Director - PKDM - Small Molecule Portfolio Strategy & Leadership

BioSpace; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and welfare plans

Discretionary annual bonus

Stock-based incentives

Generous time-off policies

Flexible work models

Job summary

Amgen seeks a strategic Director of PKDM for the Small Molecule Portfolio to guide discovery through regulatory submission. You will lead cross-functional teams, shape portfolio strategy, and mentor scientific talent to advance multiple programs.

You will drive regulatory submissions (INDs/NDAs), harness PK/PD and translational strategies, and partner with BD to evaluate external opportunities. Amgen fosters collaboration and scientific excellence.

Qualifications

• PhD or professional doctorate in a relevant field.
• PharmD or MD with industry experience in pharmaceutical sciences.
• Masters with 8+ years of industry experience or Bachelors with 10+ years.
• Experience in PK/PD, drug metabolism, pharmacology, or chemistry is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic PKDM-BA leadership for small molecule programs across discovery to regulatory submission.
• Lead cross-functional teams and drive portfolio strategy, risk assessment, and decision-making.
• Contribute to regulatory submissions including INDs and NDAs and interactions with health authorities.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory submissions

Pharmacokinetics

Drug development

Education

PhD

PharmD

MD with 5 years of experience

Masters with 8 years

Bachelors with 10 years

Job description

Director - PKDM - Small Molecule Portfolio Strategy & Leadership

Join Amgens Mission of Serving Patients

At Amgen, if you feel like youre part of something bigger, its because you are. Our shared missionto serve patients living with serious illnessesdrives all that we do.

Since 1980, weve helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the worlds 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, youll 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, youll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.

What you will do

Lets do this. Lets change the world. In this vital role you will serve as a strategic PKDM-BA leader on cross-functional teams, driving the advancement of small molecule programs from candidate discovery through clinical development and regulatory submission. You will combine deep scientific expertise with strong project leadership skills to influence portfolio strategy, support critical development decisions, and maximize the potential of small molecule therapeutic candidates.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic PKDM-BA leadership for small molecule discovery and development programs, enabling informed decision-making and successful advancement of portfolio assets.
• Drive the progression of cross-functional project teams through scientific innovation, risk assessment, and proactive problem solving.
• Lead PKDM-BA contributions to regulatory submissions, including INDs, NDAs, and interactions with global health authorities.
• Define and execute scientific strategies that support candidate selection, optimization, development, and registration of small molecule therapeutics.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement emerging technologies and approaches that enhance understanding of drug disposition and improve development outcomes.
• Partner closely with business development teams to assess external opportunities and support scientific due diligence activities.
• Build strong collaborative relationships across therapeutic areas and partner functions to advance portfolio objectives.
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and inspire scientific talent while fostering a culture of scientific excellence and innovation.
• Contribute to organizational strategy and help shape the future direction of small molecule PKDM-BA capabilities at Amgen

What we expect of you

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

Basic Qualifications

• Doctorate degree PhD
• OR
• PharmD
• OR MD [and relevant post-doc where applicable] and 5 years of industry experience in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacokinetics, Drug Metabolism, Pharmacology, Chemistry, or a related discipline
• OR
• Masters degree and 8 years of industry experience in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacokinetics, Drug Metabolism, Pharmacology, Chemistry, or a related discipline
• OR
• Bachelors degree and 10 years of industry experience in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacokinetics, Drug Metabolism, Pharmacology, Chemistry, or a related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• A demonstrated track record of scientific and strategic leadership across multiple small molecule discovery and development programs.
• Extensive experience supporting regulatory submissions for small molecule therapeutics, including INDs and NDAs.
• Deep expertise in drug disposition, pharmacokinetics, and translational strategies that inform candidate progression and development decisions.
• Proven success accelerating project advancement and influencing key portfolio decisions within a matrixed environment.
• Prior experience in direct people management, including recruiting, coaching, developing, and leading high-performing scientific teams.
• Experience working across multiple therapeutic areas and/or drug modalities.
• Strong external scientific presence through publications, presentations, and engagement with the broader scientific community.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across functions and organizational levels.
• Experience developing and mentoring scientists and building high-performing teams.

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, well 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.

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.

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.