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AstraZeneca to locate biopharmaceutical campus in Albemarle County; staff outline jobs, $4.5B investment and workforce plan
Summary
Staff updated the EDA on AstraZeneca’s planned biopharmaceutical campus in northern Albemarle County: roughly 82 of 105 acres, two manufacturing facilities, an estimated 600 direct jobs (average salary cited ~$160,000), $4.5 billion capital investment, and a workforce initiative backed by AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Merck to support technician training.
Albemarle County staff briefed the Economic Development Authority on AstraZeneca’s planned biopharmaceutical campus, describing the site, job commitments and an associated workforce initiative.
Staff said AstraZeneca will occupy about 82 of the 105 acres the county has been planning, building two distinct manufacturing facilities that together are expected to support around 600 direct manufacturing and office jobs. The county estimated construction work could generate roughly 3,000 temporary construction jobs over the multi‑year build‑out. Staff cited a minimum salary figure of $125,000 for the roles presented in the slide deck and an average of about $160,000. The total capital investment figure stated in the presentation was $4.5 billion.
Staff emphasized the broader regional implications: infrastructure work on county sites will start in the calendar year with preliminary tree and site clearance, and AstraZeneca’s project will likely increase interest from supply‑chain firms and related life‑science companies. "It's really exciting to think about what the remainder of the property will look like, with sort of two anchors on either end," staff said during the update.
County staff also described a workforce component: AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Merck have committed funds to a proposed Center for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (the transcript cited a $120,000,000 figure) to help prepare technicians and other workers for manufacturing roles. Staff discussed coordinating with local training providers and regional partners to match hiring ramps with training programs.
Staff said more details about the workforce center and exact timing will be available in the coming months as steering committees and project teams finalize plans. County site work and early clearing were described as scheduled to begin in January; one AstraZeneca facility is targeted to open in calendar year 2028 with the larger facility following in 2029–2030 depending on design and permitting timelines.
The presentation framed the project as a major local economic opportunity tied to the county’s strategic plan and to regional workforce development efforts.
