Validation Technician |
Career OverviewA validation technician plays a keep role in quality assurance and monitoring of the production of the final product. Their role is to make sure that all regulation and safety protocols are being followed, to validate through data collection and analysis that all company and federal regulations are in place, and to make suggestions to improve the process if they are not.
The validation technician may also be required to troubleshoot problems during the production or manufacturing of a biotech product or may also be involved in helping to develop the various techniques used for production.
The validation technician must have good computer skills as well as be able to analysis and determine the relevance of data collected. Good communication skills both verbal and written are essential as routine reports on the various manufacturing processes will be required by a variety of agencies and supervisors.
The validation technician must have a clear understanding of SOPs (standard operating procedures) as well as a complete comprehension of required regulations both for the company, industry and any governing agencies.
|
Career RequirementsA validation technician should have at least a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. In addition most companies and facilities will require some job experience or supervised work time in a similar lab or production facility. Advanced placement for any validation technician over entry level will often require a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree or other related field.
A validation technician should have a clear understanding of all applicable protocols and guidelines. They should also be able to troubleshoot and keep record of all applicable documentation and reporting out to assure continued quality control within the facility.
|
Advertisement
|
Job OutlookA steady increase in biotechnology production has lead to a steady demand for validation technicians. As the quality control measures and reporting standards become more standardized and frequent across the industry the need for validation technician to monitor and report on adherence and maintenance of protocols should increase.
For those validation technicians that take additional training on calibration or manufacturing the opportunities in the workplace will increase. Working in as many different areas in the production and research facility will also increase experience base and provide additional options for advancement.
|
Career TrackValidation technicians with experience may work towards supervisory roles on various shifts or within specific areas of a biotechnology production line or facility. Additional training may lead to opportunities to become more involved in the research itself or in data analysis and collection.
Since validation technician are very involved in report writing and documentation they often gravitate towards the data analysis component of research and research design. Many validation technicians with experience in various labs and research facilities are part of the design and development team as well as work on troubleshooting and problem solving during and after the experiment is completed.
|
CompensationWith increasing levels of training and education the average salary of a validation technician increases. An entry level position with a 2-year science program and less than one years experience will earn between $21,000 and $25,000 per year.
A validation technician with a Bachelors degree and more than 5 years of experience can anticipate earning between $32,000 and $40,000 per year depending on the type of agency or facility. Additional training or education will be reflected in the yearly salary.
|
|
|