Investigation Lead, Quality Operations

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Madison, WI is seeking an Integrated Quality Operations Investigation Lead to serve as the QA subject matter expert for nonconformance management across GMP operations from early development to commercial production.

You will partner with Manufacturing, QA, Analytical Development, Supply Chain and external partners to ensure deviations, CAPAs and change controls are thoroughly investigated, documented, and closed on time, with robust RCA and risk assessment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of GMP experience in pharmaceutical/biotech, including deviations, investigations, and CAPAs.
• Knowledge of cGMP and GDP, ICH and FDA/EU guidance.
• Structured root cause analysis methodologies (e.g., 5-Whys, Ishikawa) applied to GMP investigations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Quality Assurance SME for GMP nonconformance management across early phase, late phase, and commercial operations.
• Partner with cross-functional record owners to initiate, progress, and close deviations, nonconformances, CAPAs, and change controls, coaching on structure and documentation.
• Ensure timely, high-quality investigations with defined, scientifically sound root cause determinations.
• Guide record owners through structured RCA using approved methodologies.
• Review and approve investigation records, challenging conclusions and ensuring scope and product impact are complete.
• Develop and oversee CAPAs to prevent recurrence and verify effectiveness at closure.
• Apply phase-appropriate expectations to investigations as programs progress to commercial production.
• Provide timely investigation conclusions and product impact assessments for disposition decisions.
• Escalate events with potential significant quality risks to management.
• Support quality metrics, trending, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate across Manufacturing, Quality Control, Analytical Development, Supply Chain, and external partners to resolve issues.
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation within the QMS for investigations and CAPAs.
• Maintain knowledge of regulatory expectations (21 CFR Parts 210/211, ICH Q7/Q9/Q10, EU GMP) and updates.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Skills

GMP experience

Root cause analysis

Investigation leadership

Quality Assurance

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Veeva

LIMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq ARWR) is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.

Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.

Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need.

The Position

This position resides within the Integrated Quality Operations function under the Quality organization. The Quality Operations Investigation Lead serves as the Quality Assurance subject matter expert for nonconformance management across GMP operations, supporting programs from early phase clinical development through late phase and commercial production. The position partners with QMS record owners across Manufacturing, Quality Control, Analytical Development, Supply Chain, Facilities and Engineering, and external partners to ensure that deviations, nonconformances, OOS/OOT and atypical results, CAPAs, and associated change control records are investigated thoroughly, documented accurately, and closed on time. These activities span raw materials, in-process manufacturing, environmental monitoring, drug substance and drug product, packaging and labeling, storage and distribution, and stability, with phase-appropriate GMP expectations applied as programs progress toward commercial supply. The Investigation Lead serves as the primary Quality Assurance representative for investigation-related activities, guiding and coaching record owners rather than owning the records on their behalf.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Quality Assurance subject matter expert for GMP nonconformance management across early phase clinical, late phase, and commercial operations.
• Partner with QMS record owners across functions to initiate, progress, and close deviations, nonconformances, OOS/OOT and atypical results, CAPAs, and associated change controls, coaching owners on investigation structure, evidence collection, and documentation expectations.
• Ensure the timely completion of high quality, robust GMP investigations with clearly defined and scientifically sound root cause determination.
• Guide record owners through, and where needed personally lead, structured science-based root cause analysis (RCA) using approved methodologies (5-Whys, Ishikawa, Fault Tree, etc).
• Review and approve investigation records as the Quality Assurance subject matter expert/reviewer, challenging conclusions and verifying the scope of impact, product impact, and assessment of other affected batches, materials, and programs are complete and justified.
• Develop, justify, and oversee the implementation of effective Corrective and Preventative Actions (CAPAs) to prevent recurrence, and evaluate effectiveness checks at closure.
• Apply phase-appropriate expectations to investigations, ensuring that investigation depth, documentation, and CAPA rigor scale appropriately as programs progress from early phase clinical material through validated commercial production.
• Provide timely investigation conclusions and product impact assessments to support material and batch disposition decisions.
• Escalate events to management when they represent potential significant quality risks or may impact investigation closure timelines or product release.
• Evaluate historical data, trends and prior investigations for recurrence or systemic issues and opportunities for proactive improvement, and support periodic quality event trending and reporting.
• Support the maintenance and improvement of investigation compliance metrics, including on-time closure, record aging, extension rates, and right-first-time record quality.
• Support quality events arising at external partners, including CDMOs/CMOs and contract testing laboratories, as assigned and in coordination with the external partner oversight owner.
• Support regulatory inspections and internal/external audits by maintaining inspection readiness and serving as a subject matter expert (SME) for the nonconformance, investigation, and CAPA processes.
• Participate in and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives related to the investigation and CAPA processes.
• Contribute to site Quality Operations compliance activities in alignment with Arrowhead standards, procedures and cGMP requirements.
• Collaborate cross functionally with site personnel to provide guidance and drive resolution of end-to-end manufacturing and quality issues, working independently while partnering effectively with Manufacturing, Quality Control, Analytical Development, Supply Chain, Project Management, and external partners.
• Ensure accurate, complete, and timely documentation and review of investigations, CAPAs, change controls, and complaints within the electronic quality management system.
• Maintain knowledge of current compliance expectations and regulations pertaining to investigational and commercial products (e.g., 21 CFR Parts 210 and 211, ICH Q7, Q9, and Q10, and EU GMP and applicable Annexes).
• Additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelors Degree in Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or a related scientific field
• 5+ years of GMP experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, including direct experience authoring, reviewing, or approving deviations, investigations, and CAPAs. Preferably a candidate with working experience in pharmaceutical and/or oligonucleotide manufacturing.
• Knowledge of cGMP and GDP, ICH and FDA/EU guidance.
• Demonstrated experience applying structured root cause analysis methodologies to GMP investigations.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing and laboratory operations sufficient to evaluate technical investigations, including familiarity with analytical instrumentation (e.g., HPLC, GC, LC-MS, KF, FTIR, endotoxin plate readers, pH, osmolality and/or Raman) and manufacturing unit operations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, guide, and hold accountable record owners who are not direct reports.
• Great attention to detail and ability to follow procedures.
• Ability to work in GMP manufacturing and laboratory areas, including meeting applicable gowning requirements.

Preferred

• Experience supporting GMP operations across both early phase clinical and commercial production, including application of phase-appropriate GMP.
• Experience with oligonucleotide, peptide, or biologic modalities and/or sterile drug product.
• Formal training in root cause analysis and human error reduction methodologies.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to simplify and clearly communicate complex quality and technical concepts.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, including the ability to clearly articulate investigation outcomes, risk assessments, and decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret quality issues and determine scientifically sound, compliant resolutions that minimize risk and withstand regulatory scrutiny.
• Strong ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders, customers, and peers to drive timely resolution of quality issues across the product lifecycle.
• Proven decision-making capability, with the ability to think critically and creatively while maintaining compliance, quality standards, and GMP expectations.
• Ability to assess the criticality of quality issues and clearly communicate complex risks, trends, and investigation outcomes to management.
• Demonstrated understanding and application of ICH Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System principles, including risk management, CAPA effectiveness, knowledge management, and continuous improvement across the product lifecycle.
• Capability to support and maintain a state of inspection readiness through accurate, complete, and traceable documentation aligned with cGMP and data integrity expectations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and QMS systems such as Veeva and experience with LIMS.

Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.

Candidates must have current, valid authorization to work in the country where this role is located.