Project Manager - Biologics (12-Months - Fixed Term Contract)
Erkrath, NW, DE, 40699
For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.
Job Description
Location: Remote support for our US operations
Work Schedule: This role may be based in Germany, Ireland, or the UK and requires primary availability aligned with U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) hours. The position supports both APAC-based clients and U.S. sites, so flexibility is essential. Candidates must be comfortable accommodating occasional evening or after-hours client calls as business needs require.
Overview
We are seeking an experienced, client‑facing Project Manager to support biologics testing programs within our GMP Contract Testing Organization. This role reports to the Manager/Senior Manager of Project Management (U.S.-based) and partners closely with laboratory, quality, logistics, sales, and client services teams to ensure timely, compliant delivery of GMP testing projects.
The Project Manager will manage our key client accounts and other client programs that require complex planning and in-depth analysis to ensure that projects meet client expectations and deadlines. Functions as the primary client contact, with guidance from senior scientific staff, for activities related to the planning and execution of client programs. Interacts with clients in order to understand their requirements to disseminate and partner with Business Development, Client Services, Operational Staff, and Quality Assurance Staff. Organizes, collects, prepares, and distributes information necessary to ensure operational milestones are met from the development of contracts to final reporting. Recommends and implements study management improvements.
Key Responsibilities:
• Manage project scope, timelines, and budgets, including submission of scope changes and contract revisions
• Lead client and internal project meetings; prepare agendas, minutes, and follow up on action items
• Develop and maintain project timelines using project scheduling tools (e.g. Smartsheet)
• Support accurate intake, log‑in, and tracking of client samples
• Coordinate shipping and logistics for samples sent to subcontract laboratories
• Manage and approve project costs and invoicing
• Ensure compliance with GMP, SOPs, biosafety practices, and relevant regulatory requirements
Minimum Qualifications
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)
• Bachelor’s degree in biological or physical sciences (or related field)
• 4+ years of project management experience in a laboratory or research environment
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, client‑facing role
• Proficiency with MS Office, Excel, MS Teams, Smartsheet, and project scheduling tools.
Preferred Qualifications
• CRO/CMO/CTO experience
• Experience working under a regulated system (cGMP, GLP)
• Current PMP certification
Physical Requirements
About Biologics Testing Solutions
With more than 50 years of experience and proven regulatory expertise, the Charles River Biologics group can address challenging projects for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Offering a variety of services such as contamination and impurity testing, protein characterzation, bioassays, viral clearance studies and stability and lot release programs, we support clients throughout the biologic development cycle, from the establishment and characterization of cell banks through preclinical and clinical studies to marketed products. Whether clients need stand-alone services, a unique package of testing, or insourced support, our Biologics group can create a custom solution to suit their needs. Each year more than 20,000 biologic testing reports are sent each and over 200 licenses products are supported by our biologics testing solutions team.
About Charles River
Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.
With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.
At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly supported the development of 80% of the drugs approved by the FDA in the last five years.
At Charles River Laboratories, we recognize and recruit all talent. We are a company committed to the principle of diversity and inclusion and work daily in this direction.
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Pharmaceutical, Laboratory, Project Manager, Quality Assurance, Science, Technology, Research