About us

King’s College London (KCL) is an internationally renowned university ranking within the top 10 universities within the UK. As part of KCL we are dedicated driving positive and sustainable changes in society and realising our vision of making the world a better place.

Our group manufactures a variety of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) in state-of-the-art Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities for novel therapies of different cancers and rare diseases.

About the role

The Production Assistant is responsible for supporting the manufacture of different types of Investigation Medicinal Products (IMPs) and “Specials” for cell therapies, but especially viral vectors used in clinical trials, by taking care that the documentation, materials, equipment and facility are ready for use.

The tasks of the Production Assistant include reviewing and updating GMP documents like Standard Operation Procedures and forms, validating equipment and completing corresponding reports, confirming service status of equipment, cleaning and monitoring processing rooms, gathering and preparing materials into cleanrooms.

Furthermore, during manufacturing activities inside the cleanrooms the post-holder is guiding the operators through aseptic production processes according to written procedures, ensuring that all steps are carried out correctly, passing materials between differently graded environments, completing necessary process tasks in the cleanroom and filling in the documentation in line with the Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS).

For continuous improvements of processes, the Production Assistant is an active participant when investigations of deviations / quality exceptions are carried out and when corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) are implemented.

In addition to be able to work independently strong team play with other members of the production team, including senior staff, is required by the Production Assistant to receive the required support and to master all tasks in a timely manner to the required standards. Close interactions with other groups of the wider team, e.g. technical and quality staff, is also needed on a regular basis to ensure milestones are met and products delivered according to schedule.

The Production Assistant must be highly motivated and interested in working in the GMP manufacturing field. Previous GMP experience is desirable, but at least basic GMP knowledge and biological background is crucial. Broad range of training on GMP is provided as required.  

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria 

1. First degree in Biological Sciences or pharmaceutical background
2. Knowledge in GMP
3. Able to follow detailed written and verbal instructions
4. Good attention to details
5. Experienced in working in a multidisciplinary team
6. Able to work independently without direct supervision
7. Excellent organisational skills
8. Able to prioritise workloads in response to changing demands and requirements

Desirable criteria

1. Experience in GMP / cleanroom operations
2. Knowledge and experience in cell culture
3. Able to draft well-written instructions

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

We are not able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.