Quality Operations Laboratory Manager

Merck; North Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck in Durham, North Carolina, seeks a Laboratory Operations Manager to lead a team of Environmental Monitoring analysts, overseeing routine sampling, testing, start-up and method transfer activities in a GMP environment.

You will report to the Associate Director, Laboratory Operations, manage regulatory compliance, equipment qualification, and collaborate across sites to ensure timely, compliant testing and data integrity.

Qualifications

• Experience leading environmental monitoring programs in GMP environment.
• Author/review SOPs, change controls, and investigations for lab methods.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and regulatory compliance knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Author/review technical documents, SOPs, change controls, and investigations for laboratory methods.
• Troubleshoot laboratory process and equipment issues.
• Sample management.
• Plan and execute tests to meet delivery timelines.
• Provide support during audits and inspections.
• Collaborate with Durham Laboratory Compliance to ensure regulatory adherence.
• Support Manufacturing Division initiatives.
• Additional project and routine testing support as required.
• Other duties as requested by management.

Job description

Job Description

Our Quality Assurance group ensures every single material inside our products is manufactured, processed, tested, packaged, stored and distributed aligned with our incredibly high standards of quality and meets all regulatory requirements. Partnering across our internal manufacturing facilities, external contract manufacturers and suppliers we create an interdependent global manufacturing network committed to deliver a compliant, reliable supply to customers and patients on time, every time, across the globe.

General Summary

The Quality Operations Laboratory Manager leads a team of Environmental Monitoring analysts in routine sampling, testing, start-up and method transfer activities at the Durham site.The successful candidate will report to the Associate Director, Laboratory Operations for microbiological testing and environmental monitoring. Method transfer activities may include qualification of equipment, facility and utilities. Successful maintenance of existing facilities or start-up of new facilities will require candidates to work cross-functionally within our company's Laboratories and organizations. The Laboratory Manager will be responsible for routine Environmental Monitoring, trending, Operational support and potential start-up testing of new or modified facilities and utilities using principles of our company's Production Systems, Lean Laboratories, and GMP requirements.

General Profile

• Work cross-functionally with our company's internal sites and global partners to build and operate testing capability within the Quality Laboratory Operations.
• Collaborate with internal customers and vendors to identify, to ensure successful execution of method transfer or method validation activities.
• Apply project management concepts and techniques as they relate to laboratory testing start-up, regulatory requirements for method transfer/validation project timelines and budgeting.
• Build knowledge of the company, processes and internal/external customers.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with site leadership, stakeholders, and customers.
• Build relationships to work in a highly functioning diverse team environment.
• Applies team effectiveness skills, listening and integrating diverse perspectives from across the work group; contributes and adds value to the achievement of team goals.
• Understand and apply cGMP/GLP, Compendial, and other applicable regulatory requirements toward analytical testing.
• Capability to function effectively within an automated/electronic laboratory environment.

Bussiness Expertise

• Understands the fundamental business drivers for the company; uses this knowledge in own work.
• Understands and applies regulatory/ compliance requirements relative to their role.
• Influence, motivate, and energize individuals at all levels in the organization.

Functional Expertise

The Laboratory Manager will be responsible for activities that support cGMP and regulatory compliance during facility design, construction, start-up method transfer/validation activities and routine product testing to include the following:

• Author/review technical documents, standard operating procedures, change controls, and investigations for the performance of laboratory methods.
• Trouble-shoot laboratory process and equipment issues as needed.
• Sample management.
• Planning and test method execution to meet established delivery timelines.
• Provide active support during audits and inspections (regulatory, internal, safety).
• Assist regulatory groups by providing documentation to support the approval of licensure supplements and new product license registrations.
• Collaborate with Durham Laboratory Compliance to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Influence, motivate, and energize individuals at all levels in the organization.
• Support our Manufacturing Division Divisional and Quality initiatives.
• Additional project and routine testing support as required by laboratory testing requirements.
• Other duties as requested by management to support effective laboratory operations and performance metrics.

Problem Solving

Identifies and solves a range of problems in both straightforward and undefined situations; analyzes possible solutions and assesses each using standard procedures.

Internal Client/External CustomerFocus

Responds to standard requests from internal and external customers.

Impact

Errors on the job may cause time delays and impact the work of others in own work group or potentially impact product disposition.

Influence and Decision Making

Represents Quality in the laboratory to influence cGMP compliance and ensure product quality.Explains information and persuades others in straightforward and low complexity situations as a subject matter expert.Makes decisions within guidelines and policies that impact own priorities and allocation of time to meet deadlines.Escalates potential cGMP or compliance issues effectively in a timely manner for proper resolution to ensure product qualit