Associate Scientist - PKMD - Lab Operations

Amgen SA; Thousand Oaks, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Stock options

Paid time off

Flexible work model

Job summary

Amgen in Thousand Oaks, CA is seeking an Associate Scientist – PKMD – Lab Operations to ensure validation of laboratory systems, equipment, and computerized tools across their lifecycle, keeping inspection-readiness and data integrity.

You will partner with lab scientists, IT, quality, and vendors to drive risk-based validation, change control, documentation, and training, while supporting audits and regulatory inspections.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 1 year of laboratory experience
• Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of laboratory experience
• Experience with computerized system validation and lifecycle management
• Experience in GLP, GCP, or other regulated environments
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills

Responsibilities

• Lead validation activities for computerized systems, laboratory software, and GxP-regulated apps
• Develop validation strategies using risk-based validation principles
• Write and maintain validation deliverables including plans, risk assessments, specifications, protocols, traceability matrices, and VSRs
• Coordinate qualification and validation testing activities
• Ensure systems stay in a validated state through their lifecycle
• Lead validation assessments for equipment and system changes
• Evaluate software upgrades, patches, and configuration changes
• Support audits and regulatory inspections
• Review security, access controls, audit trails, and data integrity controls
• Document validation exceptions, deviations, and corrective actions
• Collaborate with lab operations, SMEs, IT, quality, and vendors
• Provide validation guidance for new technologies and processes
• Support business continuity and disaster recovery planning

Skills

Technical writing

Communication

Project coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Data integrity

Education

Master’s degree

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Join Amgen’s Mission of Serving Patients

At Amgen, if you feel like you’re part of something bigger, it’s because you are. Our shared mission—to serve patients living with serious illnesses—drives all that we do.

Since 1980, we’ve helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the world’s toughest diseases. With our focus on four therapeutic areas –Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease– we reach millions of patients each year. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, and obesity and obesity-related conditions. As a member of the Amgen team, you’ll help make a lasting impact on the lives of patients as we research, manufacture, and deliver innovative medicines to help people live longer, fuller happier lives.

Our award-winning culture is collaborative, innovative, and science based. If you have a passion for challenges and the opportunities that lay within them, you’ll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.

Associate Scientist – PKMD – Lab Operations

What you will do

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world. In this vital role you will be responsible for ensuring that laboratory equipment, computerized systems, and associated processes remain compliant, fit for intended use, and inspection-ready throughout their lifecycle. The role provides validation leadership and support for GxP-regulated systems and equipment, including planning, risk assessment, change control, testing, documentation, implementation, maintenance, and retirement activities.

This position partners with system owners, laboratory scientists, IT, automation, Quality, Data Integrity, and external vendors to maintain regulatory compliance and data integrity in alignment with 21 CFR Part 58 and Part 11 requirements. The Associate Scientist also supports equipment setup and assists scientific staff with compliant data generation, quality control, user access, reporting, and SOP adherence.

Key Responsibilities:

Computerized System Validation (CSV)

• Lead and support validation activities for computerized systems, laboratory software, and GxP-regulated applications.


• Develop validation strategies using risk-based validation principles.


• Author, review, and maintain validation deliverables including:
  
  
  
  • Validation Plans (VPR)
  
  
  • Risk Assessments
  
  
  • Requirements Specifications
  
  
  • Qualification Protocols
  
  
  • Traceability Matrices
  
  
  • Validation Summary Reports (VSR)
  
  
  
  

• Coordinate and execute qualification and validation testing activities.


• Ensure systems maintain a validated state throughout their lifecycle.

Change Control & Lifecycle Management

• Lead validation assessments for equipment and system changes.


• Evaluate software upgrades, patches, configuration changes, and system enhancements.


• Participate in system implementation, expansion, relocation, and decommissioning activities.


• Support periodic reviews and lifecycle documentation maintenance.

Compliance & Data Integrity

• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, including GxP requirements and electronic records controls.


• Support audit readiness and regulatory inspections.


• Review system security, user access controls, audit trail functionality, and data integrity controls.


• Investigate and document validation exceptions, deviations, and corrective actions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with laboratory operations, system owners, SMEs, IT, automation, quality, and vendors.


• Facilitate validation kickoff meetings, testing coordination, and issue resolution.


• Provide validation guidance for new technologies, laboratory instruments, and business processes.


• Support business continuity and disaster recovery planning for regulated systems.

Documentation & Training

• Maintain complete and accurate validation documentation in approved quality systems.


• Develop and update validation procedures, work instructions, and templates.


• Train users and stakeholders in validation processes and change control requirements.


• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency while maintaining compliance.

What we expect of you

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

Basic Qualifications:

Master’s degree and 1 year of laboratory experience

OR

Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of laboratory experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree preferred.


• 5+ years of experience supporting equipment, quality, laboratory operations, information systems, or regulated environments.


• Experience with computerized system validation and lifecycle management.


• Experience working in GLP, GCP, or other regulated environments.


• Experience supporting laboratory instruments, data systems, or automation platforms preferred.


• Strong understanding of validation methodologies.


• Knowledge of risk-based validation approaches.


• Familiarity with validation documentation, traceability, testing, and change control.


• Understanding of data integrity principles and regulated system requirements.


• Excellent technical writing and documentation skills.


• Strong organizational, communication, and project coordination abilities.


• Ability to work effectively across multiple functions and priorities.

• Systems remain inspection ready and in a validated state.


• Validation deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule.


• Regulatory findings related to validation and data integrity are minimized.


• Effective support of system implementations, upgrades, and lifecycle activities.


• Strong stakeholder satisfaction and cross-functional collaboration.

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.

Application deadline

Amgen does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship for this role is not guaranteed.

As an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people around the world, Amgen fosters an inclusive environment of diverse, ethical, committed and highly accomplished people who respect each other and live the Amgen values to continue advancing science to serve patients. Together, we compete in the fight against serious disease.

Amgen is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.