BK Abebe Bio

 Senior Engineer II, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

"I graduated from San Jose State University's Chemical Engineering program in 2018 and began my career as a Project Control Engineer at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. I was part of a team managing capital projects at the wastewater treatment plant—a stable, high-paying role that many would consider a dream start. However, I realized early on that I wanted to pursue work that aligned more closely with my interests in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. I made the decision to join Advent Engineering, even though it meant taking a pay cut. That move opened the door to a wide range of experiences—from facility scale-up and engineering design to commissioning, qualification, and validation.

As a consultant, I had the opportunity to support projects at BioMarin, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pacira, Defender, and other companies across California. Later, I joined BioMarin full-time as a Quality Engineer to gain experience in oversight and compliance. Today, I serve as a Senior Engineer and Technical Leader for Cleaning and Steaming of process equipment that comes into contact with our products. My role ensures that our manufacturing systems meet the highest standards of quality and safety. Looking back, I’m proud of the risks I took and the path I’ve carved—one that reflects my values, curiosity, and commitment to making a meaningful impact in the life sciences industry."