How to Apply to Amgen

Key Takeaways

Amgen's Workday-powered careers portal is the sole application channel — ensure your resume is ATS-optimized with clean formatting, relevant keywords, and accurate parsed profile data before submitting.
With only approximately 25 active job postings for a company of 27,000 employees, competition for open roles is typically intense. Tailor every application meticulously to the specific job description.
Amgen's mission-driven, science-first culture is a genuine differentiator — candidates who can authentically articulate their connection to patient outcomes and biotechnology innovation tend to stand out.
Cross-functional and global experience is highly valued across nearly all Amgen roles, from R&D to business operations to commercial strategy. Highlight any experience working across teams, geographies, or functions.
Prepare thoroughly for behavioral interviews using the STAR method, with specific examples of innovation, collaboration, and navigating complexity in regulated environments.
Research Amgen's current product portfolio, pipeline developments (especially in obesity, inflammation, and precision medicine), and recent strategic moves to demonstrate informed enthusiasm during interviews.
Networking with current Amgen employees through LinkedIn or industry events can provide valuable insights into team culture and may increase visibility for your application, as employee referrals are commonly valued at large biotech companies.

About Amgen

Amgen is one of the world's largest independent biotechnology companies, headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. Founded in 1980, Amgen has grown into a global biopharmaceutical leader with approximately 27,000 employees and a presence in roughly 100 countries. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and delivering innovative human therapeutics, with a strong portfolio spanning oncology, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, bone health, nephrology, and neuroscience. Amgen is widely recognized for its science-first culture, investing heavily in research and development to address serious illnesses with high unmet medical need. The company has been consistently ranked among top employers in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, commonly noted for its commitment to employee development, diversity and inclusion, and work-life balance. Amgen's mission — 'To serve patients' — is deeply embedded in its corporate culture, and many employees report that this patient-centric focus is a genuine driver of day-to-day decision-making. With recent expansions into obesity therapeutics and precision medicine, Amgen continues to push the boundaries of biotechnology innovation while maintaining its reputation as a stable, mission-driven employer.

Application Process

1
Explore Open Positions on Amgen's Workday Careers Portal
Amgen hosts all job listings on its Workday-powered careers page at amgen.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com. Start by browsing available roles using keyword searches, location filters, and job category filters. With approximately 25 active postings at any given time, the openings can be highly competitive and specialized. Take time to read each job description thoroughly, noting specific qualifications, preferred experience, and required skills. Many roles at Amgen span cross-functional domains — for example, a 'Principal Business Analyst - Serialization' role blends IT, supply chain, and regulatory knowledge — so look beyond traditional job title searches to find roles that match your unique skill set.
2
Create or Log Into Your Workday Candidate Profile
Amgen uses Workday as its applicant tracking system, so you'll need to create a candidate profile before applying. This typically involves entering your contact information, uploading your resume, and filling out supplemental fields. Workday commonly allows you to auto-populate fields by parsing your uploaded resume, but it's important to review every parsed field for accuracy, as formatting issues can lead to misplaced or missing information. Consider creating a comprehensive Workday profile that includes your full work history, education, certifications, and skills, as this profile may be reused across multiple Amgen applications.
3
Tailor Your Resume and Application Materials
Before submitting, customize your resume to align closely with the specific job description. Amgen roles often require a blend of scientific expertise and business acumen, so highlight relevant technical skills, therapeutic area knowledge, and cross-functional collaboration experience. Use keywords directly from the job posting — Workday's ATS commonly uses keyword matching to help recruiters filter candidates. If the role mentions 'precision medicine,' 'GxP compliance,' 'SAP architecture,' or 'clinical development,' ensure these terms appear naturally in your resume where applicable. Attach a tailored cover letter if the application allows it, emphasizing your alignment with Amgen's mission to serve patients.
4
Complete Screening Questions and Assessments
Many Amgen job applications include pre-screening questions within the Workday portal. These may ask about your years of experience, specific technical competencies, willingness to relocate, visa sponsorship needs, or familiarity with particular therapeutic areas. Answer these questions carefully and honestly, as they are commonly used as initial filters. Some roles — particularly in R&D, clinical science, or engineering — may also include technical assessments or case-based questionnaires. Completing these thoroughly and thoughtfully can significantly strengthen your candidacy.
5
Recruiter Phone Screen and Initial Review
If your application passes the initial screening, you'll typically be contacted by an Amgen recruiter or talent acquisition partner for a phone screen. This conversation commonly lasts 20-45 minutes and covers your background, motivation for applying, salary expectations, and basic qualifications. Recruiters at large biotech companies like Amgen often assess cultural fit and mission alignment during this stage, so be prepared to articulate why you're drawn to Amgen specifically and how your experience connects to their therapeutic focus areas. Many applicants report that demonstrating knowledge of Amgen's pipeline and recent developments makes a strong impression.
6
Hiring Manager and Panel Interviews
Candidates who advance past the recruiter screen are typically invited to interview with the hiring manager and, in many cases, a cross-functional panel. Amgen interviews commonly include a mix of behavioral, situational, and technical questions. For scientific and clinical roles, expect deep-dive discussions about your research experience, publications, or therapeutic area expertise. For business and operations roles, you may encounter case studies or scenario-based questions. Panel interviews at Amgen often include stakeholders from adjacent teams, reflecting the company's collaborative culture. Virtual interviews via video conferencing are common, especially for initial rounds.
7
Final Interviews, References, and Offer
Final-round interviews may involve senior leadership or site visits, depending on the role's seniority and location. Amgen typically conducts reference checks and background verification before extending an offer. The offer process commonly includes competitive compensation, equity components, and a comprehensive benefits package. Many applicants report that the process from initial application to offer can take anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks, though timelines vary by role complexity and hiring urgency. Stay responsive to recruiter communications throughout this stage to keep the process moving smoothly.

Resume Tips for Amgen

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Mirror the Language of Amgen's Job Descriptions

Amgen job postings tend to use specific terminology related to their therapeutic areas (oncology, inflammation, cardiovascular, obesity), regulatory frameworks (GxP, FDA, ICH guidelines), and internal methodologies. Carefully study the job description and incorporate matching keywords and phrases into your resume. For example, if a role mentions 'global serialization' or 'SAP S/4HANA,' use those exact terms rather than generic equivalents. This practice helps your resume perform well in Workday's keyword-based filtering and signals to recruiters that you understand the domain.

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Quantify Achievements with Measurable Impact

Amgen is a data-driven organization, and hiring managers in both scientific and business roles typically value candidates who can demonstrate measurable results. Instead of writing 'managed clinical trials,' write 'managed 3 Phase III clinical trials across 12 global sites, achieving enrollment targets 15% ahead of schedule.' Quantified achievements help your resume stand out and provide concrete talking points for interviews. Focus on metrics like cost savings, efficiency improvements, patient outcomes, timeline acceleration, or revenue impact.

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Use a Clean, ATS-Compatible Resume Format

Workday's resume parser works best with straightforward formatting. Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications), avoid tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers, and complex graphics. Stick to common fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Save your file as a .docx or .pdf (Workday typically accepts both). Ensure your contact information is in the body of the document, not in a header or footer, as parsers may miss information placed there.

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Highlight Cross-Functional and Global Experience

Amgen's organizational structure commonly involves cross-functional collaboration across R&D, commercial, manufacturing, regulatory, and IT teams. Many of the sample job titles — such as 'Manager – Global PSP Business Process Office' and 'Sr Associate Global Customer Capabilities' — explicitly reference global and cross-functional scope. If you have experience working across departments, geographies, or with diverse stakeholders, make this prominent on your resume. Mention specific regions, team sizes, and the nature of cross-functional partnerships.

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Showcase Therapeutic Area and Industry Knowledge

Amgen operates in highly specialized therapeutic areas including oncology, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, bone health, and increasingly obesity. If you have direct experience in any of these areas — whether through clinical research, commercial strategy, medical affairs, or manufacturing — feature it prominently. Even adjacent experience (e.g., working in immunology that overlaps with inflammation) should be framed in terms relevant to Amgen's portfolio. Mention specific drugs, biologics, biosimilars, or modalities you've worked with.

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Include Relevant Certifications and Technical Skills

For technical and IT roles at Amgen (e.g., SAP Architect, Senior Software Engineer), list specific certifications such as SAP Certified Application Associate, AWS/Azure cloud certifications, PMP, Six Sigma, or relevant programming languages and frameworks. For scientific roles, include relevant advanced degrees, board certifications, and specialized training. Workday profiles commonly have dedicated fields for certifications, so having these clearly listed ensures they're captured during the parsing process.

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Demonstrate Alignment with Amgen's Mission and Values

Amgen's culture is deeply rooted in its mission to serve patients. While your resume should remain professional and achievement-focused, consider including a brief professional summary at the top that connects your career trajectory to patient-centric outcomes or biotech innovation. For example, 'Biotech operations leader with 10+ years driving patient access programs across global markets' immediately signals mission alignment. This is particularly impactful for roles in access strategy, clinical science, and patient support programs.

ATS System: Workday

Amgen uses Workday Recruiting as its applicant tracking system, hosted at amgen.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com. Workday is one of the most widely used enterprise ATS platforms, known for its integrated approach to human capital management. When you apply, Workday parses your uploaded resume to auto-populate profile fields, then stores your application in a searchable database that recruiters use to filter and evaluate candidates. Workday typically allows recruiters to search by keywords, skills, experience level, location, and other criteria, making it essential that your application materials are optimized for both human readers and system parsing.

Upload your resume as a .docx or .pdf file — Workday's parser generally handles these formats most reliably, though .docx tends to parse more consistently than PDF in many Workday instances.
After your resume is parsed, carefully review every auto-populated field in your Workday profile. Correct any errors in job titles, dates, company names, or education details, as recruiters may view the structured profile data rather than your original resume file.
Use standard section headings like 'Professional Experience,' 'Education,' 'Skills,' and 'Certifications' to help Workday's parser correctly categorize your information.
Avoid using images, logos, charts, or icons in your resume — Workday's parser cannot read visual elements and will skip over them entirely.
Complete all optional fields in your Workday candidate profile, including skills tags and certifications, as recruiters commonly use these fields to run targeted candidate searches.
If applying to multiple Amgen roles, tailor your resume for each submission. Workday tracks applications separately, and recruiters reviewing different roles will see the specific materials you submitted for that position.

Complete Workday Resume Guide →

Interview Culture

Amgen's interview process is commonly described by candidates as thorough, structured, and science-driven, reflecting the company's deep roots in biotechnology innovation.

The process typically begins with a recruiter phone screen focused on background verification, motivation, and basic qualifications, followed by one or more rounds of interviews with hiring managers and cross-functional panel members. Behavioral interviews at Amgen frequently use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework, with questions exploring how candidates have navigated complex scientific or business challenges, collaborated across teams, and demonstrated leadership. Many applicants report being asked about specific examples of innovation, problem-solving under ambiguity, and how they've contributed to patient-focused outcomes. For technical and scientific roles — such as Clinical Scientist Associate Director or Specialist SAP Architect — expect in-depth technical discussions, case studies, or presentations. Candidates for R&D positions may be asked to present their research or discuss publications in detail. For business operations and strategy roles, scenario-based questions about process optimization, stakeholder management, and strategic decision-making are commonly reported. Amgen's interview culture tends to emphasize intellectual curiosity, scientific rigor, and collaborative spirit. Interviewers often assess not just what you know, but how you think and how you work with others. The company's values — including being science-based, competing intensely, creating value for patients and staff, and being ethical — frequently surface in interview questions. Candidates who demonstrate genuine passion for biotechnology and a clear understanding of Amgen's therapeutic portfolio and pipeline typically report more positive interview experiences. Preparation should include reviewing Amgen's recent pipeline developments, key products (such as Repatha, Otezla, EVENITY, and emerging obesity programs), and the company's strategic direction.

What Amgen Looks For

Deep scientific or technical expertise relevant to the specific role and therapeutic area, with a strong foundation in evidence-based decision-making
Cross-functional collaboration skills and experience working across global, matrixed organizations with diverse stakeholders
Genuine passion for biotechnology and a demonstrated commitment to improving patient outcomes
Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive results in complex, regulated environments such as FDA/EMA-governed pharmaceutical development and commercialization
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations
Leadership qualities including the ability to influence without authority, mentor team members, and champion innovation
Cultural alignment with Amgen's core values: being science-based, competing intensely and fairly, creating value for patients, staff, and shareholders, and maintaining the highest ethical standards
Adaptability and continuous learning mindset, particularly given Amgen's expansion into new therapeutic areas like obesity and precision medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a job at Amgen?

All Amgen job applications are submitted through their Workday-powered careers portal at amgen.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com. You'll need to create a candidate profile, upload your resume, and complete any role-specific screening questions. There is no alternative application method — all roles are funneled through this centralized system.

What ATS does Amgen use, and how should I optimize my resume for it?

Amgen uses Workday Recruiting as its applicant tracking system. To optimize your resume, use a clean format without tables, graphics, or complex layouts. Upload as .docx or .pdf, use standard section headers, and incorporate keywords directly from the job description. After uploading, review all auto-populated fields in your Workday profile for accuracy.

How long does the Amgen hiring process typically take?

Many applicants report that the Amgen hiring process takes approximately 4 to 8 weeks from initial application to offer, though this varies significantly based on the role's seniority, complexity, and the number of interview rounds required. Senior leadership and specialized scientific roles may take longer due to additional interview stages and stakeholder involvement.

What types of interviews should I expect at Amgen?

The interview process commonly includes a recruiter phone screen, followed by one or more rounds with the hiring manager and cross-functional panel members. Behavioral questions using the STAR framework are frequently reported, along with technical deep-dives for scientific and IT roles. Some positions may require presentations, case studies, or technical assessments.

Does Amgen offer remote or hybrid work options?

Amgen has adopted flexible work arrangements for many roles, though policies vary by position, team, and location. Job postings on the Workday portal typically specify whether a role is on-site, hybrid, or remote. Manufacturing, laboratory, and clinical roles generally require on-site presence, while many corporate, IT, and business operations roles may offer hybrid flexibility.

What qualifications are most important for Amgen roles?

Qualifications vary significantly by role, but Amgen commonly values advanced degrees (MS, PhD, PharmD, MBA) for scientific and senior business roles, relevant industry experience in biotech or pharmaceuticals, and specific technical skills aligned with the job description. Therapeutic area expertise, regulatory knowledge, and cross-functional collaboration experience are frequently cited as differentiators.

Can I apply to multiple positions at Amgen simultaneously?

Yes, Workday allows you to apply to multiple positions, and each application is tracked separately. However, it's strongly recommended to tailor your resume and application materials for each specific role rather than submitting identical materials across positions. Recruiters can see your application history, and thoughtfully customized applications demonstrate genuine interest.

Does Amgen hire entry-level candidates or recent graduates?

Amgen does hire entry-level professionals and commonly offers internship, co-op, and early-career programs, particularly in R&D, engineering, and business operations. However, many of the roles posted at any given time tend to require several years of experience. Recent graduates should look for 'Associate' level positions and monitor the careers page for seasonal early-career program postings, which are often recruited on a cyclical basis.

How important is it to have pharmaceutical or biotech industry experience?

While industry experience is commonly preferred and sometimes required, Amgen also values transferable skills from adjacent industries such as medical devices, healthcare IT, and life sciences consulting. For highly specialized roles like Clinical Scientist or Precision Medicine positions, direct pharmaceutical or biotech experience is typically essential. For business operations, IT, and corporate roles, demonstrating relevant skills and a willingness to learn the industry can be sufficient.

Sample Open Positions

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 1515 open positions at Amgen

Sources

Amgen Careers Portal — Amgen
Amgen Official Website - About Us — Amgen
Amgen Pipeline Overview — Amgen
Workday Recruiting - How It Works — Workday
Amgen Company Profile - Glassdoor — Glassdoor