Validation Technician

Merck Gruppe - MSD Sharp & Dohme; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company in Milton Keynes is seeking a Validation Technician to manage and support validation activities across their Manufacturing Division. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and experience in the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring compliance with cGMP. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively. This is a temporary, fixed-term position with competitive benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Healthcare benefits

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Experience in validation, quality, production or engineering within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Hands-on experience with validation and requalification activities.
• Solid understanding of cGMP and good documentation practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute validation plans for projects and equipment.
• Prepare, review and approve validation documentation.
• Ensure compliance with cGMP and quality standards.
• Conduct validation activities for HVAC, clean rooms, and manufacturing equipment.
• Manage and coordinate external contractors.

Skills

Attention to detail

Verbal communication

Written communication

Decision-making

Analytical skills

Planning skills

Collaboration

Coaching

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant science or engineering discipline

Tools

Validation equipment

Validation software

Job description

About us

Join a dynamic pharmaceutical manufacturing team committed to delivering safe, high-quality medicines. We combine scientific rigour with continuous improvement to maintain world-class manufacturing standards. If you enjoy hands-on validation work, problem-solving and influencing best practice across a production environment, this role is for you.

The role

As a Validation Technician you will manage, drive and support initial validation activities and periodic revalidation across our Manufacturing Division, ensuring ongoing compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP). You will be a key contributor to new projects, process changes and routine requalification activities, ensuring robust, documented evidence that our facilities, utilities, equipment and computerized systems perform reliably and safely.

This is a fixed term role.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute validation plans for projects and changes to processes, equipment, utilities, computer systems and facilities.
• Prepare, review and approve validation protocols, qualification reports, plans, quality risk assessments and related documentation.
• Ensure adherence to the requalification plan and maintain compliance with cGMP and company quality standards.
• Raise, investigate and close deviations and CAPAs; support investigations into events as required.
• Conduct or support testing and validation activities for HVAC/HEPA systems, clean rooms, isolators, biological safety cabinets, autoclaves, aseptic simulations, sterile filtration, manufacturing equipment, controlled temperature units and laboratory methods.
• Perform or oversee airflow visualisation studies (AVS), environmental monitoring and other validation-specific tests.
• Use validation tools and instruments (data loggers, DOP testing equipment, AVS kit, anemometers, balometers) and interpret results.
• Manage and coordinate external contractors as required.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of cGMP, company quality manuals and relevant regulations and guidance.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and lead solutions through to implementation and closure.

What we’re looking for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant science or engineering discipline.

Experience

• Experience in validation, quality, production or engineering within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with validation and requalification activities across a wide range of systems and equipment, including but not limited to: HVAC/HEPA, clean rooms, isolators and containment devices, AVS, autoclaves, sterile filtration, manufacturing processes, utilities (steam, compressed air, nitrogen, PW/WFI), CIP/cleaning processes, controlled temperature units and laboratory methods.
• Experience working with computerized systems and common validation software/spreadsheets.
• Practical experience using validation equipment (temperature/pressure data loggers, DOP testers, AVS equipment, anemometers, balometers).
• Experience managing external contractors is desirable.
• Solid understanding of cGMP and good documentation practices.

Skills and attributes

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to review and correct technical documentation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to prepare clear, compliant reports and interact effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive, professional attitude and high personal integrity.
• Strong decision-making and analytical skills; able to assess issues from multiple angles and deliver well-reasoned conclusions.
• Effective planning, prioritisation and time-management skills to meet deadlines and produce quality deliverables.
• Comfortable driving change through coaching, influencing and mentoring.
• A continuous-improvement mindset with the ability to identify and implement practical solutions.

Why join us

• Work on meaningful projects that directly impact product quality and patient safety.
• Supportive, inclusive team culture with opportunities for professional development.
• Competitive salary and benefits package including [list key benefits: pension, healthcare, flexible working, training, etc.].
• Modern facilities and opportunity to work with industry-standard validation equipment and techniques.

Closing date for applications: 10/10/2025

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status: Temporary (Fixed Term)

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Required Skills: Applied Engineering, cGMP Regulations, Management Process, Manufacturing, Validation Activities, Validation Protocols

Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date: 10/11/2025

Requisition ID: R367353