Staff Augmentation QMS Development Specialists

    Build quality systems that scale with your business through specialists who combine implementation expertise with the strategic vision to create sustainable quality infrastructure.

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    Access the QMS experts you need to build and maintain strong quality systems

    A quality management system isn't just a collection of procedures—it's the backbone that supports every aspect of your operations. Our QMS development specialists are the architects and builders of these critical systems, bringing both the technical expertise to design compliant frameworks and the practical wisdom to ensure they actually work in your unique environment.

    What makes our QMS developers different? They've lived through the entire lifecycle of quality systems, from startup simplicity to enterprise complexity. They understand that the elegant two-page procedure that works for a 20-person company becomes unwieldy at 200 people. They build systems that can grow with you rather than constraining you.

    Some of our QMS development specialists begin as project resources and transition into permanent quality leadership roles. It makes sense: who better to lead a quality system than the person who built it? This bridge-to-hire approach gives both parties confidence. You see their work ethic, expertise, and cultural fit in action. They learn your business, build relationships, and develop the institutional knowledge that makes great quality leaders. It's a natural evolution that benefits everyone.

     

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    Right-sized systems that match your maturity.

    Our QMS specialists don't over-engineer or under-build. They create quality systems appropriate for your current state while architecting for future growth, ensuring compliance without bureaucracy.

    Implementation expertise that drives adoption.

    The best QMS is worthless if no one follows it. Our specialists excel at change management, training, and creating user-friendly systems that operations teams actually embrace rather than circumvent.

    Regulatory foresight that prevents future pain.

    With experience across multiple regulatory inspections, our QMS developers anticipate what regulators will scrutinize. They build in the documentation, controls, and metrics that satisfy inspectors from day one.

    Knowledge transfer that creates self-sufficiency.

    Whether staying permanently or completing their project, our specialists ensure your team can maintain and evolve the QMS independently. They build internal capabilities, not consultant dependencies.

     

    Click to expand QMS development specialist roles we support

    QMS development roles that often bridge to permanent positions include, but are not limited to:

    • QMS Implementation Director
    • Quality System Architect
    • QMS Program Manager
    • Quality System Designer
    • Procedure Development Lead
    • QMS Transformation Specialist
    • Quality System Integration Manager
    • Electronic QMS Implementation Lead
    • QMS Harmonization Specialist
    • Quality Framework Developer
    • QMS Migration Manager
    • Compliance Framework Architect
    • Quality System Optimization Lead
    • QMS Change Management Specialist
    • Future Head of Quality (Bridge Role)

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    Is it time to augment your staff? When to engage QMS development specialists

    QMS development specialists are invaluable during company formation, pre-commercialization preparation, or post-acquisition integration. They're essential when transitioning from research to regulated operations, expanding to new markets with different requirements, or rebuilding systems after compliance issues.

    The bridge-to-hire model works particularly well for QMS development because it aligns project success with long-term ownership. Many organizations find that the specialist who builds their QMS becomes their ideal Quality Director or VP of Quality. The deep system knowledge and established relationships create a seamless transition from implementation to ongoing management.

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    Click to Expand A few frequently asked questions

    What is staff augmentation—and how does it work?

    Staff augmentation is a flexible workforce model where we provide full-time contracted professionals who work exclusively for your organization on a temporary basis. Unlike traditional consulting where advisors may serve multiple clients simultaneously, our staff augmentation consultants operate as specialized contractors that integrate directly into your team—following your processes, reporting to your management, and focusing solely on your priorities. This arrangement gives you immediate access to specialized expertise without the administrative burden, recruitment delays, and long-term commitment of permanent hiring.

    Our staff augmentation process follows these key steps:

    1. Needs Assessment: We begin with a detailed discussion of your requirements, including technical skills, experience level, project scope, timeline, and any specific certifications or backgrounds needed.
    2. Resource Selection: Our recruitment team identifies candidates from our network of thousands of consultants, including hundreds of former FDA personnel, who match your specific requirements. We present only the most qualified candidates (typically 1-2) for your consideration.
    3. Interviews and Selection: You interview the presented candidates and select the professional who best fits your needs. There's no obligation to proceed with any candidate who doesn't meet your expectations.
    4. Onboarding: Once selected, the consultant is quickly onboarded to your organization. They become integrated into your team, using your systems and following your processes.
    5. Management and Support: While you direct the day-to-day activities of the consultant, our account management team provides ongoing support to ensure your satisfaction throughout the engagement.
    6. Flexibility: The engagement can be extended, scaled, or concluded based on your evolving needs, with no long-term commitment required.

    What are the advantages of augmenting my staff?

    Staff augmentation offers several key advantages for drug, device, biologic, biotech, and others in the FDA-regulated industries:

    • Immediate Access to Expertise: Gain specialized skills right away—without the 3-6+ month recruitment timeline typically required for quality roles.
    • Flexibility: Scale your team up or down based on workload fluctuations without the administrative burden of hiring and layoffs.
    • Cost Efficiency: Avoid expenses associated with permanent employees, including benefits, training costs, office space, and technology.
    • Risk Reduction: Test-drive your position's roles and responsibilities before committing to permanent hires, reducing the risk of misaligned job descriptions.
    • Knowledge Transfer: Benefit from best practices and specialized expertise that contracted professionals bring from their experience across multiple organizations.
    • Focus on Core Activities: Let your permanent team concentrate on strategic priorities while contracted resources handle specific projects or workload surges.

    How do I know if staff augmentation is the optimal model?

    Staff augmentation is typically ideal in the following scenarios—however there are many more than this:
    • Temporary Gaps: When you need to fill critical positions quickly during transitions, leaves of absence, or unexpected departures.
    • Project-Based Needs: When timelines don't justify permanent headcount, such as remediation activities, system implementations, or facility startups.
    • Specialized Expertise: When you require specialized skills that aren't needed continuously but are critical for specific phases or projects.
    • Headcount Restrictions: When budget constraints or hiring freezes prevent permanent additions despite workload demands.
    • Uncertain Duration: When the timeline for resource needs isn't clearly defined, making the flexibility of staff augmentation particularly valuable.
    • Skill Validation: When you want to validate job descriptions and responsibilities before committing to permanent hires.

    If you're unsure whether staff augmentation is right for your situation, our account managers can help you evaluate your specific needs and recommend the most appropriate resourcing model. We do it all the time. Contact us.

    What industries and therapeutic areas do you staff into?

    We specialize in the FDA-regulated life science and medtech industries listed below. We also support Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs), Contract Research Organizations (CROs), and other service providers within these sectors. Our exclusive focus on FDA-regulated industries ensures that our consultants understand the unique regulatory requirements, quality standards, and compliance expectations specific to these sectors. This specialization allows us to provide resources who can contribute effectively from day one, without the learning curve typically associated with generalist staffing firms whose recruiters typically don't come from the industries they're hiring into.

    • Pharmaceuticals
      • Rx (Prescription) Drugs
      • Generic Drugs
      • Combination Products
      • Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications
      • Compounding Drug Products (including 503B facilities)
      • Orphan Drugs (for rare diseases)
      • Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
      • Radiopharmaceuticals
    • Medical Devices/Medtech
      • Diagnostics
      • Surgical Instruments
      • Implantable Devices
      • Wearable Medical Devices
      • Dental Devices
      • Ophthalmic Devices
      • Orthopedic Devices
      • Cardiovascular Devices
      • Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs)
      • Software as a Medical Device (SaMD)
      • In Vitro Diagnostic Devices (IVDs)
    • Biologics
      • Biosimilars
      • Vaccines
      • Blood and Blood Components
      • Allergenic Products
      • Peptides
      • CAR T-Cell Therapies
      • Tissue-Engineered Products
      • Monoclonal Antibodies
      • Cell and Gene Therapy
      • Stem Cell-Based Products
      • Recombinant Therapeutic Proteins

    What is the typical timeframe to bring on a staff augmentation resource?

    Once your requirements are defined, we typically present qualified candidates within 3-5 business days—often much faster—sometimes virtually immediately. After selection, most consultants can begin within 1-2 weeks, depending on their availability and any onboarding requirements specific to your organization. For urgent needs, we can often accelerate this timeline, particularly for common quality roles.

    What if the consultant or contractor isn't a good fit for our team?

    While our 95% first-time success rate demonstrates our ability to match the right resource to your needs, we understand that not every placement works perfectly. If you're not satisfied with a consultant's performance or fit, we'll work promptly to address your concerns or provide a replacement under our Total Quality Guarantee. Our goal is your complete satisfaction with every placement.

    What should I prepare for our initial discussion?

    To make our initial conversation as productive as possible and help us identify the perfect resource for your needs, consider preparing the following information:

    • Role Description: A brief outline of the position you need to fill, including key responsibilities and deliverables. If you have a formal job description, that's helpful but not required.
    • Required Experience: Specific industry experience, technical skills, or regulatory knowledge the ideal candidate should possess.
    • Project Scope: For project-based needs, a summary of the project scope, key milestones, and expected timelines.
    • Timing Considerations: Your ideal start date and the expected duration of the engagement.
    • Location Requirements: Whether the role requires on-site presence (and where), can be performed remotely, or requires a hybrid approach.

    Don't worry if you don't have all of this information prepared! Our account managers are skilled at asking the right questions to understand your needs. The more context you can provide initially, the more efficiently we can identify the ideal resource for your specific situation.

    I'm interested—what's the first step I should take?

    We make this very easy. The first step is simply to contact us for an initial conversation about your specific needs. Complete the form at the bottom of this page, and a dedicated account manager will reach out to you within one business day (often within hours) to discuss your requirements.

    During this initial conversation, we'll discuss:

    • The specific role or expertise you're seeking
    • Your timeline and duration requirements
    • Technical skills and experience levels needed
    • Your budget considerations
    • Industry-specific requirements
    • Location preferences (on-site, remote, or hybrid)

    After understanding your needs, we'll quickly identify suitable candidates from our network and present them for your consideration. There's no obligation to proceed, and we're happy to refine our search based on your feedback.

    The entire process is designed to be simple and responsive, with our team handling all the details to connect you with the right quality professional as quickly as possible.

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    Why work with The FDA Group?

     
    • Exclusive life science focus and expertise
    • Dedicated account management team
    • Right resource, first time (95% success)
    • 97% client satisfaction
    • Total Quality Guarantee

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    Case Study QMS Remediation Through Staff Augmentation

    The FDA Group helped a multinational pharmaceutical company eliminate its deviation and CAPA backlogs while implementing systemic quality improvements. Our team of 17 specialists tackled remediation activities, provided staff training, and ensured continuity of improvements across their QMS. The project was completed on time and under budget, restoring the company's compliance status without disrupting operations.

    Read the case study (PDF) »

    Case Study Long-Term Quality System Staff Augmentation

    Learn how The FDA Group partnered with a large clinical service company to manage its QMS remediation efforts and fulfill long-term staffing assignments for two vital roles in the management of the company’s quality and pharmacovigilance functions. This case study demonstrates the value of our convenient, cost-effective staff augmentation model as a means of circumventing the administrative costs and burdens of traditional hiring.

    Read the case study (PDF) »

    Our Proven Process

    Introductory Conversation

    • About Us
    • About You
    • Scope Of Work

    Resources Definition

    • Background And Expertise
    • Location Of Resource
    • Rate Rightsizing

    Proprietary Resource Selection Process

    • In-House Subject Matter Experts
    • Recruiting Team External Search
    • Resource Identification

    Resource Presentation

    • CV And Rate
    • Perfect Match Summary
    • Interview Call Coordination

    Agreement Processing

    • MSA And Addendums
    • Supplier Qualification
    • Kickoff Coordination

    Account Management

    • Project Management Of Resource
    • Satisfaction Management For Client
    • Total Quality Guarantee

    Start the conversation Let's connect about your specialized contingent staffing needs

    Ready to discuss your specialized contingent staffing requirements? We're here to help. When you submit this form, a dedicated account manager will review your needs and contact you within one business day—often within hours. Your information remains strictly confidential and is used solely to match you with the right quality resource for your specific requirements.