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.

Qualified Person

A Qualified Person (QP) operates within the quality assurance function of a pharmaceutical company and has a crucially important role because he or she takes legal responsibility for certifying that batches of medicines are safe prior to release. This “batch release” refers to the release of medicines to be used in either clinical trials or for sale in the commercial market.

Qualified Persons must be nominated by certain regulatory bodies, one of which is the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, to certify that they are eligible for the role. In the UK and most of Europe, nominations for QP status are subsequently approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which has the final say as to who can​​ be named a Qualified Person within pharmaceutical manufacture. In order to be nominated as a QP, applicants must have an in depth understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, combined with extensive training that covers a number of different modules.

In a recent blog (bit.ly/2syLrq) Next Phase Recruitment Specialist Julie Nicholls explains that new EU Regulations coming into force soon will mean that medical device companies will now also need to appoint a Qualified Person. This will have significant implications for the UK market, where QPs are already in short supply. An experienced Qualified Person will often prefer to work on a consultancy basis, for the variety of work, significant daily pay rates, and ability to work with a number of different clients at the same time.

Skills and Experience required to become a QP

Typically a QP will need the following skills and experience:-

-     Degree level education in a scientific discipline such as pharmacy, chemistry, biomedical science

-     Nomination as a QP by a relevant regulatory body plus MHRA approval

-     Detailed understanding of pharmaceutical law, quality management systems and the professional duties of a QP

-     Substantial experience within the pharmaceutical industry

-     Statistical and mathematical skills

-     In-depth understanding of the manufacture and supply chain

-     Leadership skills

Salary Level

Pay rates for QPs vary enormously depending on where they are based and their main areas of specialisation (e.g. IMP / commercial). A recently-registered Qualified Person may command a salary of £55k - £70k initially, but this can increase quickly to £75k - £95k once the QP has some post-qualification experience. Similarly, QP contract rates can vary a great deal. QP pay rates can be anything from £650 / day to £1,100 / day depending on the length and complexity of the contract, and this may also vary depending on what additional skills the QP can provide (such as a background in Pharmacy, for example).

West Sussex

West Sussex is a county on the south coast of England and over many centuries the strategic location of West Sussex has played a key part in history, defence and trade.   West Sussex offers a wealth of interesting places to visit from historic West Sussex towns and cities such as Chichester, Arundel and Petworth to West Sussex coastal resorts including Worthing and Bognor Regis.  A substantial part of the South Downs National Park is also located in West Sussex as are many West Sussex nature reserves and areas of outstanding natural beauty. West Sussex is also a great place to live and work, with a wide range of West Sussex industries and West Sussex businesses established in towns such as Crawley, Horsham, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill to the north of the county. Gatwick airport, one of the busiest in Europe, is a further benefit to businesses, residents and international visitors to West Sussex.

Famous people born in West Sussex: Harry Enfield, comedian and Percy Bysshe Shelley, poet, also born in West Sussex.

From world-renowned Medical and Diagnostic Technology companies, to major Pharmaceuticals and Industry Support services, West Sussex's Health and Life Sciences Cluster is booming. The country is home to over 90 diverse companies, contributing to the forefront of innovation in the Global Health and Life Sciences sector. A strong cluster has emerged in the county with collaboration between businesses, research and public health, facilitated by WSCC who is investing heavily in the growth of the sector. West Sussex provides a highly attractive offer for global and national businesses wanting to be in the forefront of innovation, in the heart of growth.

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West Sussex is a great place to further your career in life sciences. If you are a looking for pharmaceutical jobs in West Sussex, scientific careers in West Sussex or want to discuss cell therapy, gene therapy, ATMP, medical device, technology, biotech or pharmaceutical job opportunities in West Sussex, give our Next Phase team a call. The West Sussex area is continuing to expand as a centre for jobs in science, process development, technology, software development, project management, informatics, quality, reg affairs and supply chain.

 

At Next Phase we help people find new jobs in life sciences across the UK, Europe and USA. This page lists some of the job opportunities in West Sussex, and if you give us a call we can also talk to you about other scientific jobs, pharmaceutical career opportunities and the latest updates in cell and gene therapy and ATMP development in the West Sussex area.