Who We Are

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

The School of Medicine has recently completed construction on a new GMP Good Manufacturing Practice) Facility). Our facility is a production facility for the manufacturing of cellular and gene therapy products. It includes the manufacturing space, the storage warehouse for raw and finished product and support laboratory areas, including quality control laboratory and quality assurance department, to control collection, processing, storage, and release of cell therapy products. At UCI, the GMP facility will enable clinical trials of cell therapeutics, including stem cell populations and bone marrow transplantation, as well as Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cells. The facility includes a seven-room GMP cellular therapy and viral vector facility, with an adjacent quality control laboratory.

Your Role on the Team

Experienced professional who knows how to apply theory and put it into practice with in-depth understanding of the professional field; independently performs the full range of responsibilities within the function; possesses broad job knowledge; analyzes problems / issues of diverse scope and determines solutions.

Custom Scope (customizable, will be used in the job posting/advertisement):

The Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist will support a Quality Assurance Unit in the School of Medicine, cGMP Facility. The QA Specialist will report administratively to the Manager of Quality Assurance for GMP Operations. The QA Specialist will perform Quality Assurance activities to support GMP Manufacturing operations and process development activities, including but not limited to product label issuance/reconciliation, batch record issuance/review, Starting Material (i.e. Cell Banks) Receipt, Release, product disposition and Inventory Management, Logbook (i.e. Equipment Use, Facility Cleaning) Issuance and Management.In addition, the QA Specialist will support project teams in developing and implementing standards for inspection and accreditation, coordinating, preparing, and submitting Investigational New Drug (IND). Evaluate compliance of completed manufacturing records (batch records, COC/ COA, packaging, and any related data as applicable) from CMO as necessary to ensure accuracy and completeness. Collaborate with stakeholders to conduct compound/product specific risk assessments, as required, for all aspects of the drug development process. Review development and qualification protocols and reports. Participate in ensuring compliance with quality systems, internal SOPs, deviations, OOS, product complaints, CAPAs, change controls-related processes and regulatory requirements. Requires specialized knowledge for reports, external inspections, responding to inspection deficiencies and setting policy for quality assurance and compliance activities. Responsible for development, maintenance, and enforcement of the quality plan.

What It Takes to be Successful

Required:

• Adherence to excellent customer service principles.
• Organizational skills are sufficient to prioritize duties in an ever-changing environment.
• Must possess technical vocabulary to meet facility needs.
• Deep understanding of cGMP regulations and global guidelines from agencies like the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and EMA (European Medicines Agency).
• Ability to listen, collect information, and give instructions in an effort to support, clarify, or resolve problems.
• Knowledge of personal computer, word processing, data management, and spreadsheet software.
• Knowledge of standard precautions and biosafety. Knowledge of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and laboratory safety regulations.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills. The ability to draft and review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), batch records, and technical reports that are audit-ready and clear.
• Must be able to write clear technical reports in the scientific format. Ensuring all records are Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, and Accurate.
• Maintains appropriate interdepartmental communication.
• Experience conducting internal audits and preparing for regulatory inspections by managing documentation and hosting inspectors.
• Ability to work well under pressure to meet commitments and to remain flexible with a variety of changing demands.
• Essential for catching minor discrepancies in batch records or production processes that could lead to product recalls.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and to assist colleagues as needed.
• Ability to function and work in a diverse work environment.
• Proficiency in using electronic systems for managing deviations, CAPAs, and change controls.
• Knowledge of federal and state legislation and regulatory requirements pertaining to the cellular therapy production.
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing or other relevant healthcare profession, or a combination of comparable clinical education and / or experience.
• At least 1 year of experience in toxicology, chemistry, regulation of biologics
• Experience in reviewing cGMP/GLP related documents (SOP's, protocols, batch records, technical reports, etc.).

Preferred:

• 2 years of experience in clinical laboratory setup