Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! Please see below our current jobs that match your search criteria. For a broader job search please visit the home page or call us on 01403 216216 to discuss career options in other areas of Life Science and Technology.

Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! Please use the above link to see our current jobs that match your search criteria. For a broader job search please visit the home page or call us on 01403 216216 to discuss career options in other areas of Life Science and Technology.

Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! We are very experienced in helping people to progress their careers in Quality Control. Firstly, here is a general guide to a career path in this sector. Please also scroll further down the page to see and apply for our current jobs that match your search criteria. We also invite you to go to the main page of our website for a broader job search and call us on 01403 216216 for a confidential discussion about your career options. 

QC Scientist

Quality Control (usually known as QC), is an important part of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device production and supply process. It often means different things in different contexts.

Quality Control Scientists often work in close collaboration with Quality Assurance (QA) staff. QA is defined as a procedure or set of procedures intended to ensure that a product or service under development (before work is complete, as opposed to afterwards) meets specified requirements. QA is sometimes linked together with QC as a single expression, quality assurance and control (QA/QC).   Typical QC Scientist duties will include preparing and testing a wide variety of raw materials, in-process samples and finished products. QC Scientists will frequently use chromatographic techniques such as HPLC and GC and will be responsible for maintaining and validating records on assay sheets and laboratory IT systems such as LIMS.  QC Scientists will assist in the maintenance and optimisation of lab equipment and ensuring that stocks are ordered and maintained efficiently. 

In order to implement an effective QC program, an enterprise must first decide which specific QC standards the product or service must meet. Then the extent of QC actions must be determined (for example, the percentage of units to be tested from each lot). Next, real-world data must be collected (for example, the percentage of units that fail) and the results reported to management personnel. After this, corrective action must be decided upon and taken (for example, defective units must be repaired or rejected and poor service repeated at no charge until the customer is satisfied). If too many unit failures or instances of poor service occur, a plan must be devised to improve the production or service process and then that plan must be put into action. Finally, the QC process must be ongoing to ensure that remedial efforts, if required, have produced satisfactory results and to immediately detect recurrences or new instances of trouble.

Typical Job Titles include – QC Assistant, QC Technician, QC Inspector, QC Manager, QC Scientist

Key Skills and Experience required to become a QC Scientist

  • Most QC Scientist roles require a degree in an analytical science such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, or similar. 
  • Knowledge of analytical techniques (e.g. HPLC, GC, MS, LC-MS, GC-MS etc)
  • Ability to complete and process complex documentation and data
  • Knowledge of GMP/GLP
  • Ability to stay focused, even if undertaking routine repetitive tasks

Salary Levels

Entry-level QC roles generally start in the region of £17k - £18k and move up relatively quickly, especially if you have a degree. QC teams are often divided into levels (1, 2, 3 etc), with clearly defined salary bandings. Generally, an experienced QC Scientist who undertakes QC project leadership duties (e.g. method development, stability etc) will earn something in the region of £25k - £28k. Then, if you go down the QC supervisor / manager route, a QC Manager salary might start around the “mid 30s”. QC is not necessarily the most highly paid part of the Life Science industries, but it is varied and very important.

Greenford

Greenford is located in the London Borough of Ealing in north west London.  Towns and suburbs close to Greenford include Harrow, Brentford, Hayes, Watford and Slough.  Greenford is on the Central Line of the London Underground and also has overground rail connections into central London.  Road connections are also good as Greenford is located on the A40 which leas out to the M40 and then onto the M25, Heathrow Airport is on 12 miles away.  Greenford is well-located for a number of leisure-time places of interest including the world-famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena, both of which are only 3 miles away.   Two excellent museums are also in the Greenford area; the London Motorcycle Museum, which has a wide range of bikes & memorabilia on display, and the Musical Museum which has a huge collection of self-playing musical instruments ranging from very small clockwork music boxes to huge “Mighty Wurlitzer” organs.   

Famous people from Greenford: Jourdan Dunn, model and Steven Warner, actor