Amgen’s Michael Kavanagh discusses navigating the manufacturing space and the skills needed to thrive.
Michael Kavanagh, a manufacturing manager at Amgen, first joined the organisation on a 10-month contract in 2013 and worked his way up the ladder to where he is today. His career trajectory involved spending two years working out of the company’s headquarters in California, before moving back to Amgen’s Dublin-based offices in Dún Laoghaire.
“There isn’t really a typical day, which is part of the appeal,” he told SiliconRepublic.com. “If we have issues on the line or something isn’t performing as it should, my job as part of a team is to take a deep dive into the reasons why and scientifically determine what is wrong and how we can fix it.
“That covers everything from equipment and materials, to troubleshooting issues that might affect production, often with the help of data-driven tools we now use every day. I start early, usually going to the on-site gym at 6.20am, then I’m at my desk by 7.30am to review the night shift reports. I speak with the incoming shift, check what’s carried over from previous days and then we tackle any open issues.
“The rest of the day is usually a mix of problem-solving and longer-term improvement work. The goal is always the same, high yields, low downtime and no compromise on patient safety. We run 24/7, including weekends and bank holidays, so being available outside of normal hours is part of the job on a rotation basis. It could be 3am or 3pm, but we need to keep production moving.”
Here he talks more about his role at the biopharma company.
What skills are crucial to your role?
Calmness is key. You’re working in a highly regulated environment where things can change quickly. Being able to stay composed and think clearly under pressure is vital. I also look for motivation and a good attitude, especially when hiring. In the past, we focused heavily on experience, particularly in aseptic manufacturing. That still matters, but now I’m putting more weight on whether someone is genuinely interested in the work, willing to learn, is coachable and able to follow procedures carefully.
We live by standard operating procedures, so being compliant, having a safety mindset and being willing to speak up when something isn’t right to ensure quality is crucial. Some of our best people came in from different backgrounds but had the right mindset. Technical skills help too, or familiarity with other complex systems like Pi, SAP, EBRs. That is a bonus, it shows they’ve got technical acumen, but we train for everything.
What technologies help you and your team day to day?
Real-time data and monitoring tools are massive in our industry. They enable engineers and automation teams to spot trends, find issues before they become problems and adjust accordingly.
We also use a reporting method called OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) which helps us track downtime and pinpoint the biggest causes of disruption. That data feeds into improvement projects. If one part of a process is consistently slowing us down, we go after it.
AI is starting to play a bigger role too, particularly in predictive maintenance, it tells us when a part is likely to fail so we can replace it before it causes problems.
How have smart systems altered your work?
I’m not the most technical person here, but I can see how things are evolving. We don’t have to wait for something to go wrong anymore, we can see it coming. That changes how we plan, how we maintain equipment and even how we train people.
From a manufacturing perspective, in the past you might rely on gut feeling or informal feedback to find a problem and that’s still important, but now we have the data to back it up. It’s not just about fixing things, it’s about learning from them.
OEE reporting has been the biggest shift in my world. We use it to track interventions and downtime and that gives us a clear picture of where we’re losing efficiency. It means we can solve problems with a scalpel rather than a hammer. You can start making targeted improvements.
How does Amgen encourage or support upskilling for professionals in manufacturing roles?
We have career development plans (CDP) and a framework called ACM (ability, competence, motivation) that helps people think about what they want to do next. To be honest, I ignored all that during my early days at Amgen. I was happy doing the work, but then I saw others progressing and thought, right, time to take it seriously.
I started filling out my CDP, looked at lateral moves and eventually applied for a role at Amgen’s headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California. That was a turning point. I learned a lot, both professionally and personally and came back with a better understanding of how we operate globally. It also showed me that the support is there if you’re willing to put in the effort and have the right conversations.
What challenges impact your industry and how are they overcome?
Talent. Everyone in this sector is looking for the same skilled people. Ireland has a strong talent pool, but it’s small and biotech is growing fast.
We must be clever about how we recruit and retain. We rely on referrals, but we’re also looking at candidates from other sectors, people who’ve worked shifts, followed procedures, and want to move into biotech. With the right attitude and training, they often do really well.
Have you ever had a mentor, or have you acted as a mentor to a colleague?
Having a mentor here has been transformative. At a pivotal moment, just as I was beginning to think more strategically about my career, their guidance broadened my perspective and gave me the confidence to pursue roles that I might have otherwise overlooked.
Now feels like the right time to mentor someone myself officially. As an experienced people manager you are unofficially mentoring on a daily basis but not to a specific programme. I’ve been at the site since 2013 and I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I believe everyone should experience being both a mentee and a mentor. You never know it all and you learn by helping others too.
Do you have any advice for other professionals considering a career in manufacturing?
It’s a rewarding career. Yes, it’s demanding, but there’s a lot of satisfaction in doing work that has real-world impact. Our sector is evolving. There’s more data, more automation and more opportunities to specialise. It is also growing, so if you’re motivated and willing to put the work in, there’s a clear path forward.
If you’re on the fence, I’d say take the leap. You won’t regret it.
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