Why you need to be agile in the fast-paced world of biotech

Séamus Fenton discusses his day-to-day work in biotech and the aspects of the role he most enjoys.

As an associate on Amgen’s Fuel Emerging Talent Rotational Programme, no two days are the same for Séamus Fenton, who is in the second of three eight-to-10 month rotations. 

“The variety of work means that I’m constantly learning something new,” he told SiliconRepublic.com. “Knowing those efforts will help deliver life-changing medicines to patients keeps me inspired.”

Fenton starts his day by responding to overnight emails, and then focusing on quality approving GMP transactions for incoming drug substance shipments and materials. “I also focus on project work, some examples include refining inspection protocols and updating smartsheet trackers.”

The afternoons involve a mix of hands-on QA activities and virtual meetings, and he is also working with other teams on a project to transfer an inspection method for Keyence/ADMS-k equipment, ensuring it aligns with Irish regulatory standards and system requirements. And on Fridays, the team handles tasks around disposals and reporting. 

“I really enjoy the balance of technical precision and global teamwork that this role offers,” he said. 

What types of projects do you work on? 

I’m fortunate in that all Fuel participants are assigned to work on a flagship project during each rotation. During my first rotation in manufacturing support, I worked as part of the strategic projects team supporting campaign media fills on the isolator vial filling line 2 which is in manufacturing plant 2. This project gave me brilliant hands-on experience and a great understanding of the vial filling process. 

My role focused on supporting media fill, engineering and process performance qualification (PPQ) runs while also creating and updating project documents and trackers, ordering new equipment and managing isolator hold time studies. My responsibilities were part of a huge cross site effort that successfully demonstrated the line could run aseptically at scale, so it was really rewarding to be part of it. 

What skills do you use on a daily basis?

Communication and collaboration are essential in any team environment. This is especially true when you work cross functionally and are in contact with a variety of teams. It’s also important to actively listen to others, for example, the operators in Amgen are a fountain of knowledge, so it’s vital to hear their insights.

Agility is also a vital skill in the fast-paced world of biotech. You need to quickly build new technical capabilities and adapt to emerging concepts and complex challenges and be able to grasp emerging concepts and complex issues.

I’ve also found that critical thinking is also valuable, especially with regards to evaluating your team’s contribution to project work and how it fits into the bigger picture.

What are the hardest parts of your working day, and how do you navigate them?

Maintaining a clear focus on daily tasks can be tough because we work in such a fast-paced environment. To manage my workload, at the start of each workday I put together a schedule that lists priority items and deliverables. I find that it’s an effective way to manage my time and to set me up for success.

Do you have any productivity tips that help you through the day?

Prioritise five to 10 minutes at the start of every day where you identify the key tasks and action items. To minimise distractions, I either turn off my phone or put it in my bag, this is especially helpful if I’m on a call or working to a tight deadline.

I’m also intentional about taking regular breaks. I go for a walk, fill up my water bottle and have a brief chat with a colleague, it helps to take my mind off work for a few minutes. We are also fortunate to have a fully equipped gym on site, so it’s possible to exercise at lunchtime and return to your desk refreshed and revitalised.

What skills and tools are you using to communicate daily with colleagues?

Microsoft Teams is ideal for quick team updates, project discussions and organising remote meetings. It’s also extremely useful for cross-functional communication. I use Outlook for more formal communication and to share documents, updates and follow-up action items. I find PowerPoint indispensable for project updates and summarising data for team meetings. The graduate community has WhatsApp groups to discuss extracurricular activities.

However, it goes without saying that the best form of communication is in person – and the best place to do this is in our staff canteen. It’s a great opportunity to build up a rapport with colleagues. The fact that I can approach a colleague and say, ‘hey, do you have a minute?’ is reflective of Amgen’s strong workplace culture.

How has this role changed as the sector has grown and evolved?

I’m relatively new to biotech, but I can already see that it’s a dynamic and fast-paced sector. This means that it’s important to acquire new skills as the industry is continuously evolving. For me, it’s about being adaptable and proactive and building a deep understanding of how operations work. Ultimately, the true value of this cross-functional collaboration means that we are ideally positioned to better serve patients.

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