There are a lot of exciting jobs in the pharmaceutical field. You can even choose from a host of sub-categories or one that is split from the regular field. Something like biopharmaceuticals. One such job would be a manufacturing associate. When you do this job, you could play a big part in helping the giant machine that is devoted to making products for helping people move smoothly.

What would this job be like? What would you have to do? What exactly is the field of biopharmaceuticals? Read on to learn more about this role and see for yourself.

What Is a Biopharmaceutical Product?

This is a good thing to know before you start working in the field - though there are strict educational requirements, so there would be little to no chance that you would be applying for this blind. For those who do not know, these products are made, with a medicinal purpose in mind, from a person, animal, or microorganism. This differs from pharmaceutical companies, which make things out of chemicals.

These products can be used for certain types of therapy, like gene therapy. They can also possibly act as a preventative for diseases or conditions. Sometimes, medical professionals can even use one or more of these products to diagnose things. Vaccines can be seen as a biopharmaceutical product - they have been in the spotlight a lot lately thanks to the worldwide pandemic in 2020 and beyond.

Preparing Equipment and Material at the Biopharmaceutical Center

One of your main duties will be to prepare the equipment that will be used in creating biopharmaceutical products. This means you will be moving the equipment around, bringing the supplies too, and keeping track of the inventory. You need to be able to be organized and be able to move around the place efficiently and ensure that the other people working there have an easier time of it.

Throughout the course of your day, you will be monitoring certain equipment and making sure that it is working perfectly. If there is an issue with the speed of production, you can make changes to increase that output. Safety is very important, so you will be constantly checking to make sure that everyone there is following all safety regulations. This means looking at the processes and checking that they are following safety protocols and regulations.

Requirements

This is not a position that most people could walk into from the street and just start doing. You need to have certain degrees, like a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology, or industrial pharmaceutical technology. You should know what things like autoclaves and washers are. The people who do this job need to have experience with filing and aseptic processing, which is putting a sterile product into a sterile package in a sterile room - the job may not make it a hard requirement, but it is a good thing to have under your belt.

Another must-have is the ability to follow directions, which is important, since you are going to be involved in complex things that can make things that help sick people get well or prevent them from getting ill in the first place. Having a strong eye for detail is also important, since you need to be able to tell if something is off from one batch of product to the next, no matter how minor it may seem. You will most likely be working in a group environment, so you should be able to do your job working in those conditions.

The biggest concern you may have is whether you get any contamination with the materials or the equipment. This risk is there because of the things that you will be working with. It is important to be diligent when you are handling the equipment. That way, you can take extra steps to be as careful as possible. This is where your attention to detail will really have to shine, so that everyone can have a safe day at workday in and day out.

Also, while this is not directly related to your role as a manufacturing associate, there are also some fears that too much use of biopharmaceuticals could wind up possibly leading to drug inefficacy, which could be worrisome for those who might be afraid about drug-resistant or even drug-immune viruses coming out in the future. Still, science will always find a way. If this is something you love, it will be worth pursuing.

If you want to work in a job that involves science and your studies have pointed you in this direction, then you should certainly follow your passions. It could lead to a very long-term, rewarding career that you can look back on with pride. You could help create something incredibly useful.

If the pharmaceutical manufacturing associate job looks like something that you would enjoy and you have the qualifications, do not hesitate to reach out to us at Fladger Associates, Inc. We are always looking for good talent in that area of the field. We look forward to hearing from you, so contact us and our staffing HR in Bear, DE now!