Operational Design Team Placement - Cambridge

Operational Design Team Placement - Cambridge

About the role

The Operational Design Team (ODT) is looking for a Placement Student to join our Cambridge office, with some opportunity to work from home.

Clinical trials test new medicines in healthy volunteers or in patients living with the conditions those medicines aim to treat. The ODT plays a critical role in shaping how these trials are designed and delivered. Since nearly half of a trial’s duration can be spent on patient enrollment, the ODT focuses on accelerating this process while ensuring the highest standards of quality, compliance, and diversity. Our work spans several areas from global feasibility and operational design to advanced data analytics, patient engagement, and recruitment & retention, all aimed at optimizing trial design and execution.

As part of the ODT, you will gain hands-on experience at the intersection of science, data, and healthcare, learning how data, technology, and patient engagement are transforming clinical research. Throughout your placement, you’ll work across different branches of the ODT, contributing to trial designs that accelerate new medicines and applying advanced analytics and patient-centred approaches to improve clinical trial outcomes.

In this role you will gain experience in:

• Using AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics tools to support & optimize clinical studies.
• Understanding why the perspectives of patients & healthcare providers are vital to high-quality trial design.
• Exploring how external companies & vendors support clinical trial operations and evaluating new potential partners.
• Participating in comprehensive feasibility analyses to inform study planning & site selection.
• Collaborating cross-functionally with experts in feasibility, patient engagement, operational design analytics, and recruitment to design trials of the future.

Role Degree requirement: Life sciences, bioinformatics, computer sciences, or a related discipline, with an interest in applying data & analytics to healthcare innovation

Working arrangements:

We have 2 offices, one in Cambridge and one in Uxbridge, with the location of the position being dependent on the department that you are applying for. Amgen offers a hybrid working model whereby there is the opportunity to work from home and/or work from the office. Please note that your manager may also be either on-site or working remotely. We encourage students to work from the office where possible to build connections with colleagues both within their department and from other departments.

All applicants should have:

• Excellent exam and course work grades from the first year of their degree (or higher qualification) in the stated discipline per role
• Good communication and organisational skills and a self-motivated, proactive approach to work
• An ability to work in teams and remain flexible to changing priorities
• A genuine interest in the healthcare/pharmaceutical industry and a willingness to learn new areas
• Excellent data analytical skills

The successful student will gain:

• Experience of working in a busy department within the pharmaceutical industry
• An understanding of the drug development process
• Insight into other departments within Amgen and how they interact
• Experience of working in teams with other Statisticians, Programmers, Epidemiologists and Analysts
• Opportunities to build a strong professional network and collaborate with fellow students
• Experience with hybrid working, gaining flexibility and developing skills in both remote and in-office environments

Industry introduction and interview day:

24th to 26th Nov 2025 in our Cambridge offices.

Check out our Placement Applications Handbook here for more guidance with your application!

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.