Nuclear Pharmacist - NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes

Are you looking to be part of a game-changing organization that has the potential to help cure cancer? NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is seeking individuals with a pro-active, collaborative, can-do mindset to join our rapidly growing team.

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is a growing, commercial-stage company focused on advancing patient care by providing therapeutic radioisotopes and novel radiopharmaceuticals to detect and treat cancer, and customized radiopharmaceutical development services.

Innovative technology, opportunities for career advancement, and competitive compensation are just the beginning. NorthStar offers health and life insurance, 401K match, paid holidays, and paid time off, and all NorthStar employees are eligible on day one for our annual bonus and equity incentive plans.

The Nuclear Pharmacist will handle radioactive materials within the scope of manufacturing and production of radiopharmaceuticals for clinical trials and commercial products. It is expected that this role will act as the subject matter expert (SME) for radiopharmaceutical preparations, and as such, will participate in routine operations and train operations staff accordingly. This includes equipment calibration, batch dissolution, product synthesis, dispensing of medical radioisotopes, and aliquoting of finished patient doses, while complying with procedures, instructions, and prescribed routines. The Nuclear Pharmacist will draw from experience and expertise to identify and troubleshoot issues, as well as recommend process improvements.

All duties and responsibilities will be completed in compliance with applicable regulatory agency standards.

This position supports production in a 24-hour manufacturing facility which means your schedule provides days off during the week when weekend work is required.  Early morning, late evening, weekend, and some holiday work will be required.

Physical demands may include, but not be limited to, specific vision abilities including near vision/acuity and visual color discrimination.

The work environment may include exposure to a heated/air-conditioned indoor office / manufacturing / cleanroom setting with adequate ventilation and lighting and outdoor environments with varying temperatures.  The noise level may vary from quiet to loud. Employees must be willing and able to wear various types of PPE, including, but not limited to, respirators, gloves, safety glasses, and protective clothing, as required by the job to ensure safety in potentially hazardous conditions.  Specific cleanroom requirements include employees needing to inform leadership about any health condition that may have an adverse effect on products, as well as compliance with gowning protocols.  This means all jewelry, including physically attached items, must not interfere with the effectiveness of personal protective equipment.  In addition, all cosmetics, fragranced products (perfumes, aftershave, etc.), and nail products are prohibited, including clear nail polish, artificial nails, and nail extenders. 

The company is a radiopharmaceutical manufacturer and radiation may be present in manufacturing and laboratory areas. Employees may be required to be monitored using company provided dosimetry and bioassay testing.

• Operate as the SME across various aspects of radiopharmaceutical manufacturing including but not limited to the manufacturing of the drug intermediate and finished dose production processes. This includes pre-production set-up, manufacturing processes, post-production activities, and waste stream management.
• Assist in the accurate and timely preparation and completion of records related to manufacturing, including Batch Records, Forms, Log Books, etc.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge of radiopharmaceutical compounding and dispensing procedures by staying current with drug manufacturing regulations and requirements.
• Mentor and train new manufacturing personnel on all safety, quality, and production systems. This includes sharing expertise on aseptic handling practices.
• Independently use, calibrate, and maintain all instrumentation required for radiopharmaceutical manufacturing operations.
• Plan and organize production Work Orders on the production schedule in collaboration with leadership.
• Author, review, and revise cGMP documentations, such as Batch Production Records (BPR), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Works Instructions (WI), and Production Checklists while upholding NorthStar’s QMS guidelines.
• Perform safety checks and routine inspection of the processing equipment and control systems, consumables, and cleanrooms to ensure compliant manufacturing. Notify leader of equipment or operating problems and the need for additional materials, supplies, or investigations.
• Maintain accurate inventory of materials and consumables, and coordinate equipment traceability under the direction of the leader.
• Perform and assist in maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility, equipment, and materials in accordance with NorthStar’s respective policies and procedures.
• Engage in completion of all workflows inside QMS including deviations, OOSs, change controls, document changes (DCO), and CAPA. Work cross-functionally on employing standardized root cause analysis, investigation tools and methodologies.
• Contribute to interdepartmental projects including production scale-up, product development, continuous process improvement which includes qualification and validation activities.
• Work with Facilities and Maintenance group on preventative maintenance (PM) review and troubleshooting implementation plan, and assist in tracking scheduled system maintenance and equipment calibrations while keeping an open line of communication.
• Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications by identifying and verifying appropriate materials, area conditions, and process for production. Communicate any abnormalities to the leader.

Pharm D or similar training and minimum two (2) years of experience in practicing nuclear pharmacy procedures.

Board Certified Nuclear Pharmacist (BCNP) credential is preferred.

Previous experience in a good manufacturing practices (cGMP) setting is preferred.

Must maintain an active pharmacist license. Authorized User of radioactive materials certification is required.

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is headquartered in Beloit, Wis. This location is our primary manufacturing site and accommodates all of our corporate functions. Beloit has small city charm, with a lively and renovated downtown, yet is also close to cities such as Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Rockford.

Beloit is a part of the larger South Central Wisconsin/Northern Illinois region, which offers residents and visitors alike a unique blend of urban opportunities and rural, natural beauty. The area, therefore, offers collections of natural, educational, artistic, and historical attractions alongside a wide variety of sporting and social opportunities. There are several cities and many towns within a reasonable commute of Beloit, which offer a wide choice of residential styles and a large number of school district choices for those considering relocation.

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.