Senior Scientist - Precision Oncology

Amgen SA; Thousand Oaks, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Rewards Plan

Stock-based incentives

Paid time off

Job summary

Amgen in Thousand Oaks seeks a Senior Scientist in Precision Oncology to shape experimental strategy for oncology programs and translate cancer biology into actionable drug discovery. You will collaborate with biology, chemistry, computational sciences, pharmacology, and translational teams to advance therapeutic hypotheses and drive program progression.

Ideal candidates have deep cancer biology expertise, strong experimental design, and a track record of solving complex biological problems in a

Qualifications

• Doctorate or Master’s with 2+ years of scientific experience.
• PhD in Cancer Biology preferred, with 1–3 years of postdoc/industry research.
• Strong background in cancer cell biology and mechanistic pharmacology.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute studies to validate oncology targets and define mechanisms of action.
• Apply CRISPR genome editing to establish target function and dependencies.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and AI tools to accelerate discovery.
• Establish quantitative assays to investigate target engagement and pathway modulation.
• Analyze complex data and communicate findings to multidisciplinary teams.
• Collaborate with scientists across Research to advance oncology programs.

Skills

Cancer biology

Cell biology

Molecular biology

Genetics

Chemical biology

CRISPR editing

Imaging technologies

Education

PhD in Cancer Biology

Master’s degree +2 years

Bachelor’s degree +4 years

Tools

High-content imaging

Quantitative microscopy

Job description

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. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline and portfolio of medicines to treat heart disease, obesity and obesity-related conditions, rare diseases, inflammatory conditions and cancer. 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 Scientist - Precision Oncology

What you will do

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

The Oncology Research organization is seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to uncover and translate cancer biology that enables the discovery and advancement of novel therapeutic programs.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to shape experimental strategy for emerging oncology programs, establish compelling evidence for new therapeutic hypotheses, and define mechanisms that support program progression. You will bring creativity and rigor to challenging biological questions with the potential to open new directions for cancer drug discovery.

Working in a highly collaborative research environment, you will partner with multidisciplinary teams across biology, chemistry, computational sciences, pharmacology, and translational sciences to transform biological insight into impactful oncology discoveries.

We are seeking a creative and technically accomplished cancer biologist with deep expertise in cancer cell biology, mechanistic pharmacology, and quantitative experimental design. The successful candidate will combine strong scientific judgment, experimental innovation, and a demonstrated ability to solve complex biological problems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute innovative studies to validate oncology targets, test therapeutic hypotheses, and define mechanisms of action in cancer-relevant models.

• Apply advanced CRISPR genome-editing technologies to establish target function and genetic dependencies.

• Evaluate and apply emerging technologies and AI tools that can accelerate oncology discovery.

• Establish quantitative, fit-for-purpose assays to investigate target engagement, pathway modulation, protein function, protein-complex biology, and small-molecule mechanism of action.

• Analyze and interpret complex data, communicating findings and biological insights to multidisciplinary discovery and leadership teams.

• Collaborate effectively with scientists across the Research organization to solve challenging problems in oncology drug discovery.

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The dynamic professional we seek is a scientist with these qualifications.

Basic Qualifications

Doctorate degree
or
Master’s degree and 2 years of scientific experience
or
Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of scientific experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Chemical Biology, or a related discipline, with 1–3 years of relevant postdoctoral and/or industry research experience.

• Strong background in cancer cell biology, cell signaling, mechanistic pharmacology, and small-molecule oncology drug discovery, with a demonstrated record of scientific impact through first-author publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and/or patent inventorship.

• Subject matter expertise in advanced CRISPR technologies and genome engineering.

• Expertise in advanced imaging technologies, including high-content imaging, quantitative microscopy, live-cell imaging, phenotypic imaging, and image-analysis workflows.

• Experience developing and applying high-throughput cellular and biochemical assays, including assay optimization, automation-compatible workflows, quantitative analysis, and rigorous quality control.

• Excellent experimental design, data analysis, troubleshooting, communication, and collaboration skills.

• Demonstrated scientific creativity, innovation, and success in a multidisciplinary research environment.

What you can expect from 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

External/Internal postings:

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.

Internal only posting (or Pre-ID candidate):

Amgen anticipates accepting applications until 1 week after the posting; however, we may continue accepting applications beyond this date if we do not receive a sufficient number of candidates.

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 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. We make all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities, consistent with legal requirements. Please contact us to request accommodation.