Medicinal Chemistry - okay science, low pay/titles - Scientist Amgen Employee Review

2.0
4 Jan 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Work life balance. 401k match.

Cons

Pay and titles not competitive with Pharma/Biotech industry. Amgen significantly underpays compare to equal sized competitors, ~10-60%. Especially considering expensive Thousand Oaks/Ventura/LA area. There are been many people leaving the Medicinal Chemistry group for higher offers, and more on the way. The Medicinal Chemistry group is offers PhD-level graduates with no Post-Docs the Senior Associate Scientist title, which is crazy, especially with low starting salary. It's no wonder why so many empty hoods. Good candidates are going other places. Career advancement is slow, but they will talk of fast promotions during interview process. There is lot of talk about the best science in industry at Amgen but there only been one small molecule drug that make it to market in the HISTORY of Amgen. A common saying you will hear a lot is Amgen is research based because research is on bottom.

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Amgen Response
3y
Thank you for sharing your experience. It is our goal to create an atmosphere where our employees feel supported, and reviews are instrumental in our ability to implement change. Please know that our team can be reached at amgen@careers.pure.cloud if you would like to share more about your experience. If you would like to remain anonymous, please contact Amgen’s Business Conduct Hotline at 1-888-376-5574 or https://amgenbch.tnwreports.com to report your concerns. Again, thank you for bringing this to our attention.

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5.0
16 Jun 2026
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CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good benefits for the full-time employees

Cons

Tight deadlines, projects require a lot of approvals to move forward

3.0
24 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Excellent compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities. Strong investment in innovation, patient-focused mission, and world-class manufacturing capabilities. The New Albany site offers exposure to complex biologics operations, large-scale capital projects, and opportunities to work alongside talented and dedicated professionals committed to delivering medicines to patients.

Cons

The culture and leadership experience became increasingly inconsistent during the last year. Decision-making often lacked transparency, priorities shifted frequently, and employee feedback did not always appear to be valued. The people-centered culture that attracted many long-tenured employees seemed to drift, resulting in reduced trust, lower engagement, and increased organizational uncertainty.

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