ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

Director, GCP Quality Assurance

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals$165K — $207K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or a related field, or equivalent experience
  • 10+ years in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or regulated industry
  • 5+ years in GCP Quality Assurance and auditing
  • Experience as a Lead Auditor for GCP audits
  • Strong knowledge of ICH-GCP and applicable FDA, EU regulations
  • Experience conducting audits of CROs and investigator sites
  • Ability to apply GCP regulations to clinical operations

Responsibilities

  • Plan, schedule, and conduct GCP audits of various service providers
  • Prepare and finalize audit reports with tracked observations and actions
  • Develop and maintain GCP Quality Agreements with external partners
  • Maintain audit metrics and compliance reporting for management
  • Create and revise SOPs for GCP compliance activities
  • Manage internal GCP audit programs and effectiveness assessments
  • Provide GCP compliance guidance to cross-functional teams

Benefits

  • Competitive base, bonus, and equity packages
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) Plan with 1:1 company match
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan with price lock-in
  • Generous vacation and paid holiday policy
  • Paid parental leave and tuition assistance
Full Job Description
Position Summary

The Director, GCP Quality Assurance is responsible for leading Good Clinical Practice (GCP) audit activities across Acadia's clinical development portfolio to ensure compliance with applicable global regulatory requirements and internal quality standards. This role provides strategic oversight of GCP quality systems, manages audit programs, supports inspection readiness initiatives, and serves as a subject matter expert on GCP compliance.

Primary Responsibilities
  • Plan, schedule, conduct, and manage internal and external GCP audits of Contract Service Providers (CSPs), CROs, investigator sites, and supporting vendors to ensure compliance with company standards and global GCP regulations
  • Prepare, review, and finalize audit reports, ensuring observations, risks, and corrective actions are documented and appropriately tracked to resolution
  • Lead the development, review, and maintenance of GCP Quality Agreements with CROs, CSPs, and other clinical study partners
  • Maintain GCP audit metrics and deliver quality and compliance reporting to support management reviews, inspection readiness, and continuous improvement initiatives
  • Develop, review, and maintain SOPs and quality documents supporting GCP auditing and compliance activities
  • Manage the internal GCP audit program, including audit planning, execution, follow-up activities, and effectiveness assessments
  • Support mock inspections, regulatory inspections, and responses related to GCP studies and quality systems
  • Provide GCP compliance guidance and oversight to cross-functional stakeholders while ensuring adherence to FDA, ICH, EU, and other applicable global regulatory requirements
  • Recommend and implement improvements to GCP quality systems, processes, and procedures to strengthen compliance and operational effectiveness
  • Other duties as assigned

Education and Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or a related scientific discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
  • 10+ years of experience within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or related regulated industry
  • 5+ years of direct experience in GCP Quality Assurance, compliance, and auditing functions
  • Demonstrated experience serving as a Lead Auditor for internal and external GCP audits
  • Strong knowledge of ICH-GCP guidelines and applicable FDA, EU, and international GCP regulations
  • Experience auditing CROs, investigator sites, vendors, and other GCP service providers
  • Experience supporting regulatory inspections and inspection readiness activities
  • Ability to interpret and apply global GCP regulations to quality systems and clinical trial operations

Preferred Qualifications
  • SQA, ASQ, or Lead Auditor certification
  • Experience conducting global audits across US, EU, UK, Japan, and other international regions
  • Experience with clinical service providers and supporting functions such as eCOA, computerized system validation (CSV), and data management


Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, see, talk or hear in a standard office environment and independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Ability to travel independently overnight and work after hours if required by travel schedule and/or business priorities.

#LI-Hybrid

#LI-CS1

In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.

Salary Range

$165,900-$207,400 USD

What we offer US-based Employees:
  • Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage
  • 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
  • 15+ vacation days
  • 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
  • 10 days of paid sick time
  • Paid parental leave benefit
  • Tuition assistance

About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines to address unmet medical needs in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The company's lead product, Nuplazid (pimavanserin), is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis. ACADIA's pipeline includes product candidates for the treatment of schizophrenia, dementia-related psychosis, and major depressive disorder. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Learn more about ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
Size
500 employees
Market Cap
$2.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$281.5 million
Founded
1993
5 Year Trend
+94.6%
Revenue
$441.7 million
NASDAQ

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