Organic and Conjugation Chemist
About this opportunity
Career Category
Scientific
Job Description
Associate Scientist – Organic and Conjugation Chemist
Live
This could be your everyday
Let’s do this. Let’s change the world.
The Hybrid Modality Group in the Complex Biologics & Strategic Tech Alliance Department of LMD & RDS at Amgen is seeking a highly motivated scientist in the field of chemical conjugation to join us in the state-of-the-art research facility at the Amgen headquarters campus located in Thousand Oaks, CA . The qualified candidate will work at the interface of synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical biology, and apply their chemical synthesis skills in developing new hybrid therapeutics and to support the advancement of drug discovery programs
Responsibilities including (but not limited to) synthesis, purification and characterization of antibody, protein, peptide conjugates for potential clinical drug development.
Synthesis, purification and characterization of small molecule payloads and linkers for development of novel antibody-drug conjugates.
Operate and maintain standard lab equipment.
Document experimental plans and procedures with attention to detail in a timely manner.
Review, analyze, and interpret scientific data and results; and provide regular updates, documentation, and/or communication on project results.
Win
Here’s what it takes to Win
We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The dedicated individual we seek is a scientist with these qualifications.
Basic qualifications
Master's Degree
Or
Bachelor's Degree and 2+ years of relevant experience
OR
Associate’s degree and 4 years of relevant experience
OR
High school diploma / GED and 6 years of relevant experience
Preferred qualifications
Master’s degree in Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related field
Demonstrated proficiency in organic synthesis including designing, executing, and optimizing chemical reactions
Experience in peptide synthesis is preferred
Experience with protein conjugation is preferred
Experienced in various purification and analytical techniques including chromatography methods (e.g. HPLC, RP HPLC chromatography) and structural determination methods (e.g. NMR, MS)
Demonstration of good lab practices, with particular attention to safety
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work comfortably within a dynamic team of scientists and engineers with diverse technical and cultural backgrounds
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.
Apply now and make a lasting impact with the Amgen team.
careers.amgen.com
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 1-2 weeks before 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 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.
. Salary Range
84,454.30USD -114,261.70 USD
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 383 comparable Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 47 biopharma companies.
Salary context
137 of 383 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 383 comparable roles
+ 10 more countries
Seniority mix
297 of 383 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
54 of 383 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden
Similar opportunities
The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.
How we calculate "similar"
No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.
Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.
0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.