Senior Validation Analyst

Southern Research + You

Discover a career where your work truly matters. Southern Research has been translating science into real-world solutions since 1941. Join our innovative team and enjoy benefits like medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, life insurance, PTO, an employee assistance program, and more.

The Senior Validation Analyst leads strategic validation initiatives to introduce new GxP technologies at Southern Research. From technology assessment and procurement through planning, validation, operational support, and eventual retirement, this role owns validation deliverables and ensures systems remain in a validated state throughout their lifecycle. This position collaborates with the Business, Application Administrators, Information Technology, and internal Quality teams at Southern Research to define standard business processes and requirements.

Using that information, they author and/or review the validation deliverables required to implement these technologies in a GxP environment. This includes leading any testing efforts required to demonstrate the system is fit for use. This role requires strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidance (e.g., 21 CFR Part 11, 21 CFR Part 58, EU Annex 11, GAMP) and the ability to think strategically while managing multiple concurrent initiatives.

• Partner with the business, IT, and others to identify technologies suitable for the intended purpose within a GxP environment.
• Lead system validation efforts, including validation strategy, risk management approach, and overall validation project management.
• Develop and maintain validation deliverables including Validation Plan, User Requirements Specification, Configuration Specification, Testing Strategy, Test Scripts with Traceability, Validation Summary Reports, and System Commissioning documents.
• Develop business scenarios to test applications.
• Support the validated state of applications or systems via change management and periodic review activities.
• Document analysis and/or testing related to infrastructure changes (e.g., operating system patches, significant network changes).
• Create or update application‑specific documentation to match the evolution of the system.
• Investigate incidents observed during validation; identify root causes, corrective actions, and appropriate controls.
• Support Application Administration to investigate incidents observed in production.
• Perform gap assessments and drive process/continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify technologies no longer required and lead retirement activities.
• Troubleshoot, collaborate, and communicate technical issues and resolutions to users, department managers, and other stakeholders.
• Escalate issues to management and work with application/system vendors as necessary.
• Maintain high‑level validation and business acumen in addition to regulation and industry best practice.
• Track, coordinate, and review user access reviews and other periodic review activities.
• Represent validation efforts in client and regulatory audits and contribute to audit finding responses as necessary.
• Identify, contribute, and/or lead the development or refinement of validation policies and procedures.
• Establish and maintain open communication between the Business, Information Technology, and Quality.
• Triage escalation of validation and/or technical issues to Information Systems and Management.
• Lead or support process improvement initiatives as necessary.

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or life sciences, other related field, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of experience within a Quality or Technical role (e.g., IT) with direct experience leading validation efforts.
• Experience with the validation, administration, operation, and/or maintenance of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and other computerized systems used in a GxP laboratory/environment (e.g., Chromatography Data Systems, Spectrophotometry Systems, cell counting/viability systems).
• Advanced knowledge of pharmaceutical/CRO industry regulations, standards, and guidelines (GxP, CSV, 21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11).
• Cli…