omer Ahmed, Mounira Njinjie, and Charles Jackson, have dedicated their summer to building and strengthening their professional skills under the mentorship of various leaders across multiple functions and sites at AstraZeneca in the US. Before reading, watch the video and get to know our AstraZeneca summer interns!
Diving Deeper as Future Leaders
1. What attracted you to pursue an internship at AstraZeneca?
Rose Coats (Cell Culture Fermentation, Gaithersburg, MD)
I study chemical engineering at the University of Maryland, and I joined a lab my freshman year. I had never worked in a lab before, but I found it to be fun and engaging. I really enjoyed working with the people because they loved to learn, teach, and inspire others. After experiencing lab work in an academic setting, I was drawn to this internship to explore what it’s like to work in an industry lab. This internship gave me the opportunity to work hands-on, use a variety of equipment, and work collaboratively to solve real problems.
Omer Ahmed (Global Medical Affairs, Oncology, Gaithersburg, MD)
I knew a few people that worked at AstraZeneca and heard great things about the company culture. And I’ve also always been interested in the healthcare industry. I recently was a marketing and communications volunteer at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital for Pakistan’s Dallas fundraisers, who provide free treatment to underprivileged patients. I’ve always wanted to give back and make a positive impact, so AstraZeneca’s mission of advancing health equity and putting patients first really resonated with me.
Charles Jackson (Facilities Engineer, Mt. Vernon, IN)
AstraZeneca caught my attention at my college career fair, where I learned about the company and its internship program. The AstraZeneca Mt. Vernon manufacturing site is one of the largest employers near the University of Southern Indiana. Before my internship, I wasn’t familiar with pharmaceuticals or AstraZeneca, but was impressed by their research, and I was excited to have received an internship offer.
Mounira Njinjie (Technical Operations, Fredrick, MD)
I’m currently a junior studying mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech. I was interested in manufacturing within the pharmaceutical industry, which is why AstraZeneca was my first choice when applying for internships. Currently, this is my second summer interning at the AstraZeneca Biologics Manufacturer Center in Frederick, MD. After my first year, I wanted to build on what I learned and the connections I made, so returning for a second summer was a natural choice.
2. What does your team do, and what is your primary responsibility or main project during your internship at AstraZeneca?
Rose Coats
My team is part of Biopharmaceutical’s R&D, focusing on cell culture and fermentation sciences in upstream process development, which consists of developing cell lines and production processes. The focus of our work is to understand what affects cell growth, productivity, protein production and product quality. We experiment with different factors to see how they impact these areas, with the goal of applying what we learn to larger-scale processes in the future.
For my project, I tested how different sugar sources affect glycan profiles, which are important for antibody safety and effectiveness. We found that cells prefer glucose and struggle with other sugars, so I’m working on ways to help them use alternative sugars while still producing enough protein. We successfully ran experiments to adjust sugar ratios to improve cell survival.
Omer Ahmed
As part of AstraZeneca’s Global Medical Affairs, Oncology, Medical Innovation Strategy Operations (MIST) team, we work to strengthen the connection between the company and the global health care community. Our mission is to provide scientific and medical data, education, and information to patients and healthcare professionals worldwide.
My primary focus is to enhance how we engage with external medical experts by exploring new software solutions and optimizing internal processes. I’m supporting the breast franchise to pilot a new technology. This transition is a more effective way to engage healthcare professionals at major medical conferences, such as key external experts and health care professionals.
Charles Jackson
I’m part of the Facilities Engineering team, which supplies steam, chilled water, power, potable water, and sewage systems to the facility. We provide the electricity for lighting, as well as heating, cooling, and air conditioning --- we essentially fuel the entire operation. Some of my responsibilities support our facility’s systems, like boiler electrification and solar field installation, maintain existing systems, and understand safety procedures as construction progresses.
My big project is to calculate the maximum sewage capabilities at my site. I created a customized calculator using what I learned in school to analyze site plans and perform calculations across the entire facility. Calculating the capacity of the thousands of pipes and drains ensures the building never exceeds its limits and avoids potential issues in the future.
Mounira Njinjie
My team is Technical Operations in Manufacturing, and we bridge the gap between manufacturing, science, and technology. This includes working with production teams to manage their requests and find the best ways to support them. We take ideas, figure out the technicalities, and work with manufacturing to bring them to life.
One of my projects is organizing buffer scrap data, which is excess buffer solution discarded during production. Buffers help maintain pH throughout manufacturing, and I identify waste and improvement opportunities.
I'm also helping with an Operational Excellence project by tracking the time it takes to do tasks that aren’t recorded in our main system. I give technicians a timing application to log their work and join meetings to learn more about the production process.
3. Have you encountered new situations or obstacles during your time at AstraZeneca, and how did you navigate or learn from them?
Rose Coats
Whenever you join a new lab, there is always a learning curve when using unfamiliar equipment. Since the equipment is new and complex, I’m extra cautious, but I have a manager who allows me to gain hands-on experience, which is how I learn best.
Omer Ahmed
My biggest obstacle thus far was understanding my broader team’s functions and roles of the stakeholders we interact with daily. Meeting with key stakeholders across Global Medical Affairs, along with my manager guiding me through our team’s role and its connection to other business areas, helped me become familiar with my team functions. Also, in the beginning of the summer, learning the acronyms used in Global Medical Affairs was a learning opportunity since my medical background is limited. However, I was able to work with colleagues who shared a conversion list, which became an essential tool for me through my internship. Overall, once I overcame these obstacles, my understanding of our pipeline and impact grew stronger. I now recognize the value of our contributions and the difference we make for patients.
Charles Jackson
Managing my time and resources between my various projects has been a good development opportunity. My days can vary; some days are spent outside with my manager at construction sites, while some are spent at the office working on documentation. I also support the Quality team by addressing audit findings in the procedures we follow in production to ensure our medications remain safe for use. Practicing clear communication with all teams has been key to managing time and multiple projects.
Mounira Njinjie
As a freshman during my first summer, I felt inexperienced compared to my peers, many of whom were rising juniors and seniors. This pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, make connections, and explore new opportunities. This year, I felt more confident, and it wasn't as challenging.
This summer, I developed better time management skills, as I’m balancing my internship with two classes after recently switching my major. To stay organized, I use time management and planning applications, and this helps me stay focused after working hours by prioritizing studying and coursework.
4. Can you share a specific skill you've developed or improved during your internship?
Rose Coats
I gained and improved several skills, especially working in a biosafety cabinet. A biosafety cabinet is a lab workspace that uses filtered air to protect people and samples from germs. I practice sterile techniques, like removing caps, blocking substances, pouring, and avoiding contamination. This internship has strengthened my lab skills, as well as data processing, since the machines sync to a database and export data to Excel, which is different from previous machines I’ve used.
Omer Ahmed
During my internship, I developed strong teamwork and relationship-building skills. This improvement has brought more visibility to my work. I aim to be approachable, open to feedback, and willing to learn from others, especially since I’m new and still building my knowledgebase. I’ve developed a group of mentors outside of the employees I directly work with. These mentorships allow for additional feedback and advice from others at AstraZeneca. Being able to work well in a team setting and accept input has been essential to my development.
Charles Jackson
I developed and improved my knowledge of lockout/tagout (LOTO), which is a safety procedure used to ensure that essential machines or energy sources are properly shut off and cannot be started up again before maintenance or repair work is completed.
While I had read about this procedure in school and through personal research, I hadn’t experienced LOTO firsthand until this internship, where I work on active construction and maintenance projects. Being able to document, observe, and apply these procedures alongside my manager gave me practical experience.
Mounira Njinjie
Last summer I set a goal to improve my Excel skills, and I’ve seen great improvement this summer. In my academic experience, I didn’t have many opportunities to use Excel except for its basic functions, but during my internship I’ve learned various skillsets like organizing data into clear, user-friendly spreadsheets.
5. In your opinion, name one thing you experienced or observed during your internship that makes AstraZeneca a great place to work.
Rose Coats
What makes AstraZeneca a great place to work is the people. My team and manager are incredibly patient, supportive, and passionate about teaching, and they truly want me to learn and gain experience. My manager empowers independence, which has built my confidence and decision-making skills. Everyone is kind, encouraging, and eager to share their knowledge, making it a fantastic environment for learning and growth.
Omer Ahmed
No matter which area of the oncology business unit I work in, I’ve found that everyone is eager to help, share their experiences, and support each other’s growth. This strong culture of teamwork and collaboration is what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work and makes me feel truly valued here.
Charles Jackson
The strong sense of teamwork has made AstraZeneca a great place to work. We're all striving for the same goal of making processes more efficient. My team’s commitment to safety has been important in helping us work more effectively and confidently together. One key lesson from my manager is the value of thorough safety procedures, such as our carefully planned switching protocols for electrical work. This strong focus on safety makes me feel valued and confident that everyone’s well-being is a top priority.
Mounira Njinjie
A huge factor that led to my decision to return for a second summer was the people. My freshman summer experience was so amazing because of both the fellow interns and employees. Everyone at AstraZeneca is welcoming and eager to share their experiences and advice. They go above and beyond to help interns, offering guidance, introducing us to coworkers, and making sure we get the most out of our internship. The people truly stand out.
AstraZeneca is committed to supporting the growth and success of its employees, including student interns, by providing valuable professional development opportunities. We strive to prepare our interns for any career path they may choose. If you or someone you know is interested in a future internship opportunity, please visit our Early Talent careers page to learn more on what AstraZeneca has to offer.