What Jobs are available for Pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom?

Commercial Director – up to £150,000 plus bonus, car allowance

Do you want the opportunity within a brand new role to shape the commercial side of an expanding pharmaceutical business?

Shape the UK commercial strategy for a growing pharma business.

We’re retained exclusively by a UK pharmaceutical company to hire their first UK Commercial Director, a hands-on builder who will lead a small team of ICMs (Integrated Care Managers) and senior account leads to unlock growth across the NHS. This is within the ophthalmic sector but candidates with experience in other areas particularly oncology or cardio are encouraged to apply.

The job role:

The primary objective for the role of Commercial Director is to build on UK business and deliver a strategy for continual growth. As Commercial Director you will have the following duties within your role:

• Lead and develop a UK team (ICMs + managers)
• Build senior relationships across ICBs/ICSs, NHS trusts, hospital procurement and wholesalers.
• Partner with Market Access/Medical/Marketing to land value stories and budget-impact cases.
• Own UK commercial plan: segmentation, pricing & access strategy, pipeline, and forecast.
• Present strategy and performance to the Board.

The Person for this role:

To be successful in the role of UK Commercial Director, you will have a mixture of experiences and competences essential for this position:

• Senior commercial leadership in pharma (UK), with proven wins across ICB/ICS and hospital pathways.
• Experience in ophthalmology is ideal but also of interest would be oncology/cardiology but candidates with other pharmaceutical or medical device experience are encouraged to apply. 
• Fluent in NHS financing/coding/tariffs and how services get commissioned and scaled.
• Evidence of building teams/culture and hitting growth.
• Data-literate (Excel/PowerPoint/CRM) and calm under board scrutiny.
• A practical, straight-talking operator who gets things over the line.

The Package:

The successful candidate for the role of Commercial Director will receive a very competitive package:

• Base up to £50,000 (DOE) + bonus
• 20/month car allowance, private healthcare, 5% pension
• 26 days’ holiday + bank holidays

Aside from this very attractive package, this is a great opportunity for someone to take real ownership of the commercial strategy in the UK and make this role what they want it to be. There is real scope here.

Apply now for a confidential discussion and further details.

Key words: Commercial Director, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Ophthalmology

Location: UK-remote; ideal base London / Berks / Kent / Surrey / West Sussex / North Hampshire. Expect regular UK travel and monthly London/Board sessions.

Quay Recruitment Group Ltd are retained exclusively for this recruitment and specialise in Commercial, Senior hires and Compliance recruitment for pharmaceuticals, medical devices and MedTech.

Swindon (On-site)
50-75 per hour
Full-time | Monday to Friday | 8:30-16:40 | No shift work
Temporary contract | Immediate start available

We're looking for an experienced Sterility Assurance Lead (Senior QA Sterility SME) to take ownership of the site's Contamination Control and Sterility Assurance Strategy . This is a key quality leadership role within a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, ensuring the highest standards of compliance, safety, and product integrity.
As the site's subject matter expert, you'll drive continuous improvement, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and lead sterility assurance initiatives in line with the latest EU GMP Annex 1 and regulatory expectations.

• 
  Lead and maintain the site's Sterility Assurance and Contamination Control Strategies .
• 
  Oversee operational surveillance activities to minimise contamination and product risk.
• 
  Manage and assess quality events , deviations, and complaints related to microbiology or sterility.
• 
  Own and update the microbiology risk assessment and Sterilization-In-Place (SIP) strategy.
• 
  Write and review SOPs related to sterility assurance and support change control evaluations.
• 
  Review Environmental Monitoring (EM) data and lead continuous improvement initiatives.
• 
  Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members and QA staff.
• 
  Participate in meetings and cross-departmental projects to maintain compliance and timelines.

• 
  Master's degree in Microbiology (or related field).
• 
  Minimum 5 years' experience in microbiology or sterility assurance within the pharmaceutical industry.
• 
  In-depth understanding of GMPs , EU GMP Annex 1 , and regulatory compliance.
• 
  Strong knowledge of sterility assurance , validation , and contamination control principles.
• 
  Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• 
  Able to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate across departments.
• 
  Fluent in English (written and spoken).

• 
  Competitive hourly rate (50-75)
• 
  On-site role in a well-established, modern facility in Swindon
• 
  Supportive, professional environment with opportunities to make a real impact
• 
  PPE and equipment provided
• 
  Standard working hours (no shifts or weekends)

Commercial Director – up to £150,000 plus bonus, car allowance

Do you want the opportunity within a brand new role to shape the commercial side of an expanding pharmaceutical business?

Shape the UK commercial strategy for a growing pharma business.

We’re retained exclusively by a UK pharmaceutical company to hire their first UK Commercial Director, a hands-on builder who will lead a small team of ICMs (Integrated Care Managers) and senior account leads to unlock growth across the NHS. This is within the ophthalmic sector but candidates with experience in other areas particularly oncology or cardio are encouraged to apply.

The job role:

The primary objective for the role of Commercial Director is to build on UK business and deliver a strategy for continual growth. As Commercial Director you will have the following duties within your role:

• Lead and develop a UK team (ICMs + managers)
• Build senior relationships across ICBs/ICSs, NHS trusts, hospital procurement and wholesalers.
• Partner with Market Access/Medical/Marketing to land value stories and budget-impact cases.
• Own UK commercial plan: segmentation, pricing & access strategy, pipeline, and forecast.
• Present strategy and performance to the Board.

The Person for this role:

To be successful in the role of UK Commercial Director, you will have a mixture of experiences and competences essential for this position:

• Senior commercial leadership in pharma (UK), with proven wins across ICB/ICS and hospital pathways.
• Experience in ophthalmology is ideal but also of interest would be oncology/cardiology but candidates with other pharmaceutical or medical device experience are encouraged to apply. 
• Fluent in NHS financing/coding/tariffs and how services get commissioned and scaled.
• Evidence of building teams/culture and hitting growth.
• Data-literate (Excel/PowerPoint/CRM) and calm under board scrutiny.
• A practical, straight-talking operator who gets things over the line.

The Package:

The successful candidate for the role of Commercial Director will receive a very competitive package:

• Base up to £50,000 (DOE) + bonus
• 20/month car allowance, private healthcare, 5% pension
• 26 days’ holiday + bank holidays

Aside from this very attractive package, this is a great opportunity for someone to take real ownership of the commercial strategy in the UK and make this role what they want it to be. There is real scope here.

Apply now for a confidential discussion and further details.

Key words: Commercial Director, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Ophthalmology

Location: UK-remote; ideal base London / Berks / Kent / Surrey / West Sussex / North Hampshire. Expect regular UK travel and monthly London/Board sessions.

Quay Recruitment Group Ltd are retained exclusively for this recruitment and specialise in Commercial, Senior hires and Compliance recruitment for pharmaceuticals, medical devices and MedTech.

Swindon (On-site)
50-75 per hour
Full-time | Monday to Friday | 8:30-16:40 | No shift work
Temporary contract | Immediate start available

We're looking for an experienced Sterility Assurance Lead (Senior QA Sterility SME) to take ownership of the site's Contamination Control and Sterility Assurance Strategy . This is a key quality leadership role within a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, ensuring the highest standards of compliance, safety, and product integrity.
As the site's subject matter expert, you'll drive continuous improvement, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and lead sterility assurance initiatives in line with the latest EU GMP Annex 1 and regulatory expectations.

• 
  Lead and maintain the site's Sterility Assurance and Contamination Control Strategies .
• 
  Oversee operational surveillance activities to minimise contamination and product risk.
• 
  Manage and assess quality events , deviations, and complaints related to microbiology or sterility.
• 
  Own and update the microbiology risk assessment and Sterilization-In-Place (SIP) strategy.
• 
  Write and review SOPs related to sterility assurance and support change control evaluations.
• 
  Review Environmental Monitoring (EM) data and lead continuous improvement initiatives.
• 
  Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members and QA staff.
• 
  Participate in meetings and cross-departmental projects to maintain compliance and timelines.

• 
  Master's degree in Microbiology (or related field).
• 
  Minimum 5 years' experience in microbiology or sterility assurance within the pharmaceutical industry.
• 
  In-depth understanding of GMPs , EU GMP Annex 1 , and regulatory compliance.
• 
  Strong knowledge of sterility assurance , validation , and contamination control principles.
• 
  Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• 
  Able to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate across departments.
• 
  Fluent in English (written and spoken).

• 
  Competitive hourly rate (50-75)
• 
  On-site role in a well-established, modern facility in Swindon
• 
  Supportive, professional environment with opportunities to make a real impact
• 
  PPE and equipment provided
• 
  Standard working hours (no shifts or weekends)

• Design, develop, and validate innovative biological assays for drug discovery and development.
• Conduct complex experiments using state-of-the-art techniques in molecular and cell biology.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data, drawing sound scientific conclusions.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of research programs and project planning.
• Prepare and present research findings at internal meetings and external scientific conferences.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including medicinal chemists, pharmacologists, and toxicologists.
• Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks and contribute to the preparation of regulatory documents.
• Troubleshoot experimental challenges and develop solutions.
• Mentor junior research associates and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
• Stay current with the latest scientific literature and advancements in relevant fields.

• Master's degree or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in process engineering within the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry.
• Extensive knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes (e.g., API synthesis, formulation, sterile fill-finish).
• Proven experience with GMP, regulatory compliance, and validation protocols.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a track record of successful process optimization.
• Experience with process modeling and simulation software (e.g., Aspen Plus, HYSYS) is advantageous.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles is a plus.

• Lead the formulation development of new chemical entities (NCEs) and established drug products.
• Design and execute pre-formulation studies, including solid-state characterization, solubility assessment, and excipient compatibility.
• Develop robust and scalable manufacturing processes for various dosage forms (e.g., oral solids, injectables, topicals).
• Conduct stability studies according to ICH guidelines and interpret data to assess product shelf-life.
• Characterize formulated products using a range of analytical techniques (e.g., HPLC, dissolution testing, particle size analysis).
• Troubleshoot formulation and process-related issues, providing data-driven solutions.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including analytical development, regulatory affairs, and clinical operations.
• Prepare comprehensive technical reports, documentation for regulatory submissions, and presentations.
• Stay current with scientific advancements, industry trends, and regulatory expectations in pharmaceutical formulation.
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to a culture of scientific excellence and innovation.

• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Strong understanding of drug delivery principles, excipient science, and dosage form design.
• Proficiency in formulation development techniques and relevant analytical methodologies.
• Experience with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong project management and organizational abilities.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical information clearly.
• Experience working in a hybrid environment and proficiency with collaborative digital tools.
• A proactive approach and a passion for bringing life-changing medicines to patients.

• Lead independent research projects from conception to completion, aligning with the organization's strategic research goals.
• Design, develop, and validate novel experimental methodologies and assays.
• Conduct complex experiments, collect and meticulously analyze data, and interpret results.
• Troubleshoot experimental challenges and develop innovative solutions.
• Supervise and mentor junior scientists and research assistants, providing technical guidance and training.
• Prepare comprehensive research reports, manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations for scientific conferences.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including chemists, biologists, and clinicians.
• Manage laboratory resources, equipment, and consumables efficiently.
• Ensure adherence to all laboratory safety regulations, ethical guidelines, and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards.
• Contribute to grant writing and funding applications.
• Stay abreast of the latest scientific literature and technological advancements in the field.

• PhD in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, or a closely related life science field.
• A minimum of 7-10 years of post-doctoral research experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Proven expertise in drug discovery and development processes.
• Demonstrated success in leading research projects and publishing in reputable scientific journals.
• Extensive experience with relevant experimental techniques and instrumentation (specify relevant techniques based on likely sub-fields, e.g., cell culture, molecular cloning, protein analysis, high-throughput screening).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex scientific information clearly and concisely.
• Experience in supervising and mentoring scientific staff.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and independently.
• Proficiency in data analysis software and scientific literature databases.