Job Description Summary
Our Palafolls site is recruiting a QC & AST Chemical Head
Job Description
\nWe are the established global leader in generic antibiotics, with 50-plus medicines serving more than 200 million patients per year. And we have a leading global program to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), taking a balanced, cross-sector approach to combatting this unprecedented global health threat. Our goal is simple: to ensure patients continue to receive the medicine they need, when and where they need it.
As QC & AST Chemical Head, you'll manage the QC * Chemical Lab on the Palafolls site, ensuring all work meets the requirements of the Sandoz Quality Manual and compliant with GMP and GLP regulations. You'll lead the team in the lab, ensuring their safety and fostering their development, while managing the budget for the department.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Manage the QC* Chemical lab of Palafolls site.
- Guarantee that the work in the QC & AST lab is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Sandoz Quality Manual and complying with GMP and GLP regulations.
- Coordinate the work teams in the QC & AST lab based on the planning and needs of the site.
- Guarantee in a controlled way the level of service of the site, ensuring the agreed KPIs and attend to the emergencies of the site.
- Ensure the safety of the laboratory staff and propose improvements to avoid accidents.
- Manage and control the budget of the whole department.
- Guarantee the correct compliance with GLP's, GMP's and documentation in the analytical tests performed.
- Guarantee the correct calibration / verification, qualification and maintenance of all laboratory equipment and correct management of the documentation related to instruments in accordance with the Sandoz guidelines.
- Guarantee the correct management of the reagents, solutions and standards (reference std., Working std. Primary standards) of the laboratory.
- Ensure a correct performance of the OOS / OOE / OOT investigations and deviations that occur in the lab, meeting the established deadlines and defining adequate and robust CAPAs to avoid repeating incidents.
- Ensure compliance with the documentation of the labs, approving the SOPs that describe the activities, ensuring compliance with the corresponding training and keeping the documents updated.
- Ensure that all analytical tests have been carried out in accordance with current procedures and validated methods.
- Identify problems, needs and areas for improvement in the labs. In accordance with this, design, develop and implement projects that allow improvements in quality, safety and performance of the analysis process in the labs.
- Find and lead savings and efficiency projects in the labs (LabOpex, Greenlab).
- Ensure a development plan for their direct reports that encourages and promotes their evolution and development in the workplace. So, it creates a motivating work environment that promotes the dedication and professional excellence of the team.
- Maintain a defined succession plan.
- Evaluate and implement new technology and new equipment.
- Represent the site with Global by QC & AST Chemical Lab.
- Member of the SQLT team.
- Collaboration with the other departments. Establish good internal and external communication.
What you need to bring to the role:
- Scientific university degree, eg Chemist, Pharmacist or Science related
- Fluent English and Spanish
- At least 2 years' experience in a laboratory in industry or equivalent preferable in FDA regulated environment and knowledge in EU and US regulations (GMP, ICH, Pharmacopia).
- Team leadership experience
- Ability to organize and plan
Why Sandoz?
Generic and Biosimilar medicines are the backbone of the global medicines industry. Sandoz, a leader in this sector, provided more than 900 million patient treatments across 100+ countries in 2024 and while we are proud of this achievement, we have an ambition to do more
With investments in new development capabilities, production sites, new acquisitions, and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Sandoz and help more patients gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines, sustainably.
Our momentum is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues, who, in return for applying their skills experience an agile and collegiate environment with impactful, adaptable-hybrid careers, where diversity is welcomed and where personal growth is supported
Join us
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.
Join our Sandoz Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Sandoz and our career opportunities, visit
Skills Desired
Continued Learning, Dealing With Ambiguity, Decision Making Skills, Gxp, Industry Standards, Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Excellence, Managing Resources, Organizational Savvy, Quality Control (Qc) Testing, Quality Control Sampling, Self-Awareness, Smart Risk Taking, Technological Expertise, Total Quality Management