Sample Management Associate

Abzena•Bristol, PA

22h

About The Position

The Sample Management Associate coordinates the end-to-end movement, traceability, storage, and disposition of GMP and non-GMP laboratory samples supporting analytical testing, stability programs, manufacturing, and outsourced testing. The role is an operational interface among QC, Manufacturing, Stability, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, and external testing laboratories. It ensures samples are accurately received, logged, staged, transferred, shipped, reconciled, and maintained under appropriate conditions while protecting chain of custody, data integrity, and testing timelines. The position handles sample receipt and registration, custody documentation, sample setdowns and distribution, inventory management, stability pulls, and disposition. It also coordinates submissions and shipments to contract testing laboratories, tracks deliveries and shipment records, and escalates delays or discrepancies. All activities are performed under approved SOPs, cGMP principles, good documentation practices, data integrity requirements, and site EHS standards. The associate supports investigations, audits, corrective actions, and process improvements related to sample handling and traceability.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent with at least 2 years of relevant pharmaceutical, biotechnology, GMP laboratory, sample logistics, or regulated inventory experience; or an associate degree in a relevant discipline with at least 1 year of related experience; or a relevant bachelor's degree with demonstrated laboratory or sample logistics exposure.
Ability to accurately follow SOPs, maintain contemporaneous documentation, and manage multiple time-sensitive sample requests.
Familiarity with chain of custody, sample identification, inventory reconciliation, controlled storage, and shipping documentation.
Comfort using Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and electronic tracking systems, with the ability to learn LIMS, ERP, or electronic quality systems.
Strong organization, attention to detail, and communication skills, and willingness to escalate quality or integrity concerns.

Nice To Haves

2–4 years of direct QC sample management experience in a GMP biopharmaceutical, CDMO, or regulated testing laboratory.
Experience coordinating stability samples, product setdowns, contract laboratory submissions, and cold-chain shipments.
Working knowledge of LIMS, GMP documentation, deviation workflows, and temperature-controlled inventory systems.
Training or qualification in dangerous goods or dry ice shipping, where relevant to assigned duties.

Responsibilities

Receive incoming manufacturing, release, stability, in-process, raw material, reference, and externally supplied samples; verify material information, quantities, labeling, packaging condition, and required documentation.
Document sample receipt, transfers, custody handoffs, locations, status changes, and final disposition in logs or tracking systems; investigate and promptly escalate discrepancies.
Maintain end-to-end traceability and sample segregation to prevent mix-ups, unauthorized access, loss, or inappropriate use.
Coordinate product sample setdowns, including receipt from Manufacturing, reconciliation against sampling plans, labeling, staging, controlled storage, and distribution to QC or stability testing groups.
Maintain inventories of product samples, retains, reference materials, critical reagents, and other controlled laboratory materials, including quantities, locations, expiration or retest dates, and storage requirements.
Support sample pulls, stability timepoint staging, sample reconciliation, reserve and retain management, approved returns, and documented disposition or destruction.
Monitor refrigerator, freezer, and ambient storage capacity; review alarm records as assigned and escalate temperature excursions or equipment issues.
Coordinate sample submissions to approved contract testing laboratories, including sample selection, reconciliation, submission forms, testing instructions, and supporting documentation.
Prepare and track domestic and, when applicable, international shipments using qualified packaging and temperature controls; coordinate regulated shipments with approved shipping personnel.
Confirm shipment dispatch, delivery, receipt acknowledgment, and sample condition; follow up on delays, missing shipments, discrepancies, and return shipments.
Maintain shipment records, courier tracking, chain-of-custody evidence, and external laboratory correspondence.
Perform activities according to approved SOPs, cGMP principles, good documentation practices, data integrity requirements, and site EHS standards.
Support deviation investigations, temperature excursion assessments, corrective actions, audits, and continuous improvement related to sample handling and traceability.
Coordinate daily priorities with QC, Stability, Manufacturing, QA, and external partners to protect testing turnaround times and scheduled stability pulls.
Maintain orderly sample storage and work areas; monitor supplies, shipping materials, labels, and inventory consumables.
Identify process bottlenecks and help establish standardized workflows, tracking tools, and sample management metrics.