Director, Bioprocess / Process Development – Pivotal Drug Substance

Amgen Inc. (IR); Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 184,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Amgen Inc. in Cambridge, MA and/or Thousand Oaks, CA is seeking a Director, Bioprocess / Process Development to lead drug substance cell culture and purification development from Phase II/III through marketing applications.

The role oversees a 30+ person team across sites, driving technical excellence, safety, innovation and digital strategies. You will shape late‑stage and commercial drug substance programs, mentor leaders, and collaborate with engineering, manufacturing and external partners

Qualifications

• Doctorate degree with 4+ years in scientific process development or Master’s with 8+ years or Bachelor’s with 10+ years of experience in scientific process development.
• At least 4 years of direct people management or leadership experience leading teams, programs or allocating resources.

Responsibilities

• Lead a high‑impact, multi‑functional drug substance organization across multiple sites.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse team; manage portfolio prioritization and resources.
• Advance integrated drug substance processes through development, characterization, lifecycle management, and control strategy development.
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing and external collaborators to enable process transfer and commercialization.
• Author and review regulatory filings (IND/INDa/MA) and respond to questions from agencies.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Biopharmaceutical process development

Education

PhD in Biochemistry/Biochemical Engineering/Chemical Engineering or related

Job description

Director, Bioprocess / Process Development – Pivotal Drug Substance

What you will do

In this leadership role, you will be responsible for the development, characterization, scale‑up, and support of drug substance cell culture and purification processes to enable commercial advancement of programs from Phase II/III through marketing applications.

Located in Cambridge, MA and/or Thousand Oaks, CA, you will lead and develop a multi‑site organization of 30+ scientists and engineers while driving program success, safety culture, technical excellence, innovation, automation, and digital strategies.

You will support a diverse portfolio of biologics, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), BiTEs, bispecifics, biosimilars, and other novel protein‑based modalities, and play a key role in advancing late‑stage and commercial drug substance strategies across Amgen’s manufacturing network.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a high‑impact, multi‑functional drug substance organization integrating cell culture and purification disciplines across multiple sites.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a strong and diverse team; manage portfolio prioritization and organizational resourcing.
• Advance integrated drug substance processes through commercial process development, process characterization, lifecycle management, and control strategy development.
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, and external network collaborators to enable successful process transfer and commercialization.
• Author and review global regulatory filings (IND/INDa/MA) and respond to regulatory agency questions.
• Drive ideation, development, and deployment of innovative and differentiating bioprocess technologies.
• Contribute to Amgen’s scientific and regulatory eminence through publications, patents, and participation in external conferences and forums.
• Serve as a member of the Drug Substance Technology extended leadership team and contribute to business, organizational, and change‑management strategies.

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 4 years of scientific process development experience, OR Master’s degree and 8 years of scientific process development experience, OR Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of scientific process development experience
• And In addition to meeting at least one of the above requirements, you must have at least 4 years experience directly managing people and/or leadership experience leading teams, projects, programs, or directing the allocation or resources.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline
• 10+ years of experience in biopharmaceutical process development
• Minimum of 4 years of experience directly managing people
• Deep expertise in either cell culture bioreactor processes OR downstream purification processes
• Strong understanding of late‑stage biologics development including process design, characterization, validation (PPQ), and regulatory interactions
• Proven ability to provide scientific and engineering leadership on complex cross‑functional programs
• Demonstrated experience in statistical data analysis, technical decision‑making, and senior‑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.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age‑identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

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.

Salary Range 184,494.20USD -249,609.80 USD

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives.

A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen