Vice President, Technical Operations

Vaxart is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a range of oral recombinant vaccines based on its proprietary delivery platform. Vaxart vaccines are designed to be administered using pills that can be stored and shipped without refrigeration and eliminate the risk of needle-stick injury. Vaxart believes that its proprietary pill vaccine delivery platform is suitable to deliver recombinant vaccines, positioning the company to develop oral versions of currently marketed vaccines and to design recombinant vaccines for new indications. Vaxart’s development programs currently include pill vaccines designed to protect against coronavirus, norovirus and influenza, as well as a therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), Vaxart’s first immune-oncology indication. Vaxart has filed broad domestic and international patent applications covering its proprietary technology and creations for oral vaccination using adenovirus and TLR3 agonists.

We are looking for a Vice President, Technical Operations to join our South San Francisco team. This is an onsite position in our South San Francisco Office.

The Vice President, Technical Operations provides strategic and hands-on leadership for Vaxart’s engineering, qualification and validation, facilities, maintenance and calibration, external supply, and CMC project management functions. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, this leader builds the systems, infrastructure, external network, and integrated execution plans required to advance oral recombinant pill vaccine candidates through clinical development, regulatory approval, commercial readiness, and broad distribution. The role translates innovative science into robust, scalable, compliant, and cost-conscious manufacturing capabilities while leading internal teams and external partners across technology transfer, supply chain, engineering, facilities, qualification, validation, and CMC project management.

- Oversee Vaxart’s facilities, utilities and equipment, including investments from concept and design through commissioning, qualification, start-up, and sustained operation.

- Set engineering, qualification, and validation strategies for internal and external operations, using lifecycle and risk-based approaches appropriate to each development phase.

- Develop robust, scalable, and cost-conscious external manufacturing and supply approaches for oral recombinant pill vaccines, with emphasis on product quality, patient safety, accessibility, and reliable distribution.

- Partner with Quality to maintain compliant, phase-appropriate systems and ensure sound, data-driven decisions across engineering, facilities, maintenance, calibration, qualification/validation, technical transfer and supply.

- Ensure CMC compliance with applicable FDA, EMA, ICH, and other global GxP requirements, and maintain inspection readiness across Vaxart and its external network.

- Provide CMC leadership for regulatory submissions, health-authority interactions, inspections, and responses.

- Build a high-performing, collaborative organization that reflects Vaxart’s guiding principles of fast execution, sound decision making, passion, quality mindset, and innovation.

- Establish meaningful performance measures for engineering, supply reliability, technical readiness, cost, schedule, and partner performance; use them to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.

- Lead technology transfers from planning through execution and regulatory approval, ensuring process knowledge, analytical readiness, control strategies, and lifecycle documentation are complete.

- Provide decisive technical leadership during investigations and troubleshooting at internal sites and external partners, using sound science and risk-based decision making.

- Provide end-to-end technical oversight of CDMOs and logistics partners supporting Vaxart’s oral vaccine pipeline, including partner selection, governance, technology transfer, capacity and supply planning, performance monitoring, issue resolution, continuous improvement, and development of resilient, flexible, cost-effective manufacturing capabilities that scale with clinical and future commercial demand.

- Ensure investments improve technical capability, manufacturing robustness, supply resilience, speed, and cost effectiveness for Vaxart’s oral vaccine platform.

- Build trusted relationships with internal partners, strategic collaborators, suppliers, and manufacturing partners to accelerate development and strengthen Vaxart’s operating network. 

- Serve as a senior CMC subject-matter expert for regulatory filings and health-authority interactions, partnering closely with Quality, Regulatory, Clinical, Research, Finance, and Program Management

- Foster an inclusive, accountable working environment that encourages learning, respectful debate, transparency, cross-functional ownership, and innovation everywhere.

- Model urgency without compromising quality, enabling Vaxart to move oral vaccine candidates efficiently from scientific promise to products capable of improving public health worldwide.

- Keeps current on regulatory and quality requirements and follows Environment, Health & Safety policies.

- Ensure all technical operations comply with applicable health, safety, and environmental regulations (e.g., OSHA, EPA, ISO standards, industry-specific rules) by fostering a safety-first culture across all technical teams, encouraging reporting of hazards and near-misses with a focus on continuous improvement.

- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, life sciences, or a related technical discipline; an advanced degree is preferred. The successful candidate will bring at least 20 years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical experience, including at least 15 years of progressive leadership in Technical Operations, CMC, manufacturing, or a closely related function, with accountability for external manufacturing networks and cross-functional teams.

- Demonstrated experience with technology transfer, scale-up, validation, clinical supply, and commercial readiness.

- Deep working knowledge of cGMP, FDA, EMA, ICH, and other relevant global requirements; experience preparing for and responding to regulatory inspections and partner audits.

- Experience authoring and reviewing CMC content for regulatory submissions and responding to health-authority questions.

- Experience overseeing CDMOs, contract laboratories, suppliers, engineering investments, and diverse production sites; solid financial and operational judgment is required.

- Proven ability to lead technical investigations, root-cause analysis, risk assessments, and data-driven decisions while balancing speed, quality, cost, and program risk.

- Exceptional communication, influencing, organizational, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed, clinical-stage biotechnology company.

- A collaborative, hands-on leadership style and a demonstrated commitment to innovation, scientific rigor, product quality, patient safety, and broad access to vaccination.

- Experience with oral solid-dose products, vaccines, biologics, combination products, or electronic quality systems is preferred.

- Excellent working knowledge of building, mechanical, and utility systems, including HVAC, electric, plumbing and security.

- Strategic mindset and executive presence with ability to partner with the Executive Leadership team to set and drive broad organizational strategy.

- Ability to translate organizational strategy and objectives into divisional goals and effectively execute.

- Strong problem solving and risk-based decision-making skills.

- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills with a strong ability to influence or manage without having direct authority

- Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing in both individual and group settings

- Excellent oral written communication skills and critical thinking skills.

- Ability to work as a team member, multi-task and able to adapt to shifting work priorities and requirements of a dynamic, fast-growing company.

In accordance with California’s Pay Transparency law, Vaxart’s base salary range for this position is approximately $300,000 - $345,000 USD annually. The actual salary for this role will vary based on a variety of factors including education, job-related knowledge, and experience. This range does not include equity, benefits, bonuses, or other non-monetary compensation which may be included.

Vaxart offers team members a competitive compensation and benefits package, including robust health plan options, bonus program, stock options, 401(k) with employer matching, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and work-life balance.

Vaxart is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. Equal opportunity and consideration are afforded to all qualified applicants and employees in personnel actions, which include recruiting and hiring, selection for training, promotion, rates of pay or other compensation, transfer, discipline, demotion, and layoff or termination. Vaxart provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, family medical history or genetic information, citizenship, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, military status, or any other basis protected by law.

NOTICE TO RECRUITERS AND STAFFING AGENCIES: Vaxart, Inc. has an internal recruiting department. Vaxart may supplement that internal capability from time to time with assistance from temporary staffing agencies, placement services, and professional recruiters ('Agency'). Agencies are hereby specifically directed NOT to contact Vaxart employees directly to present candidates. Vaxart’s recruiting team or other authorized Vaxart personnel must present ALL candidates to hiring managers.

To protect the interests of all parties, Vaxart will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Vaxart, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Vaxart mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Vaxart employees, or to Vaxart's resume database will be considered Vaxart property. Vaxart will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Vaxart will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees.

The Agency must obtain advance written approval from Vaxart's recruiting function to submit resumes, and then only in conjunction with a valid fully executed contract for service and in response to a specific job opening. Vaxart will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have such an agreement in place.