Amgen Inc

Senior Director - Head of Process Engineering (Synthetic Drug Substance Process Development)

Amgen Inc$202K — $274K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Doctorate degree and 5 years of experience, or Master's with 9 years, or Bachelor's with 11 years in scientific process development.
  • At least 5 years of direct management experience in a leadership role.
  • PhD in Chemical Engineering or related field preferred.
  • 10+ years in synthetic/hybrid pharmaceutical process development is ideal.
  • Expertise in small molecule, peptide, oligonucleotide, or bioconjugate process development.

Responsibilities

  • Lead a global team responsible for small molecule/hybrid process engineering.
  • Oversee advancement of the synthetic and hybrid portfolio from clinical to commercial stages.
  • Implement engineering and technology platforms for process development and lifecycle management.
  • Enhance technical capabilities and innovative practices within the organization.
  • Author and review global regulatory filings and responses.
  • Foster a culture emphasizing safety, quality, and compliance in operations.
  • Manage portfolio prioritization, resources, and budget allocations.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive employee benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions.
  • Opportunity for discretionary annual bonuses or sales incentive plans.
  • Stock-based long-term incentives offered.
  • Award-winning time-off plans with flexible work models where applicable.
Full Job Description
Career Category
Scientific
Job Description

Senior Director - Head of Process Engineering (Synthetic Drug Substance Process Development)

What you will do

Let's do this. Let's change the world. Would you like to lead a highly motivated team of process development experts and professionals to positively impact patients' lives? Amgen is seeking a Senior Director to serve as our Head of Process Engineering within the Drug Substance Technologies - Synthetics (DSTS) organization. In this role, the Senior Director will be a member of the DSTS Leadership Team and be accountable to drive technical and strategic solutions for the development, characterization, technology transfer, and lifecycle management of synthetic and hybrid drug substance manufacturing processes for our early- and late-phase clinical and commercial portfolios. In this on-site role - located in either Cambridge, MA or Thousand Oaks, CA - you will lead and develop a global, multi-site organization of 30+ scientists and engineers, provide strategic oversite to ensure program success, and foster a culture of safety, quality, compliance, and technical excellence. In addition, you will represent the DSTS organization in our cross functional collaborations to ensure the successful implementation and performance of our clinical/commercial drugs substance manufacturing processes.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Lead a global organization with accountability for the capability of our small molecule/hybrid process engineering team, talent development, succession planning, performance management, and fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.
  • Provide strategic oversight for the advancement of our synthetic & hybrid portfolio from early-phase clinical through commercial advancement and lifecycle management.
  • Establish and implement improved engineering business and technology platforms from early-phase through commercial process development, process characterization, lifecycle management, and technology transfer.
  • Strengthen the technical capabilities and innovative practices across the engineering organization.
  • Author and review global regulatory filings (IND/INDa/MAA) and responses to regulatory agency questions.
  • Foster a culture of safety, quality, and compliance while ensuring adherence to standard operating procedures.
  • Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing and diverse team.
  • Manage portfolio prioritization, resource allocation, and budget.
  • Partner with manufacturing and external network collaborators to enable successful process technology transfer, validation and clinical/commercial supply.
  • Engage directly with the leadership and technical teams of our external partners and contract development & manufacturing organization (CDMOs).
  • Drive ideation, development, and deployment of innovative and differentiating technologies that decrease development time and create more robustness and cost-effective processes.
  • Identify process improvement opportunities to increase robustness and reduce cost over the lifecycle of commercial drug substance processes.
  • Contribute to Amgen's scientific eminence through publications, patents, and participation in external conferences and forums.
  • Serve as a member of the Drug Substance Technology Synthetics Leadership Team and contribute to business, organizational, and change-management strategies.

Travel Requirements:
  • May require approximately 10-20% travel (domestic and international).


What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The professional we seek is a leader with these qualifications.

Basic Qualifications:
  • Doctorate degree and 5 years of scientific process development experience, OR
  • Master's degree and 9 years of scientific process development experience, OR
  • Bachelor's degree and 11 years of scientific process development experience, AND

In addition to meeting at least one of the above requirements, you must have at least 5 years of experience directly managing people and/or organizational leadership experience leading teams, projects, or programs. Your managerial experience may run concurrently with the required technical experience referenced above.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • PhD in Chemical Engineering or related discipline.
  • 10+ years of experience in synthetic/hybrid pharmaceutical process development.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience directly managing people and managing an organization of >20 staff members.
  • Subject matter expert in small molecule, peptide, oligonucleotide, and/or bioconjugate process development within the pharmaceutical industry.
  • Expertise in cGMP operations, technology transfer, scale-up, and commercialization of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
  • Experience managing technology transfer and manufacturing at contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs).
  • Experience with quality risk management processes.
  • Working knowledge of pertinent regulatory and ICH guidance.
  • Experience with drafting regulatory filings (IND, MAA), annual product reviews (APR), briefing documents, and responses to regulatory questions.
  • Fluency in synthetic and hybrid drug substance development including process design, optimization, characterization, validation (PPQ).
  • Proven ability to provide scientific and engineering leadership on complex cross-functional programs.
  • Demonstrated experience in statistical data analysis, technical decision-making, and quality by design principles.
  • Experience with executive-level communication.
  • Track record of developing talent through coaching, mentoring, and feedback.
  • Active engagement in the scientific community (publications, patents, industry forums).


What you can expect of us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we'll support your journey every step of the way.

The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) is posted. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

In addition to the base salary, Amgen offers a Total Rewards Plan, based on eligibility, comprising of health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save towards retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities that may include:
  • A comprehensive employee benefits package, including a Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts
  • A discretionary annual bonus program, or for field sales representatives, a sales-based incentive plan
  • Stock-based long-term incentives
  • Award-winning time-off plans
  • Flexible work models where possible. Refer to the Work Location Type in the job posting to see if this applies.


Apply now and make a lasting impact with the Amgen team.

careers.amgen.com

Salary Range
202,943.45USD -274,570.55 USD

About Amgen Inc

Amgen is a biotechnology company that develops and manufactures human therapeutics for various illnesses and diseases. The company is values-based and deeply rooted in science and innovation to transform new ideas and discoveries into medicines for patients with serious diseases. They offer products for treating illness in the areas of oncology/hematology, cardiovascular, inflammation, bone health, nephrology, and neuroscience.

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Amgen Inc offers a variety of career paths, from research and development to marketing and sales, providing near-limitless opportunities for advancement. Whether you are looking for a full-time position, an internship, or a leadership role, Amgen has a place for you. Our robust benefits package supports the well-being of our employees and their families, contributing to a fulfilling work-life balance.

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Learn more about Amgen Inc
Size
24,200 employees
Market Cap
$141.2 billion
Industry
Net Income
$7.2 billion
Founded
1980
5 Year Trend
+2.5%
Revenue
$25.4 billion
NASDAQ

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