Pharmaceutical Microbiologist & Deputy Lead Quality Assurance

Job overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a senior leadership role at the forefront of pharmaceutical quality assurance within University Hospital Southampton, including at our state-of-the-art new aseptic facility.

As a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist and Deputy Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance, you will play a key role in ensuring the safe manufacture of aseptic and radiopharmaceutical medicines that directly support patient care.

You’ll work closely with the Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance, providing both strategic and operational leadership across the Pharmacy Quality Assurance function. This includes deputising for the Head of Pharmacy QA when required and contributing to the development, delivery and continuous improvement of the Pharmaceutical Quality Management System (PQMS) across licensed manufacturing services.

Alongside your deputy role, you will help lead the Pharmacy Microbiology QC service, ensuring environmental monitoring and microbiological testing programmes are delivered in line with GMP and regulatory expectations. You will act as the Pharmacy Quality department’s subject matter expert for microbiological contamination control, leading contamination control strategies, interpreting microbiological data and driving improvements in sterility assurance and compliance.

A key aspect of the role is being named as the Quality Controller on the Radiopharmacy MHRA MS Licence, with associated accountability for quality and oversight of relevant systems and processes.

You’ll work as part of a highly specialised multidisciplinary QA/QC team, collaborating closely with aseptic services, Radiopharmacy, production and wider pharmacy teams. The role reports directly to the Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance and includes line management responsibilities within the QA/QC microbiology team. The role involves regular on-site presence across manufacturing facilities, with some flexibility in working patterns where service needs allow.

You’ll need to be confident operating in a highly regulated GMP environment and comfortable leading through complexity. You’ll bring strong leadership and influencing skills, alongside in-depth experience of pharmaceutical quality assurance and microbiology, including environmental monitoring, contamination control and validation. Experience within MHRA licensed manufacturing (e.g. Specials, aseptic or Radiopharmacy services) will be essential, together with the ability to interpret data, manage risk and drive continuous improvement.

This is a high-impact role suited to someone who is motivated by improving quality, strengthening regulatory compliance, and delivering safe, high-quality medicines for patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Responsibilities

You’ll support the Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance to lead and continuously improve the Pharmaceutical Quality Management System (PQMS) across licensed manufacturing services, including deputising when required.

You’ll lead the Pharmacy Microbiology QC service, ensuring environmental monitoring and microbiological testing programmes are delivered, trended and acted upon in line with GMP and regulatory requirements.

You’ll act as the subject matter expert for contamination control, leading contamination control strategies, reviewing microbiological data and driving improvements in sterility assurance and compliance.

You’ll be named as the Quality Controller on the Radiopharmacy MHRA MS Licence and will provide oversight of quality systems, supporting inspection readiness and regulatory compliance across services.

What you’ll need to have

You’ll need significant experience in pharmaceutical microbiology, alongside quality assurance and/or quality control within an MHRA licensed manufacturing environment, with strong knowledge of GMP and regulatory requirements.

You’ll need in-depth experience in pharmaceutical microbiology, including environmental monitoring, contamination control and interpretation of microbiological data.

You’ll need proven leadership and people management skills, with experience of supervising teams, influencing practice and driving service improvement in a complex environment.

You’ll need strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk, investigate deviations and implement effective corrective and preventative actions.

Additional information

You’ll be required to work across UHS pharmacy manufacturing sites, including aseptic and Radiopharmacy services, which will require regular on-site working and travel between locations for which there is an option to use a dedicated staff park and ride service.

Appointment to the role will require suitability to be named on an MHRA Manufacturer’s Licence (subject to MHRA approval).