Technical Operations Manager CMC

Cerus; Concord (CA); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Domestic partner benefits

Paid maternity and paternity leaves

FSAs / healthcare spending

Life and disability insurance

401(k) matching

RSUs

Employee assistance program (EAP)

Legal and financial services

Gym membership discounts

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Cerus is hiring a Technical Operations Manager in Concord, CA for a hybrid role with in-office presence twice weekly. You will lead CMC development, process validation, tech transfer, and regulatory submissions across medical devices and combination products.

The ideal candidate has 10 years in pharma/biotech/medical devices, with 5+ years in CMC, process validation, and regulatory submissions, plus strong cross-functional leadership and writing skills.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or related field preferred.
• 10 years experience in pharma, biotech, medical device, or combination product industries with 5+ years in CMC development, process validation, analytical development/validation, and regulatory submissions preferred.
• Experience managing CMOs and cross-functional project teams.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and project management skills.
• AI-enabled process and analytical development and manufacturing optimization is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise for development and commercial products.
• Support process development, characterization, scale-up, analytical testing, and commercialization activities internally and at CMOs.
• Support manufacturing and analytical testing-related investigations.
• Manage change controls, deviations, CAPAs, and risk assessments.
• Lead stability programs for API and combination drug product.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, EMA, ICH, USP, ISO, and ASTM requirements.
• Author and review technical documentation, specifications, protocols, and reports.
• Author, review, interpret data for CMC sections for global regulatory submissions.
• Collaborate with RA, QA, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and R&D teams.
• Coordinate inventory management and material tracking.

Skills

Technical leadership

Project management

Regulatory submissions

CMC program management

Education

BS/MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences/related

Tools

Regulatory compliance tools

Job description

This is a hybrid opportunity based out of Concord, CA where you'll work twice a week in the office.

About Cerus:

Cerus aims to be the global leader and trusted partner of blood centers and hospitals whose technology, services, and commitment are the lifeblood of safe and accessible blood for patients around the world.

Position Summary:

Cerus is seeking an experienced Technical Operations Manager with expertise across Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) activities supporting commercial and development-stage products. This role will serve as a key technical resource responsible for driving process development, process validation, technology transfer, manufacturing and analytical support, regulatory submissions, and lifecycle management activities across medical device, pharmaceutical, small and large molecule combination products.

The role will work closely with internal cross-functional teams, Cerus internal development and analytical laboratories, contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) contract testing laboratories (CTLs), and regulatory partners to ensure successful execution of CMC programs. The individual will leverage internal laboratory capabilities where appropriate while coordinating and overseeing external partners to execute analytical development and testing, process development, technology transfer, validation, and manufacturing activities.

The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in pharmaceutical and/or medical device manufacturing, analytical sciences, regulatory compliance, process validation, and commercialization activities, with demonstrated success supporting global regulatory filings and product lifecycle management. In addition, the role will provide operational oversight for site activities including material management, shipping and receiving, inventory control, and equipment maintenance and coordination of internal and external technical resources to ensure efficient execution of development and manufacturing programs.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise for development and commercial products.
• Support process development, characterization, scale-up, analytical (development, release and stability testing) and commercialization activities internally and at CMOs.
• Support manufacturing and analytical testing-related investigations
• Manage change controls, deviations, CAPAs, and risk assessments.
• Lead stability programs for API and combination drug product.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, EMA, ICH, USP, ISO, and ASTM requirements.
• Author and review technical documentation, specifications, protocols, and reports.
• Author, review, interpret data for CMC sections for global regulatory submissions.
• Collaborate with RA, QA, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and R&D teams.
• Manage shipping and receiving activities for clinical and development materials, ensuring compliance with applicable quality and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate inventory management activities, including tracking of raw materials, components, consumables, reference standards, and development samples.

Qualifications

• B.S or M.S. in, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or related scientific discipline preferred.
• 10 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or combination product industries with a minimum of 5 years experience with CMC development, process validation, analytical development and validation, stability management, tech transfer, change controls, and regulatory submissions preferred
• Demonstrated success managing CMOs and cross-functional project teams.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and project management skills.
• AI-enabled process and analytical development and manufacturing optimization is a plus

Travel

Up to 15% domestic and international travel as required.

Benefits plans:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• domestic partner benefits
• paid maternity and paternity leaves
• healthcare and dependent care flexible spending
• life and accidental death insurance
• long-term and short-term disability insurance
• matching 401(k)
• RSUs

Work and family:

• EAP
• legal and financial services
• health club membership discounts
• tuition reimbursement

Compensation:

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $160,000-$175,000 annually. Base pay is one part of the total package to compensate and recognize employees for their work.