Microbiologist Supervisor

at  Alcon

At Alcon, we are driven by the meaningful work we do to help people see brilliantly. We innovate ambitiously, champion progress, and act with speed as the global leader in eye care. Here, you’ll be recognized for your dedication and contributions and see your career like never before. Together, we go above and beyond to make an impact in the lives of our patients and customers.
We foster an inclusive culture and are looking for diverse, hardworking people to join Alcon! As a Microbiologist Supervisor supporting quality, you will be responsible for developing the microbiological direction for the facility and implementing current microbiology lab test methodologies and practices to support product, environment, and utility testing, to ensure products are tested following established methods and in compliance with applicable regulatory and corporate requirements in Huntington, WV.

In this role, a typical day will include:

• Providing overall facility mentorship on developments, trends, and observed issues related to microbiology analysis
• Supporting the lab manager in projects and day-to-day micro lab management
• Being responsible for leading site environment controls
• Assisting the laboratory manager in supporting audit readiness activities and directly contacting internal and external auditors as an SME
• Introducing new systems, processes, and products, aligned with applicable requirements
• Crafting and leading laboratory process improvement projects and validations
• Staying up to date on current and future microbiology technical and regulatory trends and developments, and ensuring lab operations are updated to reflect the same trends and development and maintained in a validated state
• Being a key contributor and driver for performing investigations relating to environmental and product microbiological out-of-specification results and driving the identification of root causes and implementation of agreed corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs)
• Ensuring that all microbiology testing and operational procedures carry out current regulatory industry requirements and corporate standards
• Interpreting microbiology results, resolving technical and/or operational problems, and providing technical advice and support to other departments within the facility
• Engaging in the training and mentoring of laboratory associates to develop and increase the level of expertise within the laboratory
• Demonstrating a proactive approach toward identifying issues that may impact the quality of product through tracking and trending of data, considering all appropriate sources of quality data
• Providing work direction/supervision for direct reports (if any), participating in the hiring process, producing performance evaluations, and supporting the career and professional development of the microbiology team
• Providing technical solutions to a wide range of difficult problems with solutions being imaginative, detailed, practicable, and consistent with organizational objectives

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• Having a degree in microbiology or other related technical field
• Experience in a sterile medical device manufacturing company or pharmaceutical environment
• Having a complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, and concepts in the field of microbiology
• Having strong troubleshooting skills, being able to work in dynamic cross-functional teams, and working under only general direction

• Providing overall facility mentorship on developments, trends, and observed issues related to microbiology analysis
• Supporting the lab manager in projects and day-to-day micro lab management
• Being responsible for leading site environment controls
• Assisting the laboratory manager in supporting audit readiness activities and directly contacting internal and external auditors as an SME
• Introducing new systems, processes, and products, aligned with applicable requirements
• Crafting and leading laboratory process improvement projects and validations
• Staying up to date on current and future microbiology technical and regulatory trends and developments, and ensuring lab operations are updated to reflect the same trends and development and maintained in a validated state
• Being a key contributor and driver for performing investigations relating to environmental and product microbiological out-of-specification results and driving the identification of root causes and implementation of agreed corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs)
• Ensuring that all microbiology testing and operational procedures carry out current regulatory industry requirements and corporate standards
• Interpreting microbiology results, resolving technical and/or operational problems, and providing technical advice and support to other departments within the facility
• Engaging in the training and mentoring of laboratory associates to develop and increase the level of expertise within the laboratory
• Demonstrating a proactive approach toward identifying issues that may impact the quality of product through tracking and trending of data, considering all appropriate sources of quality data
• Providing work direction/supervision for direct reports (if any), participating in the hiring process, producing performance evaluations, and supporting the career and professional development of the microbiology team
• Providing technical solutions to a wide range of difficult problems with solutions being imaginative, detailed, practicable, and consistent with organizational objective