Job vacancy: Senior Quality Control Scientist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

Job summary

Main area: 317 Pharmacy Manufacturing Unit
Grade: PPU Range 6
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 317-2025-21-058

Employer: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Royal Victoria Infirmary
Town: 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary
Salary: £38,871 - £46,670 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 17/09/2025 23:59
Interview date: 15/10/2025

Senior Quality Control Scientist

PPU Range 6

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.

We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.

We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.

Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To undertake the range of laboratory and other duties necessary to ensure the pharmaceutical Quality Control service operates in an efficient, safe and effective manner.
To operate and maintain a range of equipment to ensure safe and suitable for use. Understanding and following the regulatory requirements for the introduction of new equipment.
To generate and follow laboratory procedures and worksheets to ensure consistent methodology.
To undertake the development and validation of stability indicating analytical methods for current and new medicinal products that are manufactured in the Pharmacy Production Unit and for outside companies that we are contracted to perform such work. To plan stability test points and ensure all products are assessed for on-going stability.
To undertake laboratory investigations in the event of out of specifications in line with current regulatory guidelines. To initiate microbiological investigations in the event of environmental excursions. To generate when required and also be involved in quality control assessment of change controls for the pharmacy production unit and quality control.
To release ‘Water of Injection in bulk’ daily following plant and equipment checks.
The role will lead to the person acting as releasing officer for the MHRA MS17163 licence held by Newcastle Specials for the release of ‘Specials’ and to deputise for the Laboratory Manager other quality control duties as required following the completion of an appropriate formal training course that will provide the person with the required body of knowledge to undertake the activities associated with being an authorised releasing officer.
The role may also lead to training and registration as a QC(MGPS), performing tests on medical gases as required under HTM 02.

Person specification

KNOWLEDGE

Essential criteria

Good working knowledge of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry
Good knowledge of analytical techniques used in pharmaceutical quality control
Familiarity with laboratory safety requirements. e.g. HSE, COSHH

Desirable criteria

Some knowledge of microbiology, preservatives and sterilisation

SKILLS

Essential criteria

Practical ability to carry out careful and accurate chemical analyses using both traditional and instrumental methods and an awareness of the limitations of different techniques
Ability to develop new analytical methods
Good keyboard and general IT skills
Good communication, interpersonal and organisational skills
Ability to support the Laboratory Manager in the training of all grades of staff and introducing students into the Quality Control environment

Desirable criteria

Proficient in use and maintenance of laboratory instruments including FTIR, UV, HPLC

EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria

Analytical laboratory experience

Desirable criteria

Experience in pharmaceutical analysis and/or quality control

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential criteria

Degree or equivalent in a scientific subject e.g. Chemistry or Pharmacy

Desirable criteria

Postgraduate qualification in analytical chemistry or quality control
Ability to register with the Royal Society of Chemistry or equivalent

Important note on completion of reference section of Application Form

All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.