Project Engineer at Amgen
Former submarine officer’s career hits full-speed at Amgen.
by Warren Duffie

Is there any similarity between monitoring the equipment on a submarine and maintaining the machinery used in the production of medical drugs?

Sebastian Dachenhausen says “yes.” Dachenhausen spent five years as a submarine officer and now works for Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company.

“In the Navy, I was very proud that I could help safeguard the lives of the American people,” the former lieutenant says. “At Amgen, I’m equally proud that I can help improve the health of millions of customers.”

Founded in 1980, Amgen pioneered the development of drugs based on advances in recombinant DNA (DNA created artificially in a laboratory) and molecular biology, and launched the biotechnology industry’s first blockbuster medicines – EPOGEN (which treats anemia in patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease and are on dialysis) and NEUPOGEN (which lowers infection in certain cancer patients receiving chemotherapy).

“The pharmaceutical industry can basically be broken into two divisions,” Dachenhausen says. “First, there are drugs composed of small molecules, such as aspirin and Viagra. Then there are drugs like ours that are made up of proteins and cells grown in a lab. The great part about our drugs is that, as medical technology improves, we can learn more about diseases and treat them at different stages.”

Ensuring First-Class Medicine
Based in Thousand Oaks, CA., Amgen has more than 16,500 employees working at 34 offices worldwide. The main revenue streams of the $10 billion-dollar company comprise research and development as well as manufacturing. On the research side, the Fortune 500 firm has programs focusing on inflammation, metabolic disorders and osteoporosis, neurology, oncology, and hematology. On the manufacturing end, Amgen produces more than 75 percent of the world’s non-vaccine and non-insulin protein-based drugs to treat these diseases – and it operates manufacturing facilities in California, Colorado, Rhode Island, Washington, and Puerto Rico.

Dachenhausen, 30, is a project engineer in the Boulder, CO., manufacturing plant. He is part of a 12-engineer team that oversees the equipment used to produce Amgen’s medicines. His duties consist of trouble-shooting existing machinery, ordering new parts and equipment, and overseeing their installation.
“If I could list one military skill that helps me today, it’s the ability to organize a large group of people — in this case, contractors — and supervise them,” he continues. “In addition, like in the Navy, I have to study the specifications for a piece of equipment, make sure they’re adhered to, and document everything.”

From Studying Biology to Planning Deployments
Dachenhausen’s career path to cells and proteins began at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a biology degree on a Naval ROTC scholarship. After graduating in 1997, the Portland, OR., native was sent to submarine school before assignment to USS Key West based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Although the Navy was an exciting, rewarding experience, Dachenhausen faced a dilemma. In climbing the promotion ladder, he faced the prospect of being placed in more supervisory positions with less time working directly with his crewmates. As someone who loves being in the middle of the action, Dachenhausen knew he would get bored if that happened. So he decided to get out in 2002.

“If I could give someone one piece of advice before getting out, it’s to plan before you leave the military. I got out in April 2002 and was hired by Amgen that November. However, I had saved up before my separation, which gave me a good financial cushion that allowed me to take my time during my job search.”