Manager, Quality Control

Thorne Research Inc•Summerville, SC

20h

About The Position

At Thorne, we work to deliver high-quality, science-backed solutions to to empower individuals to take a proactive approach to their well-being. Each day begins with a mission to help others discover and achieve their best health. We count on our team members to challenge and push the boundaries to make that happen. At Thorne, you’ll be joining a team of more than 750 passionate individuals committed to our cause of providing superior health solutions at every age and life stage. Position Summary: The Quality Control (QC) Manager is responsible and accountable for the overall leadership, performance, and compliance of Quality Control operations across raw materials, in-process materials, finished goods, and production support activities. This role provides strategic and operational oversight of QC inspection, sampling, testing, equipment readiness, and personnel development to ensure consistent product quality and compliance with cGMPs and applicable regulatory requirements. The QC Manager leads QC Supervisors and inspection staff, partners closely with Manufacturing, QA, Supply Chain, and Engineering, and drives continuous improvement across QC processes, capacity planning, and inspection effectiveness. The role requires strong technical judgment, people leadership, and the ability to balance compliance, operational efficiency, and business priorities in a regulated manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred with 10+ years of experience in a Quality Control or Quality role within a cGMP-regulated manufacturing environment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Supervisory and people-management experience required.
Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office products such as Word and Excel required. Demonstrated ability to use Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to complete and oversee relevant job duties.
Ability to effect change in a positive environment. Must be able to provide clear, defensible technical and compliance-based justification when Quality Control decisions, escalations, or risk tradeoffs are required.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, dietary supplement, or food manufacturing strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides overall leadership and direction for Quality Control operations, including raw material, in-process, and finished goods inspection, testing, and reprocessing activities.
Maintains expert knowledge of applicable SOPs, cGMPs, and company policies; stays current with procedural changes and operates independently without management intervention.
Develops, trains, and supervises QC personnel, including supervisors and inspection staff; ensures timely, continuous training in procedures, cGMPs, safety, chemical hazards, sampling, and inspection techniques prior to independent work.
Conducts performance appraisals, periodic check-ins, and ongoing coaching to provide feedback, develop staff, and build future leaders.
Leads continuous improvement of QC processes with a focus on scalability, consistency, compliance, and cross-functional collaboration.
Oversees QC inspection activities across production operations, ensuring consistency, timeliness, and adherence to specifications, sampling plans, and department goals.
Maintains vigilance in preventing cross-contamination and ensuring a clean, safe working environment; adheres to company safety requirements.
Ensures inspection, measuring, and test equipment is calibrated, maintained, and fit for purpose.
Demonstrates initiative by proposing innovative solutions, identifying process improvements, and making sound decisions, including stopping processes when SOPs or product quality are at risk.
Leads and supports investigations, root cause analysis, and CAPA development for nonconformances, deviations, and quality events; ensures corrective and preventive actions are effective.
Exercises judgment in defect classification and material disposition, ensuring alignment with established procedures and specifications.
Maintains a working knowledge of production processes and end-to-end flow from raw materials to finished goods to assess QC impact on product quality.
Ensures compliance with cGMP, FDA, OSHA, NSF, TGA, and other applicable regulatory and certification requirements.
Builds and leads a high-performing QC organization by recruiting top talent, mentoring staff and future leaders, and providing ongoing coaching and development opportunities.