Quality Assurance Lead - Scientific Testing & Anti-Doping Laboratory
On-site Quality Assurance Lead at LGC's Fordham (Cambridgeshire) anti-doping and scientific testing laboratory. They own and improve the Quality Management System, drive ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, lead audits and investigations, and develop digital quality tools like eQMS and SharePoint.
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Fordham, England, gb
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Lead
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Qa
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Substantial experience managing or leading a Quality Management System within an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory environment
- Strong understanding of accreditation requirements and translating them into effective, practical working processes
- Experience leading audits, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, risk assessments and change control
- Ability to assess quality risks, prioritise effectively and focus on improvements that deliver meaningful results
- Strong project management and organisational skills, coordinating activities across multiple teams and stakeholders
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, with confidence to challenge constructively and build credibility
Nice to have
- Experience improving quality systems or processes, ideally including eQMS, SharePoint or other digital quality tools
Full description
We’re looking for an experienced Quality Assurance Lead to help shape, strengthen and continuously improve quality across our scientific operations.
This is an on-site role based at our Fordham laboratory in Cambridgeshire. A regular on-site presence is essential to the role, working directly with our scientific and operational teams.The opportunity
This is more than a traditional quality compliance role. You'll work across a diverse range of scientific and operational teams, each with different processes, priorities and accreditation requirements. You'll need to understand those differences, build strong relationships and find practical solutions that maintain compliance without creating unnecessary barriers.
We're looking for someone who can turn “we can't do that” into “how can we make that work?”
You'll bring the technical credibility to challenge existing practices, the judgement to manage risk proportionately, and the people skills to bring others with you. Alongside maintaining a robust quality framework, you'll have the opportunity to improve systems, simplify processes and make better use of technology.
If you enjoy solving complex problems, influencing change and helping teams find better ways of working, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
What you'll be doing
- Lead quality across the business: Act as a trusted quality partner to scientific and operational teams, providing expert guidance on accreditation, compliance, risk and continuous improvement.
- Own and strengthen the QMS: Maintain and develop our Quality Management System, ensuring it remains effective, compliant and fit for purpose across different areas of the business.
- Drive accreditation and compliance: Interpret ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, support the ongoing development of our accredited quality framework and deputise for the ISO 17025 Quality Manager as required.
- Lead audits and investigations: Manage audit activity, root cause investigations, non-conformances, corrective actions, risk assessments and change control, ensuring actions address underlying issues and deliver lasting improvements.
- Turn challenges into solutions: Work collaboratively with teams to resolve quality issues, balance compliance requirements with operational needs and influence decisions at all levels.
- Improve systems and processes: Lead improvement initiatives, identify opportunities to simplify processes and support the development of our electronic Quality Management System (eQMS), including digital tools and SharePoint-based solutions.
- Coordinate projects and stakeholders: Work with internal teams and external accreditation bodies to plan and deliver accreditation activities, manage competing priorities and achieve successful outcomes.