Chemistry Production Lead

At Biotage, we empower scientists to accelerate discovery, improve laboratory workflows, and advance the development of new medicines. Our innovative solutions support customers across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and contract research organisations worldwide.

Are you a hands-on chemistry manufacturing professional who enjoys leading people on the shop floor while staying close to the process?

We have an exciting opportunity for a Chemistry Production Lead to join our Cardiff team, supporting the manufacture of chemically formulated consumables such as sorbents, resins, and other chromatography media used in our separation science products.

As Chemistry Production Lead, you will provide day-to-day leadership of the Chemistry Production team, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing in a regulated chemical production environment. This is a practical, team-focused leadership role combining technical chemistry understanding with production coordination and people leadership.

You will play a key role in supporting production delivery, maintaining process consistency, developing team capability and ensuring that manufacturing activities are carried out safely, efficiently, and in line with quality and compliance standards.

• Lead, coordinate, and develop the Chemistry Production team to deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing output, including involvement in recruitment, onboarding, training, development, and performance management.

• Coordinate day-to-day production activities, ensuring resources, priorities and workloads are effectively managed to meet production requirements and schedules.

• Oversee the manufacture of chemically formulated consumables (including sorbents, resins, and chromatography media), ensuring adherence to approved procedures, batch records, andquality standards.

• Maintain strong standards of documentation, process control and compliance, ensuring all manufacturing activities meet internal and external quality requirements.

• Support production planning and performance monitoring by reviewing key production metrics to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure effective delivery.

• Provide hands-on technical support and guidance to Production Technicians and Operators , assisting with troubleshooting, process consistency, and resolution of manufacturing issues.

• Lead or support investigations into production issues, including root cause analysis, problem solving and implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).

• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, yield, process robustness, and operational efficiency.

• Work closely with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Planning, MSAT, and other stakeholders to support smooth production delivery and ensure SOPs, work instructions, and other production documentation remain accurate and effective.

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Chemistry or a relevant scientific discipline.

• Strong hands-on experience in chemical manufacturing, formulation, laboratory manufacturing, or a similar technical production environment.

• Good understanding of chemical processes, batch manufacturing, process controls, health and safety requirements, and quality systems.Experience in a team leadership or supervisory role within a manufacturing environment, with the ability to motivate, coach, and develop others.

• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to coordinate workloads, manage priorities, and support delivery of production targets.

• Experience investigating production or process issues and contributing to practical problem-solving and continuous improvement.

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with production teams and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Experience using production support systems, such as EMS, document control systems, and maintenance planning tools, would be beneficial.

• A proactive, hands-on approach with a focus on delivering results and maintaining high standards.