[Thanks G.]

So I've been assigned to hire a chemist for our beta design.  I know the tests we need but have no comprehension of the qualifications of the individual I need to perform them, the lab setup or equipment required to complete the process. I estimate the salary range approx $85-90k.  Would anyone like to help me get sorted out so that I can hire a qualified candidate?

The microbial and chemical contaminants of dried
marihuana must be within generally accepted tolerance
limits for herbal medicines for human consumption, as
established in any publication referred to in
(Schedule B to the Food and Drugs Act)...(any pharmacopia formulary wordwide)


Analytical testing for those contaminants and for the
percentages of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and
cannabidiol referred to in these Regulations must be
conducted using validated methods.

There, those are my basic requirements.. What qualifications, equipment and lab set up?

[AlphaScent]

Are you within Washington or Colorado OP?

To test the THC and cannabadiol content found within marijauna, you would need to use standards and an instrument call a Gas Chromatograph.  GC is commonly used in the chemical field.  It is quite simple once you have the machine.  You use your analytical standards to compare the peaks and from there you can get a concentration. 

The microbial contaminants are not going to be done by most chemists.  A biochemist maybe, but that will be done by a microbiologist.  Agar plates, microscope whole slew of things are needed to set that up. 

The other chemical contaminants is a crap shoot unless you know what you are looking for or also want to foot the bill for a mass spectrometer.

 

[Thanks G.]

Thanks, It gets me started.  I'm noticing GC/MS machine have quite a range..  ebay has some for $15,000 and I could get new state of the art for $150,000.  I know what I'd prefer but what can I get away with for a beta and still achieve the same result?  Colorado

[Arkcon]

What you're looking for is an analytical chemist with some specific experience -- the use of a GC/MS and knowledge of usage of a pharmacopeia -- either the USP, or EUP, or BP, or JP, whatever standard Canada uses for pharmaceuticals.  Start by looking at similar positions, and see what pharmacopeia is in use, or just ask someone you may know associated with pharmaceutical research and manufacture in Canada.

[Arkcon]

You have very similar needs to a position I held recently, for a whopping 3 days duration.  I lost that job in part because I didn't meet the owner's needs.  But also because they didn't want to hear what I had to say.  So let me tell it to you, now, before you end up buying a shiny new instrument, and expect all your problems solve themselves.

You will have to analyze a pharmaceutical to a standard required by the government.  Briefly, you will not be permitted to buy a fancy machine, say that it worked once, and analyze samples the same way, and say you're producing a product that is to the proper standard.  You will have to validate your system according to system suitability.  That means you will have to run standards, traceable to a government standard, at least every day, if not every time.  Control samples, prepared in the same way, will have to flank your unknown samples to be certain the system remains in calibration from sample to sample.  That's (part of) what system suitability means.  Validation is performed (in part) by deliberately deviating operating parameters by 10 % and proving that the results aren't affected.  You may also be called on to perform real-time and accelerated stability studies, to prove the pharmaceutical survives ordinary or harsh storage.  This is basically a PhD level job, for someone with very specific experience.  Their ability to run a GC-MS is actually trivial, compared to being experienced in the tasks I've outlined above.

Microbiology is totally different.  This is likewise, a very advanced skill-set, totally different, yet still held to the same standard.  Microbiologists work very long hours: preparing media, and dilution solutions, and preparing to take a sample.  When they're ready, and only when they're ready, they begin to take samples, and incubate them to see if some microbes grow, how much grow, and what microbes are growing.  Only then can they give an answer as to whether the samples meet government standards.  Often, they work in another room, where people who don't have to work aren't permitted to enter -- microbial contamination caused by the boss coming to chat them up will ruin all their work.  There are automated machines meant to perform such analysis, but they still need people to follow basic rule, in addition to being knowledgeable in their operation.

I'm a little bit worried for you, because you seem more than a little unprepared.  Let me give you a tip -- the $15,000 USD Ebay GC is almost certainly so broken down that it will not work.  But the brand new $150,000 USD one will not solve all your problems just because its expensive.  You say you're outfitting a laboratory -- do you have a functional laboratory already?  Do you have volumetric glassware, an analytical balance, a distilled water system and an autoclave?  You will need these things to support the functions you want to perform.

[JGK]

You should also look at what legislation you need to abide by, not just the regulatory oned. working with mateirial like Marijuana and THC could come with a host of legal and security issues. you may have to bear these in mind when it comes to lab setup and presonnel.

For example you may have to install secure storage for standard materials lab access may need 24/7 monitoring and you may have to significaltly add to building security. you may also need to appoint staff of significant calibre to appease the legal obligations of the work.

[Thanks G.]

Grossly unprepared in this field is an understatement.  Regardless, My job isn't to do the work, but to find someone suitable and have them define their needs with  construction and purchasing and come up with a cost effective model that can be replicated.  This is a beta site.  Your help is greatly appreciated.  I left that last comment particularly daft in the hope someone would take that stick and start swinging.  How much space will the lab require? 100 sq ft, 1000 sq ft? 1 lab, 2? What is a realistic cost to set it up to meet the requirements.

[Thanks G.]

JGK, The legislation, systems and protocols are my strong suits.  Those we're on.  The chemistry part is learn on the fly.