Sr. Director, Sterility Assurance – Global Quality Technical Operations

PCI Pharma Services • Philadelphia, PA

4d

About The Position

Life changing therapies. Global impact. Bridge to thousands of biopharma companies and their patients. We are PCI. Our investment is in People who make an impact, drive progress and create a better tomorrow. Our strategy includes building teams across our global network to pioneer and shape the future of PCI.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Biology, or a related Life Sciences discipline required
• Minimum of 12-15 years of experience in Sterility Assurance or Industrial Microbiology within a GxP pharmaceutical environment.
• Proven expertise in EU GMP Annex 1 , USP <797>/<800> , and ISO 14644 standards.
• Extensive experience in sterile fill-finish operations, lyophilization, and terminal sterilization.
• Track record of establishing global programs or Centers of Excellence.
• Exceptional teaching and mentoring skills; ability to influence site-level culture and drive technical excellence through collaboration with MS&T and Global Engineering.
• Bachelor's Degree in a related field and/or 10+ years related experience and/or training.
• College Level Mathematical Skills
• Advanced Computer Skills: Ability to perform the most complex computer tasks and operate various computer programs.
• Full Professional Proficiency: Ability to speak, read, and write fluently and accurately on all levels pertinent to professional needs.
• Highest Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems and deal with nonverbal symbolism in its most difficult phases while dealing with concrete/abstract variables.
• Ability to Travel

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or PhD in Microbiology preferred.
• Master's Degree (M.A.) in related field and/or 5+ years related experience or training.
• Ability to work independently and/or part of a team.
• Ability to effectively present information to various people as the job requires.
• Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-year strategic roadmap for sterility assurance that aligns with PCI’s growth in advanced drug delivery and sterile manufacturing.
• Author and maintain global quality standards for aseptic processing and sterility operations, ensuring harmonized practices across all sites that leverage industry best practices (e.g., PDA TRs, ISPE).
• Establish a Global Sterility Assurance Center of Excellence to serve as the central repository for technical expertise, troubleshooting, and innovation in microbiological control.
• Lead the development and technical oversight of Site-Specific Contamination Control Strategies for all sterile facilities, ensuring compliance with EU GMP Annex 1.
• Implement a stepwise bioburden reduction program for non-sterile manufacturing sites, focusing on risk-based environmental controls and prevention of objectionable organisms.
• Establish global standards for the sterile sampling and microbiological monitoring of clean utilities (WFI, Purified Water, Clean Steam, and Compressed Gases).
• Co-establish best practices with site Microbiology Labs for Environmental Monitoring (EM) and Personnel Monitoring (PM), ensuring data integrity and standardized incubation/identification protocols.
• Evaluate and implement rapid microbiological methods (RMM) and automated EM data collection tools in collaboration with the eCompliance and Digital Transformation teams.
• Standardize global programs for disinfectant efficacy testing (DET) and site-specific cleaning/sanitization validation.
• Design and deploy comprehensive sterility assurance education and training programs for operators, engineers, and quality personnel.
• Train and mentor site Industrial Microbiologists to serve as "Shop Floor Champions," moving the role from a laboratory-based function to an active, real-time presence in the manufacturing suite.
• Oversee global programs for aseptic gowning qualification and media fill (Process Simulation) design, focusing on the psychological and behavioral aspects of cleanroom discipline.
• Provide expert technical consultation for new builds and retrofits, ensuring facility design, airflow patterns (Grade A/ISO 5), and equipment sterilization (SIP/Autoclave) meet global regulatory expectations.
• Serve as the primary Subject Matter Expert for Sterility Assurance during high-stakes regulatory inspections (FDA, EMA, MHRA), defending CCS and sterility strategies.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organizations policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Supervises 1-10 employees

Benefits

• Equity and Inclusion are at the core of our company’s purpose: Together, delivering life-changing therapies. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive workplace by holding ourselves accountable to the highest standards of understanding, fairness, respect, and equal opportunity – at every level. We envision a PCI community where everyone can belong and grow, and we strive to bring this vision to reality by continuously and intentionally assessing our people practices, policies and programs, marketing approach, and workplace culture.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director