Senior Manager​/Associate Director, QA Operations

Each of us cares about someone who will need medicines. That’s why our vision is to repeatedly beat the odds to deliver breakthrough medicines to patients that need them. We pursue truth and scientific rigour and have the courage to work at the edge of the unknown.

We're looking for an experienced Associate Director/Senior Manager, QA Operations to lead Quality oversight for our biological Drug Substance clinical manufacturing facility (Brightfield) in Vancouver. You'll provide real-time Quality support to cGMP manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution operations, ensuring activities meet regulatory expectations and industry best practices — all while driving continuous improvement and building a strong culture of quality across the site.

If you are someone with deep technical expertise in Quality and hands‑on GMP leadership experience, who can partner effectively across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Regulatory teams to keep operations running smoothly and compliantly, we’d love to hear from you.

• Owning Quality oversight across GMP manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution, ensuring compliant, uninterrupted operations from clinical stage through future commercial supply
• Driving batch record review and material disposition, enabling timely release of GMP materials to keep clinical programs moving without delay
• Leading root cause investigations, CAPAs, and change controls, using structured problem‑solving tools to eliminate recurring issues and strengthen GMP operations
• Providing Quality partnership for tech transfers and new product introductions, including review of technical documents supporting regulatory agency submissions
• Overseeing material qualification and phase‑appropriate release of raw materials and components
• Championing continuous improvement initiatives that elevate quality performance, compliance, and operational excellence site‑wide
• Shaping Quality policies and procedures, playing a key role in internal and external audit programs, and translating evolving regulations into practical site systems
• Maintaining inspection readiness and serving as a key partner during health authority inspections, proactively identifying and escalating risks to site leadership
• Leading risk‑based evaluation, mitigation, and reporting initiatives to safeguard product quality and regulatory compliance
• Building and coaching a high‑performing QA Operations team, managing resourcing and quality metrics/KPIs, and partnering closely with Site Operations, MSAT, Product Development, Quality Control, and Warehouse/Logistics teams to ensure seamless quality oversight of Brightfield's Drug Substance manufacturing programs

• You have 12 years of GxP industry experience, including at least 5 years in a Quality management or leadership role within pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, or a comparable regulated environment, in addition to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree
• You have a strong command of current pharmaceutical regulations and guidances, including FDA, Health Canada, EU, and ICH, and know how to apply them in practice
• You are known for building and leading high‑performing Quality teams and coaching your direct reports to help build their technical capabilities, while holding the bar high on accountability
• You bring hands‑on experience with biological Drug Substance and aseptic manufacturing processes, including the testing requirements that go along with them
• You navigate systems such as ERP (SAP), eQMS, and LIMS with ease, and can hit the ground running in a tech‑enabled manufacturing environment
• You communicate with clarity and confidence, equally effective with technical experts and non‑technical stakeholders alike
• You're a self‑starter who takes ownership, drives results, and thrives on autonomy in a fast‑moving, mission‑driven environment

AbCellera’s hiring range for this role is CAD $124,000 - $155,000 annually, commensurate with your education and job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer equity, annual bonus dependent on team and company performance, and a 6% (non‑match) RRSP contribution.

You will…