Lead, Materials

Vericel® Corporation; Burlington (MA); On-site; USD 42,705 - 52,348; Full time

Job summary

Vericel Corporation, a leader in regenerative medicine, is seeking a Materials Specialist to stock and manage materials for cell therapy production. This onsite role in Burlington, MA supports manufacturing in compliance with SOPs and cGMPs.

The position requires 1–2 years in a cGMP environment and strong MS Office skills. You will handle ERP transactions, inventory control, and coordinate biopsy-related workflows, with occasional days in Cambridge during facility transition.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (Life Sciences or related field) with 1-2 years of experience in a cGMP biotech/pharmaceutical environment or an Associate’s degree with 2-3 years of experience, or GED with 3+ years equivalent.
• Familiarity with MS Office.
• Experience in high-volume, fast-paced materials and cleanroom environments.
• Experience in regulated environments audited by FDA, ISO or similar.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.

Responsibilities

• Perform Manufacturing Support activities per SOPs, cGMPs and safety regulations.
• Receive, inspect, and distribute Quality Control–approved and non-QC materials and general goods.
• Load, unload, and move materials, including stocking onto pallets, racks, shelves, refrigerators, and freezers.
• Store, transfer, and distribute materials per handling and storage requirements.
• Maintain LN2 and CO2 system uptime by timely replacement of dewars.
• Execute ERP transactions for material receipt, storage, distribution, and in-transit requests.
• Maintain inventory accuracy through timely system updates and cycle counts.
• Process sales orders and complete end-of-day closing activities; resolve discrepancies.
• Print and label EBR requirements for received materials; coordinate biopsy assembly prep and biopsy accessioning.
• Collaborate with QA, QC, R&D, Materials Management, Validation, Facilities & Engineering, and others; mentor junior staff and support improvements.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s Degree (Life Sciences or related field)

Associate’s degree

GED or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Job description

At Vericel Corporation, we are pioneers in advanced cell therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care, transforming patient lives through cutting-edge regenerative medicine. Our commitment to innovation, patient-centered focus, and scientific excellence drives us to develop groundbreaking treatments including MACI (knee cartilage repair), Epicel and Nexobrid (burn care).

Position Summary

Responsible for stocking and managing materials to support the manufacture of commercial cell therapy products in compliance with internal and regulatory requirements.

Schedule

This position is onsite Tuesday - Saturday in our new Burlington, MA office, but will be required to spend some days in our Cambridge office as we transition to our new facility.

Responsibilities

Operations & Material Handling

• Perform Manufacturing Support activities in accordance with SOPs, cGMPs , and safety regulations.
• Receive, inspect, and distribute Quality Control–approved and non-QC materials and general goods.
• Load, unload, and move materials, including stocking onto pallets, racks, bins, shelves, refrigerators, and freezers.
• Store, transfer, and distribute materials per specific handling and storage requirements.
• Maintain LN2 and CO2 system uptime by ensuring timely replacement of dewars.

Inventory, ERP & Production Support

• Execute ERP transactions for material receipt, storage, distribution, and in-transit requests from third-party storage locations
• Maintain inventory accuracy through timely system updates.
• Perform routine cycle counts, media counts, and participate in annual physical inventory.
• Process sales order fulfillment requests and complete end-of-day closing activities.
• Resolve inventory discrepancies and perform required system adjustments.
• Print and label EBR requirements for received materials.
• Coordinate preparation of biopsy assemblies, including ERP transactions.
• Perform biopsy accessioning activities, including receipt and inspection.

Compliance, Collaboration & Leadership

• Ensure all activities comply with SOPs, cGMP requirements, and maintain audit-ready conditions at all times.
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) and support internal and external audits.
• Collaborate cross- functionally with QA, QC, R&D, Materials Management, Validation, Facilities & Engineering, Accounting, Third-Party Logistics, and Customer Care.
• Act as a communication liaison between staff and management to support issue resolution.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and day-to-day support to Materials team members.
• Mentor and train junior staff; partner with Leads and management to support development and process improvements.
• Assist in developing work plans, assigning tasks, and monitoring team performance.
• Identify and report inconsistencies; collaborate with management on corrective actions.
• Maintain regular communication with management to review activities and share improvements.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (Life Sciences or related field) with 1-2 years, or Associate’s degree with 2-3 years, or GED or equivalent with 3+ years of experience working in a cGMP environment in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry or equivalent.
• Familiarity with MS Office.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in high volume and fast-paced materials and cleanroom environment.
• Experience working in warehouse environments.
• Experience within a regulated environment that is frequently audited by FDA, ISO and other internal and external Agencies.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

• Ability to gown and gain entry to manufacturing areas.
• May be required to stand for long periods of time while performing physical duties.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push and pull up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to work 1 weekend day.
• Rotating holiday coverage.

Why Vericel?

• Cutting-Edge Science: Work with a leading regenerative medicine product that is transforming patient care.
• Career Growth: Be a part of a growing organization with opportunities to expand your impact
• Collaborative Culture: Work alongside a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about improving lives.

The hourly wage range Vericel reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at the time of this posting is $31.25 - $38 an hour.

The actual salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and skills. Bonus, incentive pay, equity and benefits may be provided in addition to the base compensation listed above.

In accordance with Massachusetts law, Vericel provides the pay range that it reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for a particular and specific employment position at the time of posting or offer. This range is subject to change based on business needs, market conditions, and individual qualifications. Employees and applicants may request the pay range for their position or for a position to which they are applying. Retaliation for making such a request is strictly prohibited.

EEO Statement

All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or protected veteran status and will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Vericel Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Vericel Corporation is VEVRAA federal contractor and desires priority referrals of protected veterans for job openings at all locations within the state.