Executive Director, Frontier AI

Amgen Inc. (IR); New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 304,000 - 411,000; Full time

Job summary

Amgen is seeking an Executive Director, Frontier AI to lead strategy across foundation models, multi-modal AI, and quantum AI/ML, shaping scalable capabilities for R&D, Operations, and commercial functions. You will govern frontier AI activities, drive partnerships with academia and industry, build an enterprise roadmap, and develop a high-performing team while communicating progress to senior leaders.

The position requires Doctorate or equivalent with extensive frontier AI leadership, and

Qualifications

• Doctorate or higher with frontier AI leadership experience
• Experience leading large, cross-disciplinary AI programs
• Strong track record in strategic AI partnerships and governance

Responsibilities

• Lead portfolio prioritization and investment in frontier AI initiatives
• Govern frontend AI activities including governance, privacy, and model risk
• Develop enterprise roadmap translating AI research into scalable capabilities
• Build and lead a high-performing frontier AI organization and communicate progress to executives

Skills

Frontier AI leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Education

Doctorate degree

Master’s degree

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Foundation models

Multi-modal AI

Quantum AI/ML

Job description

Career Category Information Systems 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.

Executive Director, Frontier AI

What you will do

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world.

• Portfolio prioritization and investment recommendations across reinforcement learning, multi-modal AI, model architectures, academic partnerships, and quantum AI/ML.
• Effective governance of frontier AI activities, including responsible AI, privacy, regulatory, and model-risk considerations, in partnership with CDT for frontier AI security, adversarial resilience, model assurance, and high-risk deployment governance.
• External partnership outcomes, including research collaborations, talent pipelines, publications, prototypes, and applied innovation opportunities.
• Executive-level visibility into frontier AI performance, including KPIs, adoption, risks, return on investment, and strategic dependencies.
• Development and retention of top AI talent, including a strong leadership bench and culture of technical excellence.
• Cross-functional alignment with AI & Data Science, Technology, Security, R&D, Operations, Commercial, Legal, Compliance, Privacy, and Security stakeholders.
• Define and lead Amgen’s Frontier AI strategy across foundation models, multi-modal AI, advanced model architecture, academic partnerships, and quantum AI/ML.
• Build and maintain an enterprise roadmap that translates emerging AI research into scalable, high-value capabilities for R&D, Operations, Commercial, and corporate functions.
• Lead the development and application of frontier AI capabilities, including foundation models, multi-modal systems, simulation-based learning, and reinforcement learning approaches.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact use cases where frontier AI can improve scientific discovery, decision-making, productivity, and operational performance.
• Partner with AI platform, data engineering, architecture, product, domain teams, and CDT to ensure frontier AI solutions are designed for scale, reliability, security, resilience, and operational governance.
• Establish technical standards for model architecture evaluation, experimentation, benchmarking, model validation, and production readiness.
• Develop Amgen’s academic and external research partnership strategy, including collaborations with leading universities, research labs, vendors, and scientific AI organizations.
• Evaluate emerging opportunities in quantum AI/ML and quantum-enabled optimization, identifying practical applications aligned to Amgen’s scientific and business priorities.
• Oversee proof-of-concept, pilot, and production pathways for frontier AI solutions, ensuring appropriate governance, documentation, monitoring, lifecycle management, and joint review processes with CDT for high-risk and security-sensitive deployments.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing frontier AI organization, including leaders and technical experts across reinforcement learning, multi-modal AI, model architecture, and quantum AI/ML.
• Communicate frontier AI strategy, progress, risks, investment needs, and outcomes to senior leaders and executive stakeholders.
• Partner closely with CDT for adversarial testing, operational resilience requirements, and security assurance for high-risk AI capabilities.

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The candidate we seek is an experienced leader with the following qualifications.

• Basic Qualifications: Doctorate degree & 6 years of frontier AI experience OR Master’s degree & 10 years of frontier AI experience OR Bachelor’s degree & 12 years of frontier AI experience AND 6 years of managerial experience directly managing people and/or leadership experience leading teams, projects, programs or directing the allocation of resources
• Preferred Qualifications: Define and lead Amgen’s Frontier AI strategy across foundation models, multi-modal AI, advanced model architecture, academic partnerships, and quantum AI/ML.
• Build and maintain an enterprise roadmap that translates emerging AI research into scalable, high-value capabilities for R&D, Operations, Commercial, and corporate functions.
• Lead the development and application of frontier AI capabilities, including foundation models, multi-modal systems, simulation-based learning, and reinforcement learning approaches.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact use cases where frontier AI can improve scientific discovery, decision-making, productivity, and operational performance.
• Partner with AI platform, data engineering, architecture, product, domain teams, and CDT to ensure frontier AI solutions are designed for scale, reliability, security, resilience, and operational governance.
• Establish technical standards for model architecture evaluation, experimentation, benchmarking, model validation, and production readiness.
• Develop Amgen’s academic and external research partnership strategy, including collaborations with leading universities, research labs, vendors, and scientific AI organizations.
• Evaluate emerging opportunities in quantum AI/ML and quantum-enabled optimization, identifying practical applications aligned to Amgen’s scientific and business priorities.
• Oversee proof-of-concept, pilot, and production pathways for frontier AI solutions, ensuring appropriate governance, documentation, monitoring, lifecycle management, and joint review processes with CDT for high-risk and security-sensitive deployments.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing frontier AI organization, including leaders and technical experts across reinforcement learning, multi-modal AI, model architecture, and quantum AI/ML.
• Communicate frontier AI strategy, progress, risks, investment needs, and outcomes to senior leaders and executive stakeholders.
• Partner closely with CDT for adversarial testing, operational resilience requirements, and security assurance for high-risk AI capabilities.

They will also embody the Amgen leadership attributes which are: Inspire: Create a connected, inclusive, and inspiring work environment that empowers talent to thrive Accelerate: Enable speed that matches the urgency of patient needs by encouraging progress over perfection Integrate: Connect the dots to amplify the collective power of Amgen to drive results for patients, staff, and shareholders Adapt: Lead through change by adapting to an ever-changing environment and defining a clear course of action to deliver results.

What you can expect of us

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 $303,534 - $410,664. 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:

• 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 and bi-annual company-wide shutdowns.
• Flexible work models where possible.

Salary Range USD - 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.

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 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.

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