Director of External Research & Development

Career Category

Business Development

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. 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.

Director of External Research & Development - Technology Business Development

What you will do

Let’s do this! Let’s change the world! In this vital role you as the Business Development Director within the External R&D Technology group, this role is responsible for leading Amgen’s search and evaluation, as well as negotiate and execute on certain transactions, for external partnerships focusing on small molecule drug discovery, as well as technologies that support oncology therapeutic area. Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with the business's broader goals will also be a critical part of your role.

The successful candidate will contribute to and execute on Amgen’s external strategy and develop and nurture a global network of key industry and academic contacts to ensure robust communication of ideas, interests and information between the external community and internal groups.

The role requires proactive efforts to manage the search and identification of opportunities through networking and reviews of the external landscape and prioritizing based on Amgen’s R&D strategy. The role includes leading the technical evaluations of opportunities by creating and managing cross-functional review teams, providing recommendations based on robust scientific and drug industry knowledge, and ensuring appropriate and efficient decision-making processes. This person will ensure efficient reviews and engage in business negotiations, and working with the legal team to execute contractual agreements for certain projects. The candidate will be responsible for leading strategic discussions and presentations, collaborating closely with senior management, R&D, and other functions to develop a set of priorities for collaboration, license, or M&A of external innovation. The Director of External Research & Development - Technology Business Development will also be expected to contribute in search and evaluation and transactions for technology areas outside of small molecule drug discovery and oncology, as needs arise, as well as mentor others and present himself/herself as a thoughtful and respected professional to both internal colleagues and external parties.

It's highly preferred that this role be located at an Amgen Research hub in either South San Francisco, CA or Thousand Oaks, CA to match most of our research teams.

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The Director of External Research & Development - Technology Business Development will have these qualifications.

Basic Qualifications:

Doctorate degree in a scientific field & 4 years of experience in drug development industry and/or biopharma business development

Or

Master’s degree in a scientific field & 7 years of experience in drug development industry and/or biopharma business development

Or

Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field & 9 years of experience in R&D and/or biopharma business development

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate in scientific field, with strong knowledge in discovery and technology platforms

• 4+ years of management and/or leadership experience in business and drug development activities, and strong technical R&D experience along with business development and licensing experience.

• Strong leadership, scientific, organizational, communication, and project management skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Excellent presentation skills. Effective communication skills pertaining to scientific and business development. Must demonstrate ability to foresee and solve problems, and prioritize and meet deadlines