Senior Director, R&D Strategic Communications

Amgen•Thousand Oaks, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

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. Senior Director, R&D Strategic Communications What you will do Let’s do this! Let’s change the world! In this vital role we’re seeking a bold, strategic, and forward-thinking Senior Director, R&D Strategic Communications, to lead a newly established team that will function as an internal communications agency, responsible for both external and internal audiences, amplifying the voice of our science, enhancing our innovation reputation, and connecting our people to purpose. This Thousand Oaks-based role sits at the intersection of R&D strategy, scientific storytelling, employee engagement, and external reputation-building. What You Will Do Reporting to the VP, Corporate Affairs for Science and Innovation, you will: Build and lead a high-paced, high-performing Strategic Communications team that brings together content creators, internal comms experts, science writers, and digital strategists to the entirety of the R&D organization from discovery to development. Architect a compelling, unifying R&D narrative that brings clarity to our work, drives reputational value externally, and strengthens culture internally. Oversee content strategy and editorial planning across platforms—web, social, video, executive communications, internal channels, events, and more. Drive alignment and editorial consistency across functions, channels, and geographies. Champion innovation in how we communicate—leveraging AI, data insights, and emerging tools to elevate storytelling, refine strategies, optimize content delivery, and measure impact. Lead with a deep understanding of science and data—and the confidence to partner with researchers, scientists, and physicians—to develop communications that are credible and impactful, whether that means engaging at a highly scientific level or translating complex science for broader audiences.

Requirements

Doctorate degree and 5 years of communications or public affairs experience Or Master’s degree and 8 years of experience OR Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of experience
You are both a strategist and a doer.
You see what’s coming next and prepare your team accordingly.
You’re credible with scientists, respected by executives, and creative enough to reinvent how we tell the story of science.

Nice To Haves

PhD or equivalent scientific or medical training strongly preferred—you’ll be leading a team that interacts with world leading scientists and researchers at Amgen to communicate scientific innovation. Credibility and fluency matter.
Demonstrated leadership in strategic communications, within a life-sciences, medical, or innovation-led organization. Communications agency experience a bonus.
Proven success in building and scaling communications functions or teams.
Experience crafting narratives that drive external reputation while building internal connection and pride.
Strong understanding of AI and emerging communications technologies—and a proactive mindset for integrating them into team workflows.
Executive presence, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to influence cross-functional and senior stakeholders.
Experience working closely with or within R&D, Clinical Development, or Scientific Affairs environments.

Responsibilities

Lead a multi-functional team: content creators, internal communications specialists, digital/social strategists, and science communicators.
Develop and execute a holistic R&D communications strategy across internal, digital, social, and executive channels.
Translate complex scientific ideas into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with employees, media, policy influencers, and scientific peers.
Partner directly with scientific executives, site heads, and functional leaders to shape and amplify the R&D narrative.
Serve as a reputation strategist, helping position Amgen as a powerhouse of science to internal and external stakeholders.
Ensure editorial excellence and creative innovation across all content formats—from videos and speeches to social media, digital platforms, and executive communications.
Build and manage a team responsible for content planning, campaign execution, analytics, and thought leadership to deliver high-impact storytelling and engagement
Utilize AI-enabled tools and digital platforms to improve content development workflows, personalization, engagement tracking, and amplification.
Oversee budgets, agency partnerships, and resource planning for the team.

Benefits

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, including remote and hybrid work arrangements, where possible

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