How to Apply to Daiichi Sankyo

8 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 4 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Daiichi Sankyo is a roughly 17,500-person, Tokyo-headquartered global pharmaceutical company with revenue near 1.6 trillion yen in fiscal 2024, anchored by oncology, cardiovascular, and specialty medicines.
  • The DXd antibody-drug conjugate platform (Enhertu, Datroway, HER3-DXd, I-DXd, R-DXd), most of it partnered with AstraZeneca, is the central growth engine and the primary driver of hiring in R&D, medical, regulatory, and commercial.
  • Applications run through a Workday-based applicant tracking system at careers.daiichisankyo.com plus regional careers sites for the US, EU, and Japan.
  • Expect a structured, multi-round interview process (often four to seven conversations) with a deliberate, consensus-oriented pace rather than a sprint.
  • Tailor your resume to the exact terminology in the job description, quantify outcomes, and emphasize ADC, biologics, and global-collaboration experience where relevant.
  • Cultural fit matters as much as technical fit; humility, patient-centered framing, and respect for Japan-based stakeholders are evaluated throughout.
  • Compensation is competitive with global pharma peers, with strong benefits, long-term incentives for senior roles, and meaningful investment in development.
  • Roles are concentrated in Tokyo, Basking Ridge (New Jersey, US oncology HQ), Munich, the UK, and India, with hybrid schedules common for office-based functions.
  • The most successful candidates show up prepared with informed views on the pipeline, the AstraZeneca alliance, and how their work would advance specific patient outcomes.

About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Nihonbashi-Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, with roots stretching back more than 120 years. The modern company was formed in 2005 through the merger of Sankyo Co., Ltd. (founded 1899) and Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (founded 1915), uniting two of Japan's most storied pharmaceutical houses into a single innovation-driven organization. Today, Daiichi Sankyo employs roughly 17,500 people across more than 20 countries and generated approximately 1.6 trillion yen in revenue in fiscal year 2024, ranking it among the world's top pharmaceutical companies by sales and the largest by revenue based in Japan after Takeda. The company's stated purpose is to contribute to the enrichment of quality of life around the world through the creation of innovative pharmaceuticals and the provision of pharmaceuticals addressing diverse medical needs. Under its 2030 Vision, Daiichi Sankyo aims to become an Innovative Global Healthcare Company Contributing to the Sustainable Development of Society. Oncology is the company's number-one strategic pillar, anchored by its proprietary DXd antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology platform. Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), co-developed and co-commercialized with AstraZeneca, has redefined treatment for HER2-expressing breast, gastric, and lung cancers and is widely regarded as one of the most consequential oncology launches of the decade. Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan), a TROP2-directed ADC also partnered with AstraZeneca, received its first regulatory approvals in 2025 and represents the next wave of the DXd franchise alongside HER3-DXd (patritumab deruxtecan), I-DXd, and R-DXd. Beyond oncology, Daiichi Sankyo maintains established franchises in cardiovascular disease (anchored by the anticoagulant Lixiana/Savaysa, edoxaban), specialty medicines, and vaccines, and operates the Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare consumer business in Japan. The company runs major R&D centers in Japan (Shinagawa and Hiratsuka), New Jersey (Basking Ridge, US oncology HQ), Munich (Germany), and the United Kingdom, with manufacturing sites across Japan, Germany, Italy, India, and the United States. American Regent and Plexxikon are part of the Daiichi Sankyo group. Workforce growth has been driven primarily by the global oncology buildout in commercial, medical affairs, regulatory, biostatistics, clinical operations, and CMC/manufacturing functions. The company is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market under ticker 4568 and maintains long-standing partnerships with academic medical centers, biotech innovators, and contract research and manufacturing organizations across Asia, North America, and Europe. Daiichi Sankyo's strategic investments in 3 ADC manufacturing plants in Japan, capacity expansion in the United States, and a growing rare-disease and gene-therapy footprint signal a multi-decade commitment to scaling its science. For job seekers, this translates into sustained hiring in scientific, clinical, regulatory, technical operations, digital, and commercial functions.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Search current openings on the global careers portal at careers

    Search current openings on the global careers portal at careers.daiichisankyo.com or on the regional sites (daiichisankyo.us for the United States, daiichi-sankyo.eu for Europe, daiichisankyo.co.jp for Japan), and create a candidate profile in the Workday-based applicant tracking system.

  2. 2
    Submit a tailored resume or CV as a single PDF, attach a brief cover letter when

    Submit a tailored resume or CV as a single PDF, attach a brief cover letter when the role is mid-to-senior level, and complete the demographic and work-authorization screening questions Workday requires.

  3. 3
    Expect an initial recruiter screen by phone or video within one to three weeks,

    Expect an initial recruiter screen by phone or video within one to three weeks, focused on motivation for joining Daiichi Sankyo, salary expectations, work authorization, and a high-level walk through your background.

  4. 4
    Move into a hiring manager interview that explores domain depth, followed by a p

    Move into a hiring manager interview that explores domain depth, followed by a panel or loop with cross-functional partners (medical, regulatory, biostatistics, commercial, or quality, depending on the role) typically conducted over Microsoft Teams.

  5. 5
    For scientific, clinical, statistical, or technical roles, prepare a 30 to 45 mi

    For scientific, clinical, statistical, or technical roles, prepare a 30 to 45 minute presentation on a representative project, with a heavy emphasis on your specific contributions, methodology, and decision-making rather than just outcomes.

  6. 6
    Complete reference checks, a background check through a vendor such as HireRight

    Complete reference checks, a background check through a vendor such as HireRight or First Advantage, and for many roles a pre-employment drug screen and education verification before a written offer is issued.

  7. 7
    Negotiate the offer package (base, target bonus, long-term incentive units for s

    Negotiate the offer package (base, target bonus, long-term incentive units for senior roles, sign-on, relocation, and start date), then complete onboarding paperwork in Workday and a structured global new-hire orientation in your first weeks.

Resume Tips for Daiichi Sankyo

recommended

Lead with measurable impact tied to oncology, cardiovascular, or rare-disease ou

Lead with measurable impact tied to oncology, cardiovascular, or rare-disease outcomes (for example, NDA/BLA submission timelines, enrollment acceleration, label expansions, regulatory approvals secured, or revenue and market-share gains) rather than generic responsibilities.

recommended

Use clear, ATS-friendly section headers and a single-column layout in PDF; Workd

Use clear, ATS-friendly section headers and a single-column layout in PDF; Workday parses cleanly when section names are conventional (Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications) and dates are in MMM YYYY format.

recommended

Mirror exact terminology from the job description, including the DXd platform, A

Mirror exact terminology from the job description, including the DXd platform, ADC, HER2, TROP2, biologics, ICH-GCP, 21 CFR Part 11, EMA, PMDA, FDA, GxP, MSL, KOL engagement, RWE, biostatistics tools (SAS, R, Python), and CDISC standards (SDTM, ADaM) when relevant.

recommended

For commercial and medical-affairs candidates, quantify launch readiness work, a

For commercial and medical-affairs candidates, quantify launch readiness work, advisory boards run, congress symposia executed, payer engagements, and physician-targeting analytics; reference specific therapeutic areas (HR+/HER2- breast, NSCLC, gastric, AML) when accurate.

recommended

For R&D, CMC, and manufacturing roles, highlight ADC-specific experience, conjug

For R&D, CMC, and manufacturing roles, highlight ADC-specific experience, conjugation chemistry, payload-linker work, sterile fill-finish, biologics process development, technology transfer, and inspection readiness (FDA, EMA, PMDA), and name the modalities you have worked with.

recommended

Show evidence of cross-cultural collaboration, especially with Japan-based teams

Show evidence of cross-cultural collaboration, especially with Japan-based teams or other global affiliates; experience working across time zones, with shared decision rights, or with consensus-driven nemawashi-style processes is a genuine differentiator.

recommended

Limit length to one page for early-career, two pages for experienced professiona

Limit length to one page for early-career, two pages for experienced professionals, and three pages only for senior R&D leaders with extensive publication or patent records, which can be appended after the core CV.

recommended

Avoid graphics, columns, headshots, and color blocks in the version you submit t

Avoid graphics, columns, headshots, and color blocks in the version you submit through Workday; keep a designed version for in-person interviews if you want to present visual work.

ATS System: Workday Recruiting

Daiichi Sankyo uses Workday Recruiting as its global applicant tracking system across all major regions (Japan, US, EU, UK, India). Candidates create a Workday profile, upload a resume that the system parses into structured fields, and track applications through the same portal. Workday is a parsing-sensitive ATS that prefers clean, single-column PDFs with conventional section headers and standard date formats.

  • Submit a single-column PDF with standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications) so Workday's parser can populate fields cleanly.
  • Use MMM YYYY date formatting (for example, Mar 2022 to Present) and avoid date ranges expressed only as years, which Workday often misreads.
  • Avoid tables, text boxes, multi-column layouts, headshots, and graphics in the file you submit; keep any visually designed version for interview leave-behinds.
  • Use the exact keywords from the job description, including therapeutic area, ADC, modality, regulatory standards, and tools, so recruiter searches inside Workday surface your profile.
  • Complete every optional field in your Workday profile (skills, languages, certifications, work authorization) because recruiters often filter on those fields when shortlisting.
  • Set up a Workday job alert for the relevant function and region so you are notified when matching roles open, since many positions are filled within four to six weeks of posting.

Complete Workday Recruiting Resume Guide →

Interview Culture

Daiichi Sankyo's interview culture sits at the intersection of Japanese deliberation and Western pharma rigor, and candidates who recognize that blend tend to perform best.

Conversations are professional, courteous, and noticeably less performative than at many US-headquartered peers; interviewers favor specific examples, calibrated language, and intellectual honesty over rehearsed enthusiasm. Expect multiple rounds, often four to seven separate meetings, because the organization values consensus and wants several stakeholders to weigh in before extending an offer. Decisions can take longer than at smaller biotechs, and that pace is intentional rather than a sign of disinterest. Behavioral questions are common and typically map to the company's core values of being innovative, accountable, inclusive, and collaborative; a clean STAR structure (Situation, Task, Action, Result) lands well, particularly when you separate your individual contribution from team outcomes. For scientific and clinical roles, expect technical depth probes that go several layers below the surface; interviewers will follow up on assumptions, statistical choices, regulatory rationale, and trade-offs you made, and they respect candidates who acknowledge uncertainty rather than bluff. For commercial and medical-affairs roles, case prompts and role plays are increasingly common, often anchored to a fictional ADC launch or competitive scenario; structure your thinking out loud, ask clarifying questions, and ground recommendations in customer insight, evidence, and operational feasibility. Cross-cultural fit is evaluated quietly but seriously. Demonstrating respect for hierarchy, willingness to align with Japan-based stakeholders, an appreciation for the long-term mindset of the firm, and the humility to ask for context before pushing change will all be noticed. Punctuality, preparedness, and well-researched questions about pipeline strategy, the DXd platform, and the AstraZeneca alliance signal that you understand the business. Avoid speaking negatively about previous employers, oversimplifying competitive dynamics, or making sweeping claims about transforming an organization you have not yet joined. Dress code for video and onsite interviews is business or business-casual on the conservative end. Most candidates report a respectful, structured experience with clear next steps communicated by the recruiter, and feedback loops that, while not always fast, are reliably honest.

What Daiichi Sankyo Looks For

  • Deep technical or therapeutic-area expertise with verifiable depth in oncology, cardiovascular medicine, rare disease, vaccines, or the relevant functional discipline (regulatory, biostatistics, CMC, medical affairs, commercial).
  • Demonstrated experience with antibody-drug conjugates or other complex biologics is highly valued, particularly for R&D, CMC, manufacturing, regulatory, and medical roles supporting the DXd franchise.
  • Track record of operating successfully in a global matrixed environment, ideally including direct collaboration with Japan-based colleagues or with another large global pharma or biotech.
  • Rigor, intellectual honesty, and comfort with data; the organization respects candidates who reason from evidence, acknowledge what they do not know, and resist overclaiming.
  • Patient-centered orientation that shows up in the way you describe past work; framing decisions around patient outcomes, access, and unmet need resonates strongly with the company's stated purpose.
  • Cultural agility and humility, including respect for consensus-building processes, willingness to invest time in alignment, and ability to disagree constructively without escalating.
  • Integrity and compliance mindset; pharma is heavily regulated and the company takes promotional compliance, pharmacovigilance, and clinical-trial conduct extremely seriously.
  • Long-term commitment signals; Daiichi Sankyo invests heavily in employee development and tends to favor candidates who frame their next role as a multi-year contribution rather than a stepping stone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What applicant tracking system does Daiichi Sankyo use?
Daiichi Sankyo's global careers portal runs on Workday Recruiting. You will create a Workday candidate profile, upload a PDF resume that Workday will attempt to parse into structured fields, and track application status through the same portal. Region-specific sites (US, EU, Japan) feed into the same Workday backend for most roles.
Where are Daiichi Sankyo's main offices and R&D sites?
Global headquarters is in Nihonbashi-Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Major R&D and operational sites include Shinagawa and Hiratsuka in Japan, Basking Ridge, New Jersey (US oncology headquarters), Munich, Germany, the United Kingdom, and additional manufacturing sites in Italy, India, and the United States.
What is the DXd platform and why does it matter for hiring?
DXd is Daiichi Sankyo's proprietary antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, which links a tumor-targeting antibody to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload via a cleavable linker. It powers Enhertu, Datroway, and several pipeline assets. Most current oncology, CMC, regulatory, biostatistics, medical-affairs, and commercial hiring is connected to the DXd franchise, so demonstrated ADC or biologics experience is a strong differentiator.
How long does the interview process typically take?
Most candidates report a process spanning four to ten weeks from initial recruiter screen to written offer, including four to seven interviews across recruiter, hiring manager, peers, and cross-functional stakeholders. Senior, scientific, and global roles tend toward the longer end because the organization values consensus and stakeholder alignment.
Does Daiichi Sankyo offer remote or hybrid work?
Most office-based corporate, medical, and commercial roles operate on a hybrid schedule, typically two to three days per week onsite at the assigned office. Field-based roles such as MSL and sales positions are home-based with field travel. Lab, CMC, manufacturing, and quality roles are predominantly onsite given the nature of the work.
What does Daiichi Sankyo pay relative to other pharma employers?
Total compensation is competitive with other large global pharma peers (Merck, Pfizer, BMS, AstraZeneca, Takeda) and includes base salary, target annual bonus, long-term incentive units for senior roles, sign-on for select hires, and a comprehensive benefits package. Pay tends to be at or slightly above market for ADC-experienced candidates given the strategic importance of that platform.
What should I emphasize in a Daiichi Sankyo interview?
Emphasize patient-centered impact, technical or therapeutic depth, comfort with rigorous data, ability to operate in a global matrix that includes Japan-based stakeholders, and humility about what you do not yet know. Bring informed questions about the pipeline, the AstraZeneca alliance, and how your role connects to specific patient outcomes.
Does Daiichi Sankyo sponsor work visas?
Yes, for many specialized roles in the US, EU, and Japan, Daiichi Sankyo sponsors work visas including H-1B, L-1, EU Blue Card, and Japanese work-status visas. Sponsorship is most common for scientific, clinical, regulatory, biostatistics, CMC, and senior commercial or medical positions where local talent is scarce. The job posting will typically indicate whether the role is open to sponsorship.
Is prior experience in Japanese business culture required?
It is not required, but it helps, particularly for global functions that interact regularly with Tokyo headquarters. Familiarity with consensus-driven decision-making, longer alignment cycles, and respectful, low-confrontation communication styles is valued. The company invests in cross-cultural training for new hires who will collaborate heavily with Japan-based teams.
How can I stand out as an early-career candidate?
Show curiosity about and depth in a specific therapeutic area or function, demonstrate strong fundamentals (scientific writing, statistics, GxP, or commercial analytics depending on the path), highlight any biologics or ADC exposure, and articulate a multi-year reason for wanting to be at Daiichi Sankyo specifically rather than pharma generally. Internships, co-ops, and rotational programs are competitive and a strong feeder into full-time roles.

Open Positions

Daiichi Sankyo currently has 4 open positions.

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 4 open positions at Daiichi Sankyo

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