Program Director Jobs at Thermo Fisher Scientific with Visa Sponsorship
Program Director jobs at Thermo Fisher Scientific sit at the intersection of scientific operations and strategic leadership, overseeing complex research, manufacturing, or commercial programs across a global organization. Thermo Fisher has a consistent track record of sponsoring work visas for qualified Program Directors, including H-1B visa and permanent residency pathways.
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Get Access To All JobsWork Schedule
Standard Office Hours (40/wk)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Office
Job Description
At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. As part of our team, you’ll help enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
The Sr. Quality Program Manager, Customer Defect Tracking & Resolution will lead the global intake, triage, tracking, escalation, and communication of customer-reported defects and quality issues. This role is responsible for ensuring a robust, compliant, and scalable process aligned with Thermo Fisher’s Quality Management System (QMS), applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, ISO), and customer expectations.
The successful candidate will bring strong technical expertise in quality or manufacturing engineering, combined with leadership capabilities to drive cross-functional collaboration, timely issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Quality & Compliance Leadership
- Ensure all customer defect tracking and resolution activities comply with Thermo Fisher’s QMS, including alignment with CAPA, complaint handling, and escalation processes.
- Maintain compliance with applicable global regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 820/210/211, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, as applicable).
- Support audit readiness and participate in internal and external audits related to customer complaints and defect management.
Customer Issue Intake & Case Management
- Lead the daily intake and documentation of customer-reported defects across multiple channels.
- Ensure accurate and complete case creation, including assignment of unique identifiers and proper documentation within approved systems.
- Establish and maintain standardized severity classification criteria to assess risk and customer impact.
Triage, Escalation & Prioritization
- Evaluate and triage incoming issues to determine appropriate escalation pathways and urgency.
- Assign severity levels and prioritize cases based on product risk, regulatory impact, and customer criticality.
- Drive immediate response and visibility for high-severity or critical escalations.
Cross-Functional Coordination & Ownership
- Assign case ownership to appropriate functions (e.g., Quality, Manufacturing, R&D, Supply Chain, Customer Support).
- Lead cross-functional collaboration to ensure timely investigation, root cause analysis, and resolution.
- Track progress, ensure accountability, and proactively remove barriers to resolution.
Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
- Serve as the central point of coordination for customer defect communications.
- Ensure consistent, accurate, and timely communication across internal stakeholders and customer-facing teams.
- Consolidate communications for similar or recurring issues to maintain alignment and clarity.
- Provide regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders on open and critical cases.
Data Analytics & Continuous Improvement
- Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including response time, resolution time, backlog, and recurrence trends.
- Analyze defect data to identify systemic issues and drive preventive actions.
- Partner with Quality and Engineering teams to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Drive process improvements to enhance efficiency, compliance, and customer experience.
Minimum Qualifications (Basic Requirements)
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Quality, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, or related discipline).
- 7+ years of experience in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related technical field.
- Demonstrated experience managing customer complaints, defect tracking systems, or escalation processes within a regulated environment.
- Strong knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS), including CAPA, root cause analysis (RCA), and risk management tools (e.g., FMEA).
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in life sciences, medical devices, diagnostics, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with complaint handling and regulatory reporting requirements (e.g., MDR, vigilance reporting).
- Experience with case management or defect tracking systems (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow, TrackWise, Jira).
- Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) or equivalent continuous improvement training.
- Experience supporting regulatory inspections and audits.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with attention to detail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues clearly to diverse audiences.
- Ability to assess risk and make sound decisions under pressure.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple high-impact issues simultaneously.
- Demonstrated leadership and influencing skills in a matrixed organization.
- Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
- May require occasional travel (up to 20%).
Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
As one team of 100,000+ colleagues, we share a common set of values – Integrity, Intensity, Innovation, and Involvement – working together to accelerate research, solve complex scientific challenges, drive technological innovation, and support patients in need.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range estimated for this position based in New York is $118,100.00–$177,200.00.
This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
- A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
- Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
- At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
- Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
- Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards
Work Schedule
Standard Office Hours (40/wk)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Office
Job Description
At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. As part of our team, you’ll help enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
The Sr. Quality Program Manager, Customer Defect Tracking & Resolution will lead the global intake, triage, tracking, escalation, and communication of customer-reported defects and quality issues. This role is responsible for ensuring a robust, compliant, and scalable process aligned with Thermo Fisher’s Quality Management System (QMS), applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, ISO), and customer expectations.
The successful candidate will bring strong technical expertise in quality or manufacturing engineering, combined with leadership capabilities to drive cross-functional collaboration, timely issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Quality & Compliance Leadership
- Ensure all customer defect tracking and resolution activities comply with Thermo Fisher’s QMS, including alignment with CAPA, complaint handling, and escalation processes.
- Maintain compliance with applicable global regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 820/210/211, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, as applicable).
- Support audit readiness and participate in internal and external audits related to customer complaints and defect management.
Customer Issue Intake & Case Management
- Lead the daily intake and documentation of customer-reported defects across multiple channels.
- Ensure accurate and complete case creation, including assignment of unique identifiers and proper documentation within approved systems.
- Establish and maintain standardized severity classification criteria to assess risk and customer impact.
Triage, Escalation & Prioritization
- Evaluate and triage incoming issues to determine appropriate escalation pathways and urgency.
- Assign severity levels and prioritize cases based on product risk, regulatory impact, and customer criticality.
- Drive immediate response and visibility for high-severity or critical escalations.
Cross-Functional Coordination & Ownership
- Assign case ownership to appropriate functions (e.g., Quality, Manufacturing, R&D, Supply Chain, Customer Support).
- Lead cross-functional collaboration to ensure timely investigation, root cause analysis, and resolution.
- Track progress, ensure accountability, and proactively remove barriers to resolution.
Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
- Serve as the central point of coordination for customer defect communications.
- Ensure consistent, accurate, and timely communication across internal stakeholders and customer-facing teams.
- Consolidate communications for similar or recurring issues to maintain alignment and clarity.
- Provide regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders on open and critical cases.
Data Analytics & Continuous Improvement
- Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including response time, resolution time, backlog, and recurrence trends.
- Analyze defect data to identify systemic issues and drive preventive actions.
- Partner with Quality and Engineering teams to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Drive process improvements to enhance efficiency, compliance, and customer experience.
Minimum Qualifications (Basic Requirements)
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Quality, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, or related discipline).
- 7+ years of experience in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related technical field.
- Demonstrated experience managing customer complaints, defect tracking systems, or escalation processes within a regulated environment.
- Strong knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS), including CAPA, root cause analysis (RCA), and risk management tools (e.g., FMEA).
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in life sciences, medical devices, diagnostics, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with complaint handling and regulatory reporting requirements (e.g., MDR, vigilance reporting).
- Experience with case management or defect tracking systems (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow, TrackWise, Jira).
- Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) or equivalent continuous improvement training.
- Experience supporting regulatory inspections and audits.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with attention to detail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues clearly to diverse audiences.
- Ability to assess risk and make sound decisions under pressure.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple high-impact issues simultaneously.
- Demonstrated leadership and influencing skills in a matrixed organization.
- Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
- May require occasional travel (up to 20%).
Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
As one team of 100,000+ colleagues, we share a common set of values – Integrity, Intensity, Innovation, and Involvement – working together to accelerate research, solve complex scientific challenges, drive technological innovation, and support patients in need.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range estimated for this position based in New York is $118,100.00–$177,200.00.
This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
- A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
- Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
- At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
- Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
- Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards
See all Program Director Jobs at Thermo Fisher Scientific
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Program Director Jobs at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Program Director Jobs at Thermo Fisher Scientific
Frame credentials around cross-functional program scope
Thermo Fisher's Program Director roles span R&D, clinical, and supply chain functions. Organize your resume and supporting documents to demonstrate leadership across multiple scientific or operational workstreams, not just technical depth in a single discipline.
Target business units with active hiring cycles
Thermo Fisher hires Program Directors across Life Sciences Solutions, Analytical Instruments, and Biosciences. Filtering open roles by division helps you identify which business units are actively staffing, so your application lands during a real hiring window rather than a backfill search.
Clarify sponsorship eligibility before your first interview
Thermo Fisher's recruiters routinely discuss visa status early in the screening process. Confirm whether the specific role and business unit have budget approved for H-1B sponsorship or PERM before investing time in multiple interview rounds.
Align your application timeline with H-1B cap deadlines
If you need a new H-1B, USCIS opens registration in March for an October 1 start. Targeting a Program Director offer at Thermo Fisher in Q4 or Q1 gives your employer enough lead time to register you in that cycle without rushing the I-129 filing.
Use Migrate Mate to surface Program Director openings with sponsorship
Search Migrate Mate's job board filtered to Thermo Fisher Scientific and Program Director to find roles where the company has confirmed a history of visa sponsorship, saving you from applying to postings that exclude international candidates.
Prepare for PERM documentation specific to science roles
If you're pursuing an EB-2 or EB-3 Green Card through Thermo Fisher, DOL's PERM process requires the employer to document that no qualified U.S. worker was available. Keep detailed records of your specialized scientific qualifications, as degree-field alignment is scrutinized closely for Program Director petitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Thermo Fisher Scientific sponsor H-1B visas for Program Directors?
Yes, Thermo Fisher Scientific sponsors H-1B visas for Program Director roles. The company is a registered H-1B employer and has a consistent history of filing petitions for professional and leadership positions across its scientific and operational divisions. Sponsorship availability can vary by business unit and hiring budget, so confirming early in the recruiter conversation is the practical first step.
How do I apply for Program Director jobs at Thermo Fisher Scientific?
Applications are submitted through Thermo Fisher's careers portal at thermofisher.com/careers. Search by job title and filter by location or division. You can also browse open Program Director roles with confirmed visa sponsorship history through Migrate Mate, which surfaces positions relevant to international candidates specifically. Tailoring your application to the division's scientific focus, whether clinical, analytical, or life sciences, improves your chances.
Which visa types does Thermo Fisher Scientific commonly use for Program Director roles?
Thermo Fisher sponsors H-1B visas for Program Directors requiring nonimmigrant work authorization, and supports permanent residency through EB-2 and EB-3 PERM-based Green Card petitions for longer-term hires. F-1 OPT and CPT are also supported for eligible candidates transitioning from graduate programs, and TN visa status is available for Canadian and Mexican nationals whose role qualifies under USMCA professional categories.
What qualifications does Thermo Fisher Scientific expect for Program Director candidates?
Thermo Fisher's Program Director roles typically require a bachelor's degree in a scientific or engineering field, with an advanced degree preferred for roles tied to R&D or clinical operations. Hiring managers look for demonstrated experience managing cross-functional programs, budget ownership, and stakeholder coordination at scale. For H-1B eligibility, your degree field must align directly with the program management function described in the job posting.
How do I navigate the visa filing timeline after receiving an offer from Thermo Fisher Scientific?
Once Thermo Fisher extends an offer, their immigration team, usually coordinated through an external law firm, initiates the Labor Condition Application with DOL before filing Form I-129 with USCIS. Cap-subject H-1B petitions must be filed for an October 1 start, so offer timing matters significantly. If you're on OPT with a STEM extension, you have up to 36 months of work authorization to bridge the gap while a petition is pending.