Appetizers

Starting with some basics.

 Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

 Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.

Tell us about yourself and your job.

I work in the Protein Purification group at Amgen. As an Associate, my job involves purifying monoclonal antibodies (mAb) proteins through various types of techniques such as Column Chromatography, Viral Inactivation/Filtration, and Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF).

Additionally, I also work with regulatory agencies such as the FDA to ensure that our drugs meet the highest manufacturing standard and to make sure our patients taking our drugs not only receive a drug that is safe, but also that it will someday maybe save their lives. In order to do so, I work on writing/editing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and regulatory writing.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

I first found my interest in drug manufacturing back in community college while taking my organic chemistry classes. I loved learning about the different biochemical reactions that occur in the body. Throughout my time in college, I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge in Chemistry as well as learn about purification techniques like column chromatography; something that I use almost every day at my job!

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

As drug manufacturing is a 24-hour operation, we need to constantly be aware of what is going on in the process. The first thing I do when I arrive at work is to check my emails and respond to any emails that are relevant.

Every morning, our team has a meeting to go over what was done from the previous shift and to go over what needs to be completed on our shift. We then head into the manufacturing plant where we suit up in our clean suits and perform our purification tasks. Throughout the day, I am in constant communication with not only my team but also people like Quality Assurance staff to make sure that we are compliant with FDA regulations during the purification process.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

Since manufacturing is a 24-hour process, many of the purification processes take anywhere from 12 hours to a few days. My afternoons are for the most part the same unless there is a more important task that needs to be taken care of.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

There are many people involved that make drug manufacturing possible (About 300 people are involved in one drug manufacturing operation at any given point in time!). I have meetings with various people such as Engineers, Process Development, Quality Assurance, etc. in my day-to-day job. All of these people are pivotal to make my job flow smoothly.

Who do you collaborate with within meetings and projects?

My meetings include a wide diverse group of people. Some of these people include upper management, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and even some members in Process Development.

 Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your job?

While it would be nice to have our operations run smoothly, most of the time that is not always the case. Whenever problems arise in the process, our team is the first line of defense in determining the problem and finding the solution to the problem. ‘

At times when we do not have the answer, we have to consult with other members within our network to find the best path moving forward. Also, because we are working with drugs that people will take someday, there is also an element of stress to ensure that everything we do is up to standard.

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

Having a lot of experience in a chemical lab setting goes a long way in succeeding in this role. It’s a lot easier to understand what’s going on behind the process when you have had some kind of familiarity with some of the techniques that are used in the manufacturing plant.

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

Prepare for your interview ahead of time to make sure you’re ready to answer any questions they might throw at you. I did this by having some of my friends interview me and critique me on how I did and ways I could improve.

The interviewer might try to gauge how much you know by asking you technical questions about how a specific process works. They might also ask if you know anything about the drugs they manufacture so also be prepared for that as well. If you don’t know how to answer a particular question, take a deep breath and answer it to the best of your ability. They may be asking you the question just to know how you arrive at that conclusion with the assumption that you won't answer it fully. At the same time, they know you’re human and also want to get to know you on a personal level so try to relax and go into the interview with a friendly mindset!

What's something that surprised you about your job?

What really surprised me about my job is the amount of effort and the number of people that are involved in the manufacturing process. On top of the 300 or so people that I work with, there are also a lot of other people that I have never seen in my life that also play a pivotal role in ensuring a successful manufacturing run.

I was also surprised by how meticulous the manufacturing process is. To ensure that our patients receive the best quality medicines, we take cleanliness very seriously and make sure that our process is within parameters every time.

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

Even though my job can get stressful at times, being at the forefront of drug manufacturing is a really fun and rewarding job. Knowing that one day what you make can someday save someone’s relative, significant other, or friend is what keeps me moving forward.

 Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?