Dave Manchester

Dave Manchester has spent 16 years recruiting scientific talent. He started as a scientific recruiter at a large national staffing firm, the office's first hire after an 18-month hiring freeze, and became the number two recruiter in an office of about 40. He later launched and led KORE1's Scientific Division as Director of Scientific, and he is now back with KORE1 as a consultant. Dave partners with small and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers and quality departments to hire QC, QA and laboratory talent. His Blind Recruit method asks candidates what they want in their careers before they know which role or company is on the table, so the answers are honest. He holds a B.B.A. with a minor in Chemistry.

What Is a CDMO? A Hiring Manager’s Guide to Staffing Contract Manufacturing

September 28, 2026September 28, 2026 by Dave Manchester

Two cleanroom suites seen from a plant corridor, one lit with operators at a tablet press and one dark and idle

By Dave Manchester, Scientific Recruiting, KORE1 Is a CDMO just a factory you rent? Not quite. A contract development and manufacturing organization is a company that develops and manufactures drugs for other pharmaceutical and biotech companies under contract, from formulation and process development through clinical supply and commercial batches. The D is the part people … Read more

When Does a Small Pharma Company Need a Director of Quality?

September 25, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dave Manchester

Small pharma leadership team at a conference table with one empty orange chair and a lab behind a glass wall

By Dave Manchester, Scientific Recruiting, KORE1 When does a small pharma company need a director of quality? Most need one by the time their lead program leaves phase 1 and full CGMP under 21 CFR Part 211 applies, sooner if they add a second CDMO or face a pre-approval inspection. Here’s a quicker test. Who … Read more

Quality Manager Salary Guide 2026: Pharma and Contract Manufacturing

September 23, 2026September 23, 2026 by Dave Manchester

Quality manager in a white lab coat and hairnet walking a clean pharmaceutical plant corridor

By Dave Manchester, Scientific Recruiting, KORE1 Your quality manager just resigned, and finance wants the replacement posted at a salary site’s number. Would you sign off? Quality managers at U.S. drug manufacturers fall in a Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation that paid a median $138,990 in May 2025, while PayScale’s all-industry quality manager median sits … Read more

Quality Control Analyst Job Description Template 2026

September 21, 2026 by Dave Manchester

Blank sheet of paper on a clipboard beside clear safety glasses and an orange pen on a wooden desk

By Dave Manchester, Scientific Recruiting, KORE1 What should a quality control analyst job description actually say? A quality control analyst job description works when it names the instruments and methods the analyst will run, the product types, the shift, whether the lab records are paper or electronic, and the pay range. Most postings skip all … Read more

Quality Control Analyst Salary Guide 2026

September 19, 2026September 18, 2026 by Dave Manchester

Quality control analyst in a white lab coat sitting at a black epoxy lab bench, looking out a window at dusk

By Dave Manchester, Scientific Recruiting, KORE1 Is $62,000 enough to land a good QC analyst this year? A quality control analyst makes a median of $62,280 a year across all U.S. industries, but drug and medicine manufacturers pay a median of $78,350, going by Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025. Which of those … Read more

QC vs QA in Pharma: Two Departments, Two Different Hires

September 17, 2026 by Dave Manchester

Pharmaceutical quality control lab bench with clear beakers, conical flasks and a rack of sample vials beside an orange stool

By Dave Manchester, Scientific Recruiting, KORE1 QC or QA, which one are you actually hiring? In pharma, quality control tests raw materials, in-process samples, and finished product in the lab, while quality assurance owns the system around that testing, from batch record review and deviations to CAPA and audits. Two departments, two different hires, and … Read more