Associate Principal Scientist

**Job Description**:
Are you looking for a rewarding role where you can make a positive impact, working with the world's most innovative food and Life Sciences companies? Join our diverse team today

In RSSL we transform lives through science, innovation & collaboration. RSSL performs a wide range of analytical analyses for a variety of food, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies and supports Mondelez research and innovation.

The RSSL Pharmaceutical Microbiology laboratory performs a wide range of analytical analyses for a variety of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. The department focuses on the following types of tests:

- Microbial limits testing for specific pathogens, bacteria, yeast and moulds (EP, BP, USP, CP and JP)
- Sterility & Endotoxin
- Preservative efficacy testing
- Environmental monitoring
- Disinfectant testing (e.g. BS EN 1276, BS EN 13697)
- Water testing
- Method Development & Validation

**Purpose **of the role**:
The role of an Associate Principal Scientist -Pharmaceutical Microbiology is to provide technical direction and technical leadership responsibilities in a wider area of expertise across departments. You will play a key role in ensuring that complex projects are performed and supervised effectively and accurately within agreed timescales and to appropriate quality standards. The role will be responsible for reviewing and authorising interpretive scientific reports, method development and validations, and authorizing competencies within the area of expertise. Assist in planning workload for more complex projects for a team. Client contact and administrative support for laboratory management. The role will also involve assessing new technologies and methods for suitability to be brought into RSSL.

**Primary Accountabilities / Responsibilities**

Technical
- Provide high-quality customer service at all times by ensuring effective organisation of assigned workload, integrity of analytical data generated, and timely/accurate provision of results.
- Provide technical direction in a wider area of expertise across departments.
- Supervise a range of analysis using as required within the team.
- Review and Authorise complex method development and design validation protocols.
- Perform maintenance and troubleshooting of lab equipment.
- Perform data checking and provide interpretation of results for complex analysis.
- Write, review and authorise interpretive scientific reports.
- Expert user in instrument-specific software and proficient in the use of generic and specific software packages required for the role: Laboratory’s LIMS system, Q-Pulse, etc
- Provide training and supervise junior staff in routine activities, methods, and interpretation.
- Responsible for a portfolio of projects or a technically complex project within their technical area of expertise.
- Keep up to date with the latest technologies and advances in the field through presence on relevant external boards.
- Help the pharmaceutical microbiology laboratory advance the technology where appropriate and present business cases to the leadership team.
- Provides technical direction within own area of expertise across departments/ May have a technical specialism on a specific type of instrumentation.
- Self identifies out of specification results and identifies remedial action for simple OOS.
- Able to undertake a literature search and develop a method based on fundamental research. Design and undertake validation studies.
- Mentor complex technical activities by guiding junior team members in principles & practice. Collaborates with Lab Manager to drive innovation and ensure robust technical development.
- Established internal network and awareness of the science across the RSSL business - support where required other departments including MDLZ/ Strong external network. Active LinkedIn presence. Sits on external bodies and panels.
- Keeps up to date on scientific developments and potential future industry needs, with strong influencing skills to justify business case for future investment. Provides technical input into business strategies.
- Responsible with commercial team to bring in future work.

**Communication & Influence**
- Work as part of an efficient analytical team
- To liaise with clients, business development, and line management to ensure effective communication of
- project proposals and results.
- Provide expert advice and lead client and stakeholders meetings as required
- Deliver external presentations of data and internal presentations to senior technical stakeholders, such as directors and vice presidents.
- Contributes to technical strategies & influences senior management.

**Leadership and supervision**
- Manage the technical development of a team of Scientists and Technicians as required.
- Coordinate technical training of all staff with support, provide training & oversee other trainers to ensure the quality of science in the training provided/ Train in complex methods & Interpretati