Scientist - Protein Biochemist

About the role

Join Amgen’s mission of serving patients. At Amgen, 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 a focus on four therapeutic areas—Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease—we reach millions of patients each year. 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.

Responsibilities

• Protein Biochemistry: Design and execute molecular cloning and protein expression strategies with the Amgen Discovery Protein Science team or CROs; design and execute purification strategies to support the structure determination of drug targets.
• Collaborative Support: Work closely with structural biologists to generate high-quality protein samples for structural biology techniques, particularly X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM.
• Method Development: Develop and optimize purification protocols and reagents, ensuring high protein purity, homogeneity, and stability for structural studies.
• Characterization and Quality Control: Use biochemical and biophysical techniques (e.g., SDS-PAGE, Western blot, spectrophotometry, SEC-MALS, SPR, mass spectrometry) to assess protein quality and stability. Collaborate with team members to provide mechanistic insights into the mechanism of action (MOA) of proteins involved in the associated proteins.
• Project Management: Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring they are completed within timelines while meeting high-quality standards.
• Team Communication: Present research findings effectively in both written and oral formats for internal teams and external collaborators.
• Innovative Thinking: Continuously troubleshoot and optimize experimental workflows, applying creative solutions to overcome challenges in protein production and purification.

Requirements

Basic Qualifications:

• Doctorate degree or
• Master’s degree and 2 years of Molecular, Structural Biology experience or
• Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of Molecular, Structural Biology experience

Skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with microbial systems (e.g., E. coli or yeast) or cell culture (mammalian or insect cells) for protein expression.
• Hands-on experience with biochemical analytical techniques such as spectrophotometry, SDS-PAGE, Western blot, SEC-MALS, SPR, and basic mass spectrometry.
• Familiarity with chromatography systems (e.g., Cytiva AKTA, Agilent HPLC) and related software.
• Expertise in protein purification methods, including affinity, ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction (HIC), and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC).
• Experience with biophysical characterization of protein complexes, including techniques like dynamic light scattering (DLS) and analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC).
• Experience with expression and purification of membrane proteins.
• Strong knowledge of protein stability, folding, and quality control for structural studies.
• Excellent presentation skills (written and oral) to effectively communicate research results to both scientific and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines in a collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects efficiently.

Benefits

From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we support your professional and personal growth and well-being. Amgen offers a total rewards plan, based on eligibility, comprising:

• A comprehensive employee benefits package, including:
  • Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions
  • Group medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Life and disability insurance
  • 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

Pay

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.