Job summary
We're delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to join our close-knit Quality Assurance team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, where you'll take a leading role in our Quality Control laboratory and serve as a Releasing Officer for sterile and non-sterile medicinal products, manufactured under our MHRA 'specials' licence.

You'll be supported by a small, dedicated team of Quality Assurance Technical Officers, working collaboratively to uphold the highest standards of pharmaceutical quality and patient safety.

This role is ideal for someone looking to develop a career in Quality Assurance, with hands-on experience in product release and laboratory oversight. We are deeply committed to staff development and will provide:

• Comprehensive in-house training
• Funded external training opportunities tailored to your personal development goals

If you're passionate about quality, thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to make a meaningful impact in healthcare, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note that this vacancy is subject to an applicant cap and may close earlier than the advertised closing date if sufficient applications are received. Early application is advised.

Main duties of the job
Pharmacy Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) provide specialist support to Technical Services within University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW) NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring that all pharmacy manufacturing activities comply with relevant regulatory and quality standards. The service works collaboratively across manufacturing units to maintain patient safety, product quality, and the timely supply of medicines.

The primary purpose of this role is to support the delivery of the Quality Assurance function by contributing to the effective management of the Quality Control Laboratory, undertaking duties as a QC Releasing Officer, and providing specialist QA and QC technical support to pharmaceutical manufacturing services. The post holder will play a key role in maintaining compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice and other applicable regulatory requirements, supporting investigations, quality systems, environmental monitoring, and the release of medicinal products.

The post holder will normally work Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, with occasional out-of-hours working required to support service needs.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston. With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 387-DT4720-LMH
Closing date: 01 November 2026

Essential Person Specification
Education & Qualifications

• Relevant science degree or equivalent
• Member of a professional body (Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry or the Royal Pharmaceutical Society/General Pharmaceutical Council) or eligibility to register as a member
• Relevant postgraduate qualification (e.g. PTQA, STP) or willingness to complete appropriate formal training for subsequent qualification

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• In depth knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and related legislation
• Good analytical skills and working with accuracy/precision
• Good IT skills including data analysis through the application of databases
• Ability to plan and prioritise workload on daily and monthly basis
• Risk assessment skills
• Ability to act independently and always consider the safety implications of product release over request for product

Experience

• Minimum two years post-qualification relevant GMP experience
• Experience of working with a Pharmaceutical Quality Management System
• Substantial experience of aseptic preparation

Personal qualities

• Able to complete routine and repetitive tasks within defined guidelines and procedures

Desirable Person Specification

• COSHH and/or risk assessor
• Good knowledge of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
• Ability to assess and manage risk in relation to manufacture and testing of medicinal products
• Basic knowledge of microbiology
• Experience of releasing medicinal products
• Experience of working in a laboratory undertaking analysis

Employer contact details
Contact: Marc Lennon, Deputy Pharmacy Quality Assurance Manager
Email: marc.lennon@uhbw.nhs.uk
Phone: 01173422370

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.