Fully Onsite VMI Technician - Bay Area
Avantor · Berkeley, CA
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Fully Onsite VMI Technician - Bay Area
@ AvantorFully Onsite VMI Technician - Bay Area
About the job
Avantor provides lab and production services to biopharma, pharma, and industrial clients. This role focuses on inventory control, material handling, and regulatory compliance to support critical operations across multiple sites.
Requirements
- 3+ years inventory management experience
- Proficient in ERP systems (SAP, Oracle)
- Valid driver's license and transportation
- Experience with chemicals and regulated environment
- Intermediate Excel skills
Qualifications
- High School Diploma or GED
- Associate or bachelor's in related field
- Knowledge of GMP, GLP, ISO standards
- Forklift operator certification
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow/Green Belt
Full job description
The Opportunity:
In this role, you will report to the Area Operations Manager and will work closely with the Avantor’s Lab and Production Services professionals to serve our customers by performing customized, mission-based lab work and research protocols that help return time back to science.
Location: Will be traveling to sites primarily in South San Francisco, secondarily in Union City (East Bay)
Hourly Range: $25 - $30
Shift: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm
Benefits:
- Health and Wellness: Medical, Dental, Vision and Wellness programs (eligible for medical coverage on day 1)
- Time Off: Paid Time Off (PTO), Company-paid holidays, Choice holidays etc.
- Financial Well-Being: Spending Accounts: Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), commuter benefits, 401(k), tuition assistance, employee stock purchase plan discount
- Added Protection Coverage: To include critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident, legal, identity theft protection, pet, auto and home insurance
- Recognition: Celebrate your peers and earn points to redeem on gifts and products
What we’re looking for
- Education: High School Diploma or GED required; Associate or bachelor's degree in supply chain management, logistics, chemistry, or a related field
- Experience: 3+ years of experience in inventory management, material handling, warehouse operations, or supply chain in a laboratory, pharmaceutical, biotech, or regulated environment
- Collaboration Tool: Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, data filtering) and Outlook
- Valid driver's license and reliable form of transportation are needed to perform job essentials
- Proficient use of ERP systems (SAP MM, Oracle or equivalent) for inventory transactions, reporting and data management
- Experience with barcode scanning, warehouse management systems and handheld data collection devices
- Working knowledge of chemical storage, segregation, compatibility and SDS reference procedures
- cGMP, GLP or ISO-regulated inventory or material management role with direct experience handling chemicals, solvents and reagents
- Advanced SAP MM or Oracle inventory module proficiency including item master maintenance
- Experience with Lean Six Sigma tools (5S, value stream mapping, root cause analysis)
- Knowledge of hazardous materials shipping and receiving regulations
- Experience with cold chain logistics including cryogenic material handling
- Familiarity with CAPA processes and quality management system requirements
- Forklift and powered industrial truck operator certification
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow or Green Belt
How you will thrive and create an impact
Avantor’s Lab and Production Services team is a crucial part of the Avantor Services group serving over 500 customers in biopharma, pharmaceutical, educational, industrial, and high-tech industries with customizable, flexible solutions and end-to-end laboratory operations support.
In this role you will:
Inventory Control and Variance Investigation
- Conduct and lead cycle counting activities across assigned stockrooms and storage areas
- Investigate inventory discrepancies by tracing transactions, verifying physical locations and identifying root causes
- Analyze patterns in variances to determine whether issues stem from miscounts, misplaced items, data entry errors or process gaps
- Recommend and implement corrective actions for recurring variance issues including process adjustments and retraining
- Reconcile system records with physical stock and resolve differences within established timelines
- Prepare variance reports with root cause analysis and corrective action summaries for supervisors and customers
- Support internal and customer-led inventory audits by preparing documentation and escorting auditors
Critical Material Management
- Manage the storage, handling, inventory control and distribution of consumables, chemicals, solvents and reagents
- Monitor shelf life, expiration dates and lot traceability for all date-sensitive and regulated materials
- Apply chemical compatibility and segregation principles when organizing storage locations
- Adjust storage protocols when expired, degraded or improperly stored materials are identified
- Coordinate with customer quality and EHS teams on material disposition decisions for non-conforming items
- Maintain accurate SDS files and verify that all stored chemicals have current safety documentation
- Track controlled substances and restricted materials per site-specific regulatory requirements where applicable
Receiving, Processing and Distribution
- Receive, inspect and process complex or high-value shipments including hazardous materials and controlled items
- Verify received goods against purchase orders, packing lists and quality specifications
- Manage receipt of temperature-sensitive shipments including cold chain validation and documentation
- Prioritize distribution of critical materials to ensure laboratory and production operations are not interrupted
- Process urgent and ad hoc material requests, applying judgment to balance competing priorities
- Oversee outbound shipments of hazardous materials ensuring government and carrier compliance
Supplier Issue Resolution
- Investigate and document supplier-related problems including late deliveries, short shipments, quality defects and substitution errors
- Communicate with supplier representatives to resolve open issues and obtain credits, replacements or corrective commitments
- Escalate chronic supplier performance issues to the Coordinator or Supervisor with documented evidence
- Identify alternative sourcing options when primary suppliers fail to meet delivery or quality requirements
- Track and report supplier performance metrics including on-time delivery, fill rate and quality acceptance rate
- Support vendor qualification and periodic review activities as requested by the customer or VWR management
Safety, Compliance and Quality
- Enforce chemical storage, handling and labelling compliance per government and site-specific regulations
- Conduct periodic safety inspections of stockrooms, storage areas and material handling equipment
- Lead or support investigation of safety incidents, near-misses and spills related to inventory operations
- Ensure GMP and GLP compliance in material handling, documentation and storage activities where applicable
- Participate in CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) activities related to inventory or material management findings
- Maintain training records and verify that all team members have current required certifications
- Serve as a safety resource for across bands Associates, reinforcing proper PPE use and hazard awareness
System Management and Data Integrity
- Execute complex inventory transactions including transfers, adjustments, reclassifications and write-offs in the ERP system
- Identify and correct data integrity issues such as duplicate records, incorrect unit conversions or mislinked lot numbers
- Generate and analyze inventory reports including aging, slow-moving stock, expiration and usage trend analyses
- Troubleshoot intermediate system issues and coordinate with IT support for escalated problems
- Configure and maintain barcode labels, bin locations and item master data within established guidelines
- Support system upgrades, patches and testing activities as needed
Customer Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
- Communicate inventory-related information, activity records, service level metrics and operational data to customers
- Provide information requiring explanation or interpretation, including variance findings and corrective action plans
- Participate in customer operational meetings, presenting inventory performance data and improvement initiatives
- Respond to customer inquiries about material availability, lead times and sourcing alternatives
- Build and maintain productive working relationships with customer laboratory, procurement and quality contacts
- Escalate service delivery concerns or customer relationship issues to the Coordinator or Supervisor promptly
Continuous Improvement and Team Development
- Identify process inefficiencies in inventory control, storage management and distribution workflows
- Propose and implement improvements using Lean principles and root cause analysis techniques
- Provide technical guidance and hands-on training to across bands Associates on procedures and best practices
- Document and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) as processes change or improve
- Participate in cross-functional improvement projects and site optimization initiatives
- Maintain current knowledge of inventory management best practices, regulatory changes and technology updates
Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
Why Avantor?
Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!
Pay Transparency:
The expected pre-tax pay for this position is
$41,000.00 - $66,125.00Actual pay may differ depending on relevant factors such as prior experience and geographic location.
EEO Statement:
We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at recruiting@avantorsciences.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.
For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the Know Your Rights poster.
Privacy Policy:
We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.
Your privacy is important to us. Please click here for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.
3rd Party Non-Solicitation Policy:
By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.