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

Amgen; Thousand Oaks (CA); On-site; USD 280,000 - 450,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement and Savings Plan

Medical, dental & vision coverage

Stock-based long-term incentives

Flexible work models

Job summary

Amgen seeks a Senior Director – Head of Process Engineering within Drug Substance Technologies (DSTS) to lead a global team focused on synthetic and hybrid drug substance processes. The role demands strategic vision, regulatory experience, and talent development across multiple sites, including Thousand Oaks, CA.

You will drive technology transfer, process characterization, and lifecycle management, collaborating with CDMOs and manufacturing partners to ensure robust, compliant, scalable

Qualifications

• Requires doctorate or master’s with extensive process development leadership.
• Experience managing 20+ staff and large programs.
• Fluency in cGMP operations, tech transfer, scale-up, and commercialization.

Responsibilities

• Lead a global organization of 30+ scientists and engineers.
• Provide strategic oversight from early-phase to commercial processes.
• Oversee technology transfer, lifecycle management, and regulatory filings.

Skills

People management

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory knowledge

Process engineering expertise

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering or related field

MS in chemical engineering or related

Bachelor’s degree with extensive experience

Tools

IND/INDa/MAA filings

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.

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.

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.