Job overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a senior leadership role at the forefront of pharmaceutical quality assurance within University Hospital Southampton, including at our state-of-the-art new aseptic facility.

As a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist and Deputy Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance, you will play a key role in ensuring the safe manufacture of aseptic and radiopharmaceutical medicines that directly support patient care. 

You’ll work closely with the Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance, providing both strategic and operational leadership across the Pharmacy Quality Assurance function. This includes deputising for the Head of Pharmacy QA when required and contributing to the development, delivery and continuous improvement of the Pharmaceutical Quality Management System (PQMS) across licensed manufacturing services. 

Alongside your deputy role, you will help lead the Pharmacy Microbiology QC service, ensuring environmental monitoring and microbiological testing programmes are delivered in line with GMP and regulatory expectations. You will act as the Pharmacy Quality department’s subject matter expert for microbiological contamination control, leading contamination control strategies, interpreting microbiological data and driving improvements in sterility assurance and compliance. 

A key aspect of the role is being named as the Quality Controller on the Radiopharmacy MHRA MS Licence, with associated accountability for quality and oversight of relevant systems and processes. 

You’ll work as part of a highly specialised multidisciplinary QA/QC team, collaborating closely with aseptic services, Radiopharmacy, production and wider pharmacy teams. The role reports directly to the Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance and includes line management responsibilities within the QA/QC microbiology team. The role involves regular on-site presence across manufacturing facilities, with some flexibility in working patterns where service needs allow. 

You’ll need to be confident operating in a highly regulated GMP environment and comfortable leading through complexity. You’ll bring strong leadership and influencing skills, alongside in-depth experience of pharmaceutical quality assurance and microbiology, including environmental monitoring, contamination control and validation. Experience within MHRA licensed manufacturing (e.g. Specials, aseptic or Radiopharmacy services) will be essential, together with the ability to interpret data, manage risk and drive continuous improvement. 

This is a high-impact role suited to someone who is motivated by improving quality, strengthening regulatory compliance, and delivering safe, high-quality medicines for patients.

Working for our organisation

University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.

Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast. 

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

At UHS, we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients. 

At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognising that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.