QA Lead, Sterility at Thermo Fisher Scientific

Lengnau, Bern, Switzerland

Thermo Fisher Scientific Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Biopharmaceuticals, Life SciencesIndustries

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s or equivalent experience in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Chemical/Biomedical Engineering, or related field
  • 5+ years in GMP biologics or sterile manufacturing with 2+ years in QA sterility/aseptic leadership
  • Profound understanding of aseptic processing, EM, validation of sterilization, and control of contamination in biologics
  • Strong experience with investigations (root cause analysis), CAPA, risk management, and audit interactions
  • Excellent communication, collaborator management, and decision-making under time-sensitive operations
  • Proficiency in maintaining sterility standards and hands-on aseptic supervision
  • Detailed problem solving and risk-based thinking
  • Continuous improvement approach

Responsibilities

  • Lead and uphold the Sterility Assurance Program and Contamination Control Strategy (CCS) for facility, utilities, equipment, materials, personnel, and processes
  • Lead risk assessments for aseptic processes, single-use systems, and critical interventions
  • Establish, assess, and authorize sterility assurance benchmarks; track, report, and intensify performance
  • Coordinate QA for aseptic processing for drug substance and drug product (e.g., upstream bioreactors, downstream filtration, UF/DF, DS)
  • Perform routine Gemba/walkthroughs and provide on-floor QA support during aseptic operations
  • Oversee planning, execution, and monitoring of environmental monitoring programs
  • Investigate EM excursions and drive CAPA efficiency and preventive actions
  • Provide QA oversight of sterilization methods, load configurations, biological indicators, and requalification schedules
  • Approve sterilization cycle development, validation protocols/reports, and change controls for single-use assemblies, filters, and aseptic connectors
  • Ensure validated cleaning and decontamination procedures for equipment and rooms (including sporicidal rotations)
  • Evaluate, assess, and endorse SOPs, validation protocols, master batch records, and QA standards linked to aseptic operations
  • Lead and respond to internal/external audits (e.g., FDA, EMA, MHRA, PIC/S); ensure readiness and remediation
  • Lead deviations, root cause analyses, CAPA, and efficiency checks for sterility-related issues (bioburden, endotoxin, EM)
  • Lead QA for changes impacting sterility (facility, equipment, single-use components, filters, cleaning agents, disinfectants)
  • Support tech transfers for new biomolecule products/processes ensuring sterility requirements are incorporated into process development and validation
  • Formulate and present aseptic behavior training, gowning certifications, and programs highlighting proficiency in sterility assurance
  • Mentor operations and QA staff to reinforce contamination control culture and right-first-time behaviors

Skills

Sterility Assurance
Contamination Control Strategy
Aseptic Processing
Risk Assessments
Environmental Monitoring
CAPA
Sterilization Validation
Validation Protocols
SOPs
Biologics Manufacturing
Gemba Walks
Single-Use Systems

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Provides life sciences products and services

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a variety of products and services that support scientific research and healthcare, including laboratory equipment, reagents, and software solutions. Their products are used in applications like protein biology, real-time PCR, and sequencing, serving clients such as academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Unlike competitors, Thermo Fisher emphasizes customer support and education, helping clients optimize their experiments. The company's goal is to be a leading provider of life sciences solutions that contribute to a healthier and safer world.

Waltham, MassachusettsHeadquarters
1956Year Founded
$17MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Biotechnology, HealthcareIndustries
10,001+Employees

Risks

Increased competition in single-use bioprocessing may impact market share.
Sale of anatomical pathology business could create a temporary product gap.
Investment in miDiagnostics may face regulatory challenges affecting returns.

Differentiation

Thermo Fisher offers a comprehensive range of life sciences products and services.
Their well-known brands include Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, and Invitrogen.
They provide strong customer support and educational resources to optimize client workflows.

Upsides

Expansion of biologics production facility enhances capacity for precision biologics monitoring.
Investment in miDiagnostics aligns with demand for rapid diagnostic solutions in BioPharma.
Collaboration with Mainz Biomed positions them in the growing cancer detection market.

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