Senior Scientist (Oligonucleotide Conjugation)

Amgen SA; Thousand Oaks (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Rewards Plan

Stock-based incentives

Flexible work models

Retirement and Savings Plan

Health and welfare plans

Job summary

Amgen is seeking a Senior Scientist in Thousand Oaks, CA, to advance oligonucleotide conjugation strategies for siRNA-based therapeutics. You will design, synthesize, purify, and characterize conjugates, leading projects end-to-end while collaborating with biology, analytical, and translational teams.

The role calls for deep expertise in conjugation chemistry, analytical methods, and scalable processes, with opportunities to contribute to patents and publications in a dynamic preclinical setting.

Qualifications

• PhD with relevant biotech/pharma experience in oligonucleotide conjugation or, alternatively, Master’s with 2+ years industry experience in biotech/pharma with oligo conjugation work.
• Bachelor’s with 4+ years in biotech/pharma and oligonucleotide conjugation experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, purify and characterize oligonucleotide conjugates and optimize protocols.
• Drive execution of conjugation projects from start to finish with hands-on synthesis and purification.
• Serve as SME in cross-functional meetings and train collaborators as needed.
• Prepare results for presentations, patents and publications.

Skills

Oligonucleotide conjugation

Conjugation chemistry

Bioconjugation techniques

Analytical chromatography

Automated oligonucleotide synthesizers

Teamwork & collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

Doctorate degree

Master’s degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Chemical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Chemical Engineering

Tools

IEX

RP-HPLC

SEC

LC-MS

Automated oligonucleotide synthesizers

Job description

Senior Scientist (Oligonucleotide Conjugation)

What you will do

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world. We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated conjugation chemist to expand the pre‑clinical oligonucleotide conjugation capabilities of the Genetic Medicines team, with a focus on protein‑oligonucleotide, small molecule‑oligonucleotide, and peptide‑oligonucleotide conjugates. This role supports Amgen’s pipeline of siRNA‑based therapeutics.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, purify and analytically characterize oligonucleotide conjugates – including optimizing synthesis/conjugation/purification protocols.
• Drive the technical execution of conjugation projects from start to finish and perform hands‑on conjugate synthesis (developing and optimizing conjugation strategies and purification methods).
• Serve as an oligonucleotide conjugation subject‑matter expert (SME) in cross‑functional team meetings.
• Train as needed, collaborate with the Genetic Medicines group and cross‑functional teams to meet project objectives and timelines.
• Prepare research results for presentations, patent applications, and scientific publications.

Additional Responsibilities

The candidate should be motivated to expand their skillset, have a flexible mindset, and be willing to learn oligonucleotide chemistry. Prepare oligonucleotides as needed. Collaborate with biology and analytical teams to conduct biophysical/biochemical assays (e.g. ELISA, SPR, FRET, BLI, DSF, DLS) to evaluate target binding, stability, and additional oligonucleotide conjugate properties. Maintain detailed electronic lab notebooks and remain compliant on safety & required training.

What we expect of you

The successful candidate will bring strong expertise in oligonucleotide conjugation chemistry and will work at the interface of molecular design, analytical characterization, and platform innovation. This scientist will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to develop robust conjugation technologies that improve therapeutic performance, stability, manufacturability, and translational potential. The passionate and dedicated professional we seek is a motivated research scientist with these qualifications.

Basic Qualifications

• Doctorate degree
• OR Master’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering or related discipline and 2 years of industry experience in biotech/pharma with specific experience in oligonucleotide conjugation – e.g. designing, synthesizing, and characterizing oligo conjugates of small molecules, linkers, peptides, proteins, etc.
• OR Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering or related discipline and 4 years of experience in biotech/pharma with specific experience in oligonucleotide conjugation – e.g. designing, synthesizing, and characterizing oligo conjugates of small molecules, linkers, peptides, proteins, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in conjugation chemistries and site‑specific bioconjugation techniques, along with familiarity with RNA therapeutic modalities (ASO, siRNA, etc.).
• Proficiency in preparative and analytical chromatography techniques (IEX, RP‑HPLC, SEC, LC‑MS) for oligonucleotides, and conjugates thereof, is required.
• Experience with automated oligonucleotide synthesizers and associated processes (on‑resin conjugation, cleavage & deprotection, desalting, formulation) is a plus.
• Must demonstrate ability to conduct independent research and have strong communication/teamwork skills in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

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 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

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.