About Civica
Critical shortages of essential generic injectable drugs are an ongoing crisis in U.S. healthcare and have reached an all-time high. Over 300 essential medications are currently reported to be in shortage, according to industry and FDA reports.
Shortages put patients at risk and waste hospital resources.
Civica is a market-based nonprofit solution created in 2018 by health systems and philanthropies for the express purpose of preventing and mitigating drug shortages. Today, nearly 60 health systems have joined Civica, representing over 1,400 hospitals and approximately one-third of all U.S. hospital beds. Civica has also supplied the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile with essential medicines. Civica currently supplies medicines to health system members in 49 states.
Civica’s mission has expanded beyond the hospital setting to reach consumers directly through CivicaScript, which is dedicated to making quality outpatient generic medicines affordable and available. CivicaScript works with trusted manufacturing partners to develop quality generic medicines and has forged partnerships with like-minded payors, pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies to enable significant cost savings to be passed along to their customers.
Civica’s new 140,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Virginia will soon produce a steady supply of more than three dozen sterile injectables, all drugs that are currently in or near shortage. The plant will also produce affordable biosimilar insulins, ensuring all Americans have access to lower cost, quality insulins, regardless of their insurance status.
The Civica Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that fosters philanthropic support for Civica’s work to manufacture and distribute affordable medications. The Foundation’s first commitment is to support Civica’s efforts to bring affordable insulin to all Americans. Leaders from nearly every corner of the diabetes ecosystem are partners in this initiative.
Civica is leading a movement for patients, not profits. Because eliminating shortages and stabilizing high prices are in the best interest of patients.
Join us. Learn more at
www.civicarx.org
Job Description
Civica is searching for an
Associate Director – Sterility Assurance to support the growth and operational readiness of its Petersburg, VA facility, which will be the first generic drug product facility in the US to use all isolator-style high-speed filling lines. This individual will serve as a site-level technical leader responsible for establishing, executing, and continuously improving the sterility assurance control strategies that underpin Civica's aseptic manufacturing operations, including the Civica Affordable Insulin program .
The Associate Director – Sterility Assurance will work closely with cross-functional site teams including Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Engineering, and Regulatory Affairs to ensure that sterility assurance programs are robust, compliant, and fit for purpose for a high-speed parenteral manufacturing environment. This role reports to senior technical leadership and serves as the primary site SME for sterility assurance, supporting inspection readiness, investigations, and the continuous development of site capability — all in service of Civica's mission to "Do what's in the best interest of patients."
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
- The essential functions include, but are notlimited to the following:
- Establish, implement, andcontinuously improve site-level sterility assurance control strategies,including environmental monitoring, contamination control, personnelqualification, and aseptic process simulation programs, in alignment with cGMPregulations and current industry guidance (e.g., USP, EU Annex 1, FDA AsepticProcessing Guidance).
- Serve as the primary siteSubject Matter Expert (SME) for sterility assurance, providing technicalguidance to Manufacturing, Quality, and Engineering functions on mattersrelated to aseptic operations, contamination control, and microbiological riskmanagement.
- Lead and supportmicrobiological and sterility assurance investigations, including OOS/OOTresults, environmental monitoring excursions, and media fill failures, drivingthorough root cause analysis and the development of effective CAPAs.
- Support the design,qualification, and start-up of aseptic filling lines and associated barriersystems (isolators), ensuring sterility assurance requirements are incorporatedinto facility and equipment design from the outset.
- Develop, author, andreview GMP documentation including SOPs, validation protocols, technicalreports, contamination control strategies, and risk assessments in support ofsite operations and regulatory submissions.
- Lead and coordinateAseptic Process Simulation (media fill) programs, including design, execution,evaluation, and trending of results.
- Drive the development andmonitoring of the site Environmental Monitoring program, including datatrending, alert/action limit setting, and program effectiveness reviews.
- Support regulatoryinspection readiness and participate in health authority inspections (e.g.,FDA) as the site SME for sterility assurance, preparing relevant documentationand responses.
- Participate in externalindustry forums, technical conferences, and regulatory working groups to staycurrent with emerging guidance and best practices in sterility assurance,bringing relevant learnings back to the site.
- Build and developsite-level sterility assurance capability by mentoring and providing technicalguidance to junior scientists and cross-functional team members.
- Collaborate with networkand corporate technical functions to ensure site programs are aligned withbroader organizational standards and best practices, while maintaining aprimary focus on Petersburg site needs.
- Maintain a safe workenvironment and support all applicable Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE)goals and requirements.
Basic Qualifications (knowledge, Skills, And Abilities)
- Bachelor's degree inMicrobiology, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related disciplinerequired.
- Master's degree or PhD ina biological science preferred.
- Minimum 10+ years ofexperience in parenteral sterility assurance, environmental monitoring, orequivalent roles within a highly regulated pharmaceutical manufacturingenvironment.
- Deep technical knowledgeof sterility assurance science and compliance, including current regulatoryexpectations for aseptic processing, contamination control, and environmentalmonitoring.
- Hands-on experience withisolator or RABS barrier system technology in a parenteral manufacturingsetting.
- Demonstrated ability tolead microbiological investigations, perform root cause analysis, and developeffective corrective and preventive actions.
- Strong working knowledgeof applicable regulatory guidance including FDA Aseptic Processing Guidance, EUGMP Annex 1, and relevant USP chapters.
- Excellent written and oralcommunication skills, with the ability to present complex technical topics tocross-functional teams and regulatory agencies.
- Strong data analysisskills, attention to detail, and ability to make sound technical decisions in adynamic manufacturing environment.
- Ability to mentor anddevelop scientific talent in the field of sterility assurance and appliedpharmaceutical microbiology.
- Demonstrated ability towork cross-functionally and influence peers and stakeholders to advancetechnical and quality objectives.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supportinggreenfield or new facility start-up activities, including the establishment ofsterility assurance programs from the ground up.
- Familiarity withhigh-speed aseptic filling operations and isolator-based manufacturingenvironments.
- Experience participatingin FDA or other health authority inspections as a sterility assurance SME.
- Exposure to Annex 1 (2022)implementation and contamination control strategy development.
- Experience working in oralongside a network technical function or supporting multi-site sterilityassurance program harmonization.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands or fingers and handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
