Vice President, Technical Operations

Vaxart•South San Francisco, CA

21h•$300,000 - $345,000•Onsite

About The Position

Vaxart is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing oral recombinant vaccines using its proprietary pill delivery platform. Its development programs include pill vaccines for coronavirus, norovirus, and influenza, and a therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV). The Vice President, Technical Operations provides strategic and hands-on leadership across engineering, qualification and validation, facilities, maintenance and calibration, external supply, and CMC project management. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, this leader builds the systems, infrastructure, external network, and integrated execution plans needed to advance oral recombinant vaccine candidates through clinical development, regulatory approval, commercial readiness, and distribution. The role translates innovative science into robust, scalable, compliant, and cost-conscious manufacturing capabilities while leading internal teams and external partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, life sciences, or a related technical discipline.
At least 20 years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical experience, including at least 15 years of progressive leadership in Technical Operations, CMC, manufacturing, or a closely related function, with accountability for external manufacturing networks and cross-functional teams.
Demonstrated experience with technology transfer, scale-up, validation, clinical supply, and commercial readiness.
Deep working knowledge of cGMP, FDA, EMA, ICH, and other relevant global requirements, including preparation for and response to regulatory inspections and partner audits.
Experience authoring and reviewing CMC content for regulatory submissions and responding to health-authority questions.
Experience overseeing CDMOs, contract laboratories, suppliers, engineering investments, and diverse production sites; solid financial and operational judgment.
Ability to lead technical investigations, root-cause analysis, risk assessments, and data-driven decisions while balancing speed, quality, cost, and program risk.
Exceptional communication, influencing, organizational, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed, clinical-stage biotechnology company.
Collaborative, hands-on leadership style and commitment to innovation, scientific rigor, product quality, patient safety, and broad access to vaccination.
Excellent working knowledge of building, mechanical, and utility systems, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and security.
Strategic mindset and executive presence, with the ability to partner with the Executive Leadership team to set and drive organizational strategy.
Ability to translate organizational strategy and objectives into divisional goals and execute them effectively.
Strong problem-solving and risk-based decision-making skills.
Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to influence or manage without direct authority.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing in individual and group settings.
Excellent oral and written communication and critical-thinking skills.
Ability to work as a team member, multitask, and adapt to shifting priorities and requirements in a dynamic, fast-growing company.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree.
Experience with oral solid-dose products, vaccines, biologics, combination products, or electronic quality systems.

Responsibilities

Oversee facilities, utilities, and equipment investments from concept and design through commissioning, qualification, start-up, and sustained operation.
Set engineering, qualification, and validation strategies for internal and external operations using lifecycle and risk-based approaches appropriate to each development phase.
Develop robust, scalable, and cost-conscious external manufacturing and supply approaches for oral recombinant pill vaccines.
Partner with Quality to maintain compliant, phase-appropriate systems and ensure sound, data-driven decisions across engineering, facilities, maintenance, calibration, qualification and validation, technical transfer, and supply.
Ensure CMC compliance with applicable FDA, EMA, ICH, and other global GxP requirements, and maintain inspection readiness across Vaxart and its external network.
Provide CMC leadership for regulatory submissions, health-authority interactions, inspections, and responses.
Build a high-performing, collaborative organization that reflects Vaxart’s guiding principles.
Establish performance measures for engineering, supply reliability, technical readiness, cost, schedule, and partner performance, and use them to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Lead technology transfers from planning through execution and regulatory approval, ensuring process knowledge, analytical readiness, control strategies, and lifecycle documentation are complete.
Provide technical leadership during investigations and troubleshooting at internal sites and external partners, using sound science and risk-based decision making.
Provide end-to-end technical oversight of CDMOs and logistics partners, including partner selection, governance, technology transfer, capacity and supply planning, performance monitoring, issue resolution, continuous improvement, and development of resilient, flexible, cost-effective manufacturing capabilities.
Ensure investments improve technical capability, manufacturing robustness, supply resilience, speed, and cost effectiveness for Vaxart’s oral vaccine platform.
Build trusted relationships with internal partners, strategic collaborators, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
Serve as a senior CMC subject-matter expert for regulatory filings and health-authority interactions, partnering with Quality, Regulatory, Clinical, Research, Finance, and Program Management.
Foster an inclusive, accountable working environment that encourages learning, respectful debate, transparency, cross-functional ownership, and innovation.
Model urgency without compromising quality to advance oral vaccine candidates efficiently.
Keep current on regulatory and quality requirements and follow Environment, Health & Safety policies.
Ensure technical operations comply with applicable health, safety, and environmental regulations, fostering a safety-first culture and encouraging hazard and near-miss reporting.