Validation/ QA Specialist, Pharmaceutical
Validation/ QA Specialist, Pharmaceutical
Location: Derby
Salary: £30,000–£34,000 depending on experience (plus company bonus)
Hours: Monday – Friday, days, 35h per week
Russell Taylor is working exclusively with a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer (CMO) who are continuing to grow; backed by significant investment, new leadership, and modernised validation systems and processes, the company is expanding its validation team at this time.
The Validation Specialist will play a key role in supporting site validation activities across a range of projects. This is a great opportunity for someone with GMP validation experience looking to build on their existing knowledge within a supportive and expanding team. Candidates with equipment or process validation experience from pharmaceutical or other GMP-regulated manufacturing environments are encouraged to apply.
The role:
Plan and execute validation activities in line with site validation plans and project timelines.
• Author and maintain validation protocols and reports across multiple validation areas such as:
Cleaning validation
Computerised systems validation
Equipment and utilities qualification
Process validation
- Interpret validation data against predefined acceptance criteria and document outcomes appropriately.
- Execute validation activities while minimising disruption to manufacturing operations.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver validation programmes and report outcomes.
- Maintain validated status of systems, processes, equipment, utilities and cleaning procedures.
- Support and participate in site validation projects and cross-functional teams.
- Generate and execute protocols and reports for non-routine quality or validation-related projects.
- Review analytical data generated by the QC laboratory as part of validation activities.
- Maintain and report validation-related KPIs to support quality performance monitoring.
- Support regulatory inspections and internal audits, including completion of corrective actions where required.
- Investigate non-conformances, performing root cause analysis and risk assessment.
- Support the ongoing maintenance of the Site Validation Master Plan (VMP).
- Ensure validation procedures, SOPs and work instructions remain compliant and up to date.
- Review validation documentation where required.
- Contribute to knowledge sharing and support colleagues across the validation team.
The Person:
• Will hold a degree (or equivalent) in a STEM-related subject, or have relevant hands-on validation experience within a GMP-regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience in validation within a cGMP setting, ideally involving process validation, equipment qualification and/or utilities validation. Candidates with exposure to validation activities in pharmaceutical, medical device, or other GMP manufacturing settings are welcome.
• To be clear, this role is focused on manufacturing/site validation rather than analytical method validation within QC.
• Experience working in a quality or regulated environment (cGMP / MHRA / GMP).
• Comfortable reviewing data and using IT systems to document and communicate results effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively across teams; fluent in English (written and verbal).
• Keen to develop validation knowledge further and contribute within a growing team environment.