QC Laboratory Lead

Job Title: QC Laboratory Lead Job Description
The QC Technical Shift Lead acts as the primary technical resource on the laboratory floor, offering daily leadership and guidance to QC analysts while supporting testing operations in a GMP-regulated environment. This hands-on leadership role remains actively involved in laboratory operations rather than being purely managerial.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate daily testing priorities and assign workload to QC analysts.
- Monitor testing schedules and turnaround times to support manufacturing and product release timelines.
- Review analytical data and troubleshoot instrumentation and testing issues.
- Assist with investigations and ensure compliance with SOPs, cGMP requirements, USP, EP, and ICH standards.
- Collaborate closely with Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, and other cross-functional teams.
- Foster a culture of quality, accountability, and operational excellence within the team.
Essential Skills
- 4+ years of experience in a GMP-regulated QC laboratory.
- 1+ year of experience as a lead analyst, technical lead, or team lead.
- Strong understanding of cGMP requirements, SOP compliance, and regulatory expectations.
- Hands-on experience with HPLC, GC, and other analytical instrumentation.
- Ability to review and interpret analytical data accurately.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Strong troubleshooting and investigation skills.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related Life Sciences field.
- Experience with peptide products is highly desirable.
- Experience supporting manufacturing release testing is preferred.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity.
- Ability to coach analysts and support accountability within the laboratory.
- Ability to make sound technical decisions in a fast-paced GMP environment.
Work Environment
The position is based in an onsite laboratory environment within a GMP-regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. The role involves working in a fast-paced Quality Control laboratory, supporting shop-floor laboratory operations, and collaborating closely with QC Analysts, QA, Manufacturing, and site leadership. The position may require occasional overtime, evenings, or weekends to meet production and testing deadlines. Laboratory PPE and GMP gowning requirements apply, with a combination of standing, walking, laboratory work, and computer-based documentation activities.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of San Diego, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $33.00 - $40.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of San Diego, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 26, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in San Diego,CA. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

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regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
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Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
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It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
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