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Durham, North Carolina, United States
Onsite
Protecting our tomorrow
Job Title: Senior QA Specialist, External Manufacturing, US
Location: Remote, East Coast Preferred
Department: Quality Assurance
Reports To: Head of External QA & Global EHS
Salary Range: $120k - $155k
About Bavarian Nordic
At Bavarian Nordic, we are dedicated to protecting lives and advancing global health through innovative vaccines. As a global leader in smallpox and mpox vaccines, our growing portfolio includes market-leading vaccines against rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, cholera, typhoid, and Ebola. Our mission is simple: to improve quality of life worldwide by preventing infectious diseases. We are headquartered in Denmark and have offices across Europe and North America.
Position Overview
Do you want to be part of a collaborative and supportive QA team and play a key role in ensuring the quality and safety of vaccines supplied to patients worldwide?
At Bavarian Nordic, our vaccines make a real difference. We are seeking an experienced Senior QA Specialist to support in the ongoing oversight of a Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) operating under aseptic manufacturing conditions. This role is critical to ensuring compliance, product quality, and operational excellence across sterile fill-finish operations, including vial filling, labeling, and packaging activities.
The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in aseptic GMP manufacturing environments, strong knowledge of sterile operations, and hands-on experience managing quality oversight of external manufacturing partners.
As our new QA Specialist, you will take on a broad and impactful role, working directly with our affiliated CMOS and closely with stakeholders across the organization to ensure high quality standards within External Manufacturing production.
Key Responsibilities
Ensuring CMOs maintain the highest levels of Quality standards conforming to cGMP and in conjunction with BN QAA
Support the Bavarian Nordic QPs to enable the release of the highest quality vaccines
Managing and resolving complex quality-related issues relating to aseptic operations including vial filling and labelling and secondary packing operations
Promoting a strong quality culture and driving continuous improvement initiatives across areas
Representing QA External Manufacturing in global and cross-organizational forums within Bavarian Nordic
In addition, you will contribute to a range of related QA activities:
Review and approve GMP documentation including:
Batch records
Deviations
CAPAs
Change controls
Validation protocols and reports
Ensure compliance with FDA, EU GMP, ICH, and applicable US regulatory requirements
Participate in risk assessments and investigations related to sterile manufacturing operations
Collaborate cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Regulatory Affairs, and Technical Operations teams
Support technology transfers and process validation activities at external manufacturing sites
Lead or participate in internal and external GMP audits
Monitor quality metrics and drive continuous improvement initiatives with manufacturing partners
Serve as the primary QA liaison between the client and the CMO
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, or related discipline
10+ years of Quality Assurance experience in pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing
5+ years of strong experience with aseptic processing and sterile manufacturing environments is required
Demonstrated experience overseeing CMOs/CDMOs is a must
In-depth understanding of:
FDA cGMP regulations
EU GMP Annex 1
Sterile fill-finish operations
Validation and contamination control strategies
Experience reviewing batch documentation and managing deviations/CAPAs.
Excellent communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to travel periodically to manufacturing sites within the US or internationally as needed.
About the Team and Department
You will join a competent and supportive QA External Manufacturing team, reporting directly to the Head of QA for External Manufacturing. The team currently consists of eight colleagues. The group is a mix of experienced QA professionals with DBS UDP and FDP experience, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous development.
You will also become part of wider External department, comprising approximately 40 employees across sites in Kvistgaard, Denmark, and Munich, Germany. The department is characterized by close cross-site collaboration, a strong quality mindset, and a shared commitment to delivering safe and compliant products to patients.
Why Join Us
Join a passionate, mission-driven global biotech committed to protecting lives. At Bavarian Nordic, you’ll find a collaborative culture, flexible work environment, and opportunities for ongoing professional development and growth.
Bavarian Nordic is a global vaccine company with a mission to improve health and save lives through innovative vaccines. We are a preferred supplier of mpox and smallpox vaccines to governments to enhance public health preparedness and have a leading portfolio of travel vaccines. We are headquartered in Denmark and have manufacturing, research, and sales offices across Europe and North America.
Bavarian Nordic is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
For more information, visit www.bavarian-nordic.com
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