Each of us cares about someone who will need medicines. That’s why our vision is to repeatedly beat the odds to deliver breakthrough medicines to patients that need them. We pursue truth and scientific rigour and have the courage to work at the edge of the unknown.
We are looking for a highly skilled Senior Manager, QC Microbiology to lead GMP QC-Micro operations at our biological Drug Substance (DS) clinical manufacturing facility in Vancouver. You will also support our network of external Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs), Contract Testing Labs (CTLs), and other collaborators. Taking ownership of the site’s Contamination Control Program, you will ensure alignment with regulatory expectations and industry best practices while serving as the go-to technical expert and mentor across microbial methods, environmental monitoring (EM) programs, utilities monitoring, and contamination investigations. If you're looking for a hands-on leadership role where your microbiology and contamination control expertise directly supports the quality of therapies that reach patients, we'd love to hear from you.
How you might spend your days
Leading the QC Microbiology function, providing strategic and technical direction while building, coaching, and developing a high-performing QC Microbiology team
Shaping the QC Microbiology strategy and capabilities needed to support AbCellera’s evolving development and manufacturing programs, including contamination control strategy (CCS), microbiological method strategy, environmental monitoring (EMPQ), utilities monitoring, raw materials, facility readiness, and risk-based testing approaches
Providing leadership and oversight of internal QC Microbiology operations, including bioburden, endotoxin, microbial identification, growth promotion, environmental monitoring, water testing, trending, and Disinfectant Efficacy Testing (DET) studies
Setting priorities and coordinating QC Microbiology resources and activities across internal laboratory operations, development and manufacturing programs, and external testing
Developing and mentoring QC Microbiology team members, fostering technical excellence, strong aseptic practices, ownership, collaboration, and sound scientific decision-making
Leading troubleshooting and investigations related to microbiological assays, deviations, OOS results, environmental monitoring excursions, and other microbiological events, ensuring scientifically sound and timely resolution
Providing technical and strategic SME leadership for GMP cell banking, in-process bulk adventitious agent testing, including mycoplasma and viral testing, and other microbiological assays
Ensuring internal and external QC Microbiology data packages are accurate, scientifically sound, and compliant with GMP requirements and ALCOA++ data integrity principles
Partnering cross-functionally with QA, Analytical Development, Manufacturing Operations, CMC, and other stakeholders to define microbiology strategies, establish effective workflows, manage priorities, and support compliant execution across development and manufacturing programs
Contributing to broader QC and CMC planning by identifying microbiology risks, capability needs, external testing requirements, and opportunities to strengthen the function as the team and pipeline grow
We’d love to hear from you if
You have 14+ years of hands-on QC microbiology experience in a regulated GMP setting, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology or a related life sciences field, and can provide strategic and technical leadership across microbial methods, environmental monitoring, utilities monitoring, contamination control, and microbiological investigations
You have demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, or developing scientists or analysts
You have experience working with external laboratories, CMOs, or other testing partners and can provide effective scientific oversight, build strong partnerships, and hold external organizations accountable for…