Associate Director, Development Quality Assurance

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 154,500 - 196,873; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Flexible work environments

401(k) plan

Job summary

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Carlsbad, California is seeking an Associate Director for Development Quality Assurance. This leader will manage GCP audits and ensure compliance with international regulations while overseeing inspection readiness and quality oversight during clinical trials.

Candidates should have significant experience in GCP quality assurance, along with strong organizational and communication skills. This full-time position offers an excellent opportunity to impact patient health and works within a collaborative environment focused on innovation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of GCP quality assurance experience or equivalent.
• Thorough understanding of ICH Guidelines and GCP regulatory requirements.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, conduct, and coordinate GCP-related audits.
• Prepare for and manage Health Authority inspections.
• Provide quality oversight and consultation during clinical trials.

Skills

GCP quality assurance experience

Clinical development process understanding

Risk management

Effective communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree with 12 years of experience or Master's with 8 years

PhD with 5 years of relevant experience

Tools

Computer System Validation knowledge

Job description

Associate Director, Development Quality Assurance

Job Category: Development - Ionis

Requisition Number: IONIS004059

• Full-Time

Locations

Showing 1 location

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA‑targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.

We’re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you’re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE

SUMMARY

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join as an Associate Director, Development Quality Assurance. This position is responsible for leadership, planning, conduct, and reporting of GCP audits to ensure that clinical tasks are conducted in compliance with applicable international regulations, guidelines, and Ionis standards. This role also has responsibility for preparation, management, and follow-up of global Health Authority (HA) GCP inspections, and provision of quality oversight and consultation at the clinical trial or program team level in support of proactive quality management. This individual actively leverages audit / inspection outcomes / trends to affect improvement in clinical trial quality and compliance with Ionis and global regulatory requirements. Responsibilities also include leading and/or contributing to identification, development, implementation, management, and enhancement of Development QA operational processes, systems, tools, and best practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Audit Planning, Conduct, Reporting, and Follow-up

• Perform QA risk assessments and contribute to the maintenance of a comprehensive, risk‑based GCP/GLP/GVP audit program.
• Lead, conduct, and coordinate internal and external GCP‑related audits, both domestic and international, of service providers, investigators, internal processes, and computerized systems supporting GxP‑regulated activities.
• Lead or perform for‑cause audits, high‑profile audits, special projects, and investigations to evaluate noncompliance, identify root causes, and report results to leadership.
• Prepare and/or review timely, well‑written audit reports, and communicate findings to auditees, cross‑functional representatives, and management.
• Assess and review audit responses to ensure CAPA plans adequately address findings and root causes, including effectiveness checks where appropriate, and maintain, track, and follow up on CAPAs through completion.

Health Authority Inspection Planning, Preparation, Management, and Follow‑up

• Lead end‑to‑end preparation for and management of global Health Authority GCP inspections.
• Oversee inspection readiness activities, including creation and maintenance of pre‑inspection materials, training for designated SMEs, conducting pre‑inspection visits at investigator sites and service providers and coordination of preparation meetings for functional area heads and appropriate staff.
• Lead and/or contribute to the assessment of Health Authority inspection reports and results, including associated risks and recommendations, for communication to relevant leadership.
• Oversee inspection follow‑up activities, including preparation of final response documents, cross‑functional coordination of required actions, and tracking and maintenance of Development QA‑managed Health Authority inspection data.

Clinical Program/Trial Quality Support, Consultancy, and Other

• Mentor, support, and/or manage the activities of internal and external Development QA personnel.
• Maintain ongoing awareness of program‑ and trial‑level quality, safety, and efficacy issues, and provide quality oversight and consultation to ensure GCP compliance and continuous inspection readiness throughout the trial.
• Support RBQM and risk management activities (e.g., RACT), including risk identification and mitigation for potential or identified quality issues.
• Appropriately elevate quality and compliance issues to relevant leadership.
• Independently manage procedural deviations, CAPAs, effectiveness checks, and potential serious breach investigations, with leadership support as needed.
• Support the risk‑based service provider QA oversight strategy through periodic risk assessments and, within the Ionis governance framework, contribute to and/or lead QA‑to‑QA relationships.
• Leverage audit and inspection trends, metrics, and other relevant data sources to support Management Review, inform data‑driven audit planning, and drive continuous improvement in clinical trial quality and compliance through stakeholder education and consultation.
• Assist in the review of GCP‑ and systems‑related SOPs to assess adherence to applicable regulatory standards and corporate objectives.
• Define, implement, and/or lead GCP QA and/or company‑wide or cross‑functional annual goals and initiatives, as assigned.
• Coordinate the development, maintenance, and delivery of GCP training programs.
• Remain current on new and revised regulations and other regulatory intelligence, and assess potential impact.
• Use approved company technology, including AI‑enabled and digital tools where appropriate, to support responsibilities efficiently, while ensuring that all outputs are critically reviewed, verified, and finalized through appropriate human oversight consistent with regulatory and company requirements.

REQUIREMENTS

• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 12 years of GCP quality assurance experience, a master’s degree with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, a PhD with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required with a healthcare/scientific‑related discipline is highly desirable.
• Thorough understanding of the clinical development process, including ICH Guidelines and GCP regulatory requirements.
• Good knowledge of Computer System Validation as it relates to GCP audits is preferred.
• Experience managing or participating in Health Authority inspections (e.g., FDA, EMA, MHRA), including mock inspection readiness planning and execution.
• GLP and/or Pharmacovigilance auditing experience is a plus.
• Experience with risk management or risk‑based approaches to auditing and monitoring is highly desirable.
• Experience writing and reviewing SOPs that support clinical trials is a plus.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively as a team player while remaining flexible without compromising quality.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to high‑quality deliverables while meeting deadlines and commitments.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams across geographies to achieve shared objectives while encouraging the same in others.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a dynamic environment and meet accelerated timelines.
• Ability to travel 30–40%, both domestically and internationally, including on short notice.

Please visit our website, http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition # IONIS004059

Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits

The pay scale for this position is $154,500 to $196,873

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.