Associate Principal Scientist - Chromatography

CK Group are recruiting for an Associate Principal Scientist on behalf of a leading CRO at their site in Reading on a permanent basis.

About the client:
Our client is a cutting-edge Contract Research Organisation (CRO), providing research, analysis and consultancy to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food sectors. Their diverse pipeline of projects varies from creating new products, validating medicines and completing analytical investigations. The are a global leader in their field, serving clients from across 60 countries.

The Chromatography team is a tight-knit group of experts responsible for employing Liquid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography for pharmaceutical testing, primarily coupled with Mass Spectroscopy.

About the role:
The Pharmaceutical Chemistry Chromatography Associate Principal Scientist role is a senior role within the team, functioning as the go-to technical expert for challenging pharmaceutical analyses utilising GC, GC-MS and LC-MS techniques.

The job holder will play a key role in ensuring that routine and complex pharmaceutical projects are performed accurately, within agreed timescales and to GMP quality standards. You will have a strong focus utilising technical knowledge to guide business direction and growth, developing the pipeline of resource talent through training and coaching, and taking on client facing responsibilities particularly with challenging cases.

This role focuses on routine and investigative analyses of products and method development and validations using chromatography (GC, GC-MS and LC-MS) and investigative / interpretation of complex mass spectrometry data and also involves executing practical bench-work where required and supporting data checking. It requires sharing high-level expertise to train and mentor other scientists including experienced individuals.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Performing a range of analysis using GC, GCMS and LCMS and capable of running method development / verification / validation projects and appropriate client communication (scientific content of enquiries), protocols and reports.
• Independently executing novel and challenging analytical techniques or tests.
• Providing technical content to quotations for complex studies and design study protocols.
• Guiding analysts with routine through to complex analyses to ensure that the correct science is used and troubleshoot issues effectively.
• Coordinating technical training staff with support from laboratory managers and maintaining oversight of other trainers to ensure quality of science in the training provided.
• Data checking, interpretation of results and generation of certificate analysis and external interpretive reports.
• Ensuring the maintenance, calibration / qualification and troubleshooting of any assigned laboratory equipment.
• Ensuring the maintenance, calibration / qualification and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment.
• Taking an active role in the technical consultative group to ensure science & quality are always upheld.
• Managing, maintaining and growing a significant and varied portfolio of client projects within pharmaceutical chromatography.
• Liaising with clients & business development to ensure effective communication of project proposals and results.
• Providing expert advice and leading client and stake holders meetings as required
• Delivering presentations of data to internal and external technical stakeholders.
• Contributing to technical strategies and contract setting & influencing senior management.
• Involvement with community science outreach

About you:
To be considered for the position, you should have the following skills and expertise:

• Significant in-industry experience in chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques
• Ability to deliver projects/work within tight timescales and ability to motivate and mentor junior scientific staff, potentially through experience in a laboratory management role.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate & mentor a diverse group of scientific staff to achieve their respective targets/objectives – ability to lead teams through periods of change and able to mentor junior staff to develop abilities.
• Proven client-facing experience and the ability to manage external communications and guide business growth

The benefits:
Our client offers an exception range of benefits, including:
Excellent basic salaries
Annual performance related bonus
Very competitive company pension scheme
27 days annual leave with the option to purchase up to 5 days more
Private medical insurance
Life Assurance
Employee perks scheme

Apply:
It is essential that applicants hold entitlement to work in the UK. Please quote job reference 53834 in all correspondence.