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Scientist I - Quality Control, Microbiology

Catalent · Madison, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 9, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

This shift is Sunday to Tuesday, 6am to 6pm. How do you stay accurate through a twelve-hour day of testing?

What they are checking: Whether they can keep focus and documentation quality through long shifts in a GMP lab.

Tell me about a time you had an unexpected result. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they report honestly and follow procedure rather than retesting quietly until they get a passing result.

How do you work with manufacturing when your results might delay their batch?

What they are checking: Whether they communicate results clearly and stay firm on data integrity while respecting production needs.

What would you do

Your environmental monitoring sample from a Grade A area shows growth. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they report immediately, protect the sample and support identification rather than assume a lab error.

You realize a media lot you used may have expired the day before. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they stop, report and let the result be assessed instead of hoping it does not matter.

About the work

Which microbiology tests have you performed in a cGMP lab, such as bioburden, endotoxin or environmental monitoring?

What they are checking: Whether their bench experience matches the microbiology testing a biologics manufacturing site depends on.

Walk me through how you would run a kinetic chromogenic endotoxin test and what makes a run valid.

What they are checking: Whether they understand standard curves, spike recovery and validity criteria rather than just following steps.

How do you prevent false positives from your own technique when testing for bioburden?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that their own aseptic technique can create results that trigger costly investigations.

What does good documentation look like for a microbiology test that takes several days to read?

What they are checking: Whether they keep complete, timely records across multi-day incubations without filling them in from memory.

What lab instruments have you operated and maintained, and how do you know they are working correctly?

What they are checking: Whether they check calibration status and daily performance before trusting an instrument's result.

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The full job description

As published by Catalent.

Scientist I - Quality Control- Microbiology Position Summary: • Shift: Sun- Tues 6am-6pm • Location: Madison, WI • 100% Onsite Catalent’s Madison, Wisconsin site is a state‑of‑the‑art biologics development and manufacturing facility supporting customers from research through early‑ and mid‑stage clinical production. Located at 726 Heartland Trail in Madison, the approximately 102,700‑square‑foot GMP facility specializes in mammalian cell line engineering, drug substance biomanufacturing, and biopharmaceutical development, utilizing flexible single‑use systems to enable rapid scale‑up and customization. The site is home to Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® and GPEx® Lightning technologies, which are used to generate high‑yielding mammalian cell lines for biologic therapies, and supports production scales ranging from 50 to 4,000 liters for clinical manufacturing. Following a $45 million expansion announced in 2025, the Madison site has significantly increased capacity, added new equipment, and created approximately 200 highly skilled biohealth jobs, further strengthening its role within Catalent’s global biologics network and Wisconsin’s growing life sciences ecosystem. We have an opportunity for a Scientist I - Quality Control- Microbiology to join our team. In this role, you will perform cGMP Quality Control testing and ensure accurate documentation. You will operate laboratory equipment, assist in preparing technical documents, and maintain compliance with established procedures. This position involves active participation in team activities and maintaining a clean and organized laboratory environment. The Role: • Independently execute and properly document cGMP Quality Control testing. • Operate basic and moderately complex cGMP Quality Control equipment. • Assist in authoring technical documents such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and reports. • Perform self-review of analytical data for accuracy and consistency with SOPs. • Enter data into Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) or laboratory reports. • Perform general lab housekeeping in adherence to 5S standards. • Initiate and assist with records in Trackwise. • Accurately complete routine and preventive maintenance on basic to moderately complex equipment. • Actively participate in team meetings and training sessions. • Perform other duties as assigned. The Candidate: • Master’s Degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry or related life sciences field. • Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry or related life sciences field with a minimum of 3 years of industry experience. • Associate Degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry or related life sciences field with a minimum of 6 years of industry experience. • High School Diploma or equivalent with a minimum of 7 years of industry experience. • Experience with analytical chemistry and simple and moderately complex lab equipment. • Familiarity with clean room procedures, aseptic technique, and general lab equipment. • Knowledge of cGMP, Good Documentation Practices (GDP), or Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). • Experience following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). • General laboratory equipment experience, including micropipettes. Preferred Skills & Background • Experience with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Why You Should Join Catalent • Defined career path and annual performance review and feedback process • Diverse, inclusive culture • Potential for career growth on an expanding team within an organization dedicated to preserving and bettering lives • Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays • Community engagement and green initiatives • Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective day one of employment • Tuition reimbursement Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career! Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference. personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work. Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities. Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email, and confirming your request for an accommodation and include the job number, title and location to DisabilityAccommodations@catalent.com . This option is reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a disability. Information received will be processed by a U.S. Catalent employee and then routed to a local recruiter who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the application or hiring process. Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives: Catalent Pharma Solutions (Catalent) is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Catalent employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Catalent. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you. Important Security Notice to U.S. Job Seekers: Catalent NEVER asks candidates to provide any type of payment, bank details, photocopies of identification, social security number or other highly sensitive personal information during the offer process, and we NEVER do so via email or social media. If you receive any such request, DO NOT respond— it is a fraudulent request. Please forward such requests to spam@catalent.com for us to investigate with local authorities. California Job Seekers can find our California Job Applicant Notice HERE . Volunteer Work Disclosure: Applicants for employment in Massachusetts may include in their employment history any verified work performed on a volunteer basis. Massachusetts Lie Detector Test Notice: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law may be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Consistent with Massachusetts law, Catalent does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.

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