Biospecimen Specialist

Actalent; Risch-Rotkreuz; On-site; CHF 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent’s client is seeking a Biospecimen Specialist to support acquisition, management and documentation of biological specimens and associated data, bridging biospecimen workflows with clinical operations and regulatory compliance.

You will manage end-to-end specimen acquisition, ensure SOP adherence, and collaborate with vendors and internal teams to meet study timelines while maintaining GDPR/HIPAA and ethics standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences or related field with 1–3 years of biospecimen experience, or a Master’s degree with relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience with biological sample collection, handling, processing, tracking, or biobanking workflows.
• Experience supporting clinical trial operations, protocols and deliverables across study timelines.
• Strong knowledge of GCP/ICH-GCP, FDA/EMA guidelines, IRBs/IECs and ethics in clinical research.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end biospecimen acquisition from requirements to sample delivery.
• Support collection, handling, processing, tracking and management of samples per SOPs.
• Coordinate with external vendors on quotations, MTAs and purchase requests.
• Manage biospecimen and test data, including data transfer and quality checks.
• Maintain sample and study information in LIMS and validated systems.
• Monitor acquisition activities, timelines and deliverables, resolve issues.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to meet project milestones and sample needs.
• Ensure legal, regulatory and ethics documentation is kept up to date.

Skills

Biospecimen management

Data management

Attention to detail

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences

Master’s degree in Life Sciences or related field

Tools

LIMS

MTAs

Job description

One of our clients is looking for a Biospecimen Specialist to support the acquisition, management and documentation of biological specimens and associated sample data. The role combines biospecimen/sample management, clinical operations, data management and regulatory compliance, with close collaboration across internal teams, external vendors and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end biospecimen acquisition, from gathering requirements through sample delivery.
• Support the collection, handling, processing, tracking and management of biological samples in line with established SOPs and quality requirements.
• Coordinate with external vendors, including reviewing quotations, supporting Scope of Work activities and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), and facilitating purchase requisitions.
• Manage biospecimen and associated test data, including data transfer, review, transcription, quality checks and discrepancy resolution.
• Maintain accurate sample and study information within LIMS and other validated systems.
• Monitor acquisition activities, timelines and deliverables, proactively identifying and resolving issues.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure project milestones and sample requirements are met.
• Maintain required legal, regulatory and ethics documentation, ensuring compliance with applicable procedures and standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences or a related field with 1–3 years of relevant experience in biospecimen/sample acquisition, sample management, biobanking or a related area; or a Master’s degree with relevant practical experience.
• Hands‑on experience with biological sample collection, handling, processing, tracking and/or biobanking workflows.
• Experience supporting or managing clinical trial operations, protocols and deliverables across study timelines.
• Good understanding of GCP/ICH-GCP, FDA and/or EMA guidelines, IRBs/IECs and ethical principles governing clinical research.
• Understanding of data privacy requirements such as GDPR and/or HIPAA, particularly regarding patient consent, specimen handling and clinical data.
• Strong attention to detail and experience working with complex data and documentation.
• Professional working proficiency in English.

Nice to have:

• Experience with LIMS or other validated systems.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements within diagnostics.
• Experience with legal agreements such as Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs).