Project Director - Research Facilities PMC

Parsons; Dubai; On-site; AED 55,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Dubai is seeking a Project Director for Research Facilities PMC to lead flagship facility programs from initiation through commissioning and handover.

You will oversee technical, commercial, contractual, and controls functions, coordinating with clients, operators and authorities to meet objectives and drive value for complex research environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• A master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 20 years of experience in planning, design, management, and delivery of major capital projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of major research and development facility projects from initiation to handover.
• Provide executive direction across technical, commercial, contractual, and project controls.
• Act as primary senior interface with client, operators, authorities, stakeholders, consultants, contractors and partners.
• Establish governance, reporting structures, and decision-making processes.
• Mobilize and lead multidisciplinary project teams across design, construction, commercial, technical and operations.
• Oversee integration of laboratories, cleanrooms, specialist systems and critical utilities.

Skills

Project-Program Management

PMC leadership

Multidisciplinary leadership

Client management

Risk management

Cost management

Schedule management

Quality assurance

HSE

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Construction Management/Architecture/PM

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Project Director - Research Facilities PMC Job Snapshot

Role: Project Director - Research Facilities PMC

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Civil Engineering

Function: Project-Program Management

Experience: Minimum 20 years in planning, design, management, and delivery of major capital projects

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: 55000-80000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Role Context

The Project Director will provide executive-level leadership for large-scale research and development facilities delivered under a Project Management Consultancy model. The position will oversee the complete project lifecycle, from initiation and design coordination through procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, operational readiness, and final handover. The role requires close management of technically complex environments that may include research laboratories, cleanrooms, specialist utilities, critical building services, advanced digital systems, and operationally sensitive technical spaces. As the senior project representative, the Project Director will coordinate client priorities with delivery teams, consultants, contractors, suppliers, operators, and authorities. Strong governance and disciplined decision-making will be essential to maintaining project objectives while resolving technical, contractual, commercial, and stakeholder challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead overall delivery of major research and development facility projects from initiation through commissioning and handover.
• Provide executive direction across technical, commercial, contractual, operational, and project control functions.
• Act as the primary senior interface with the client, operators, authorities, stakeholders, consultants, contractors, and project partners.
• Establish clear project objectives, governance mechanisms, reporting structures, and decision-making processes.
• Mobilize and lead multidisciplinary project teams across design, construction, commercial, technical, and operational disciplines.
• Oversee the integration of research laboratories, cleanrooms, specialist technical systems, and critical utilities.
• Ensure building services and digital infrastructure align with facility performance and operational requirements.
• Direct coordination between specialist designers, consultants, vendors, contractors, and end users.
• Identify project interface risks early and drive coordinated resolution across responsible parties.
• Oversee procurement strategy and ensure package planning supports project sequencing and delivery objectives.
• Manage contractor engagement and monitor package performance against agreed milestones.
• Provide oversight of contract administration, commercial performance, claims, and change management.
• Lead project planning and scheduling activities and maintain focus on critical path requirements.
• Monitor cost performance and ensure effective budget control across project phases.
• Establish risk management processes and maintain visibility of significant project threats and mitigation actions.
• Direct project change control and ensure scope changes are properly evaluated before implementation.
• Maintain strong quality assurance processes throughout design, procurement, construction, and commissioning.
• Ensure HSE requirements are embedded in project planning and site delivery.
• Monitor compliance with applicable codes, standards, authority approvals, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead coordination of testing, commissioning, validation, and operational readiness activities.
• Ensure specialist systems are fully integrated and tested before facility acceptance.
• Oversee preparation of handover documentation, as-built records, O and M manuals, warranties, and training requirements.
• Maintain executive reporting on project progress, commercial status, risks, quality, safety, and key decisions.
• Resolve high-level stakeholder conflicts and remove blockers that could affect delivery.
• Maintain alignment between technical performance, client expectations, schedule, cost, and long-term operational requirements.
• Support final closeout and transition of completed facilities to the client and operating teams.

Ideal Profile

Candidates should hold a bachelor 's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Project Management, or a related discipline. A master 's degree is preferred. A minimum of 20 years of experience in the planning, design, management, and delivery of major capital projects is required. Candidates should demonstrate significant experience delivering complex research, laboratory, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, high-tech, or other advanced technical facilities. Strong familiarity with the design and construction requirements of research and development environments is essential, particularly where projects include specialist laboratories, cleanrooms, critical utilities, technical building systems, and operationally sensitive infrastructure. The role requires proven ability to manage large multidisciplinary teams, consultants, contractors, suppliers, specialist vendors, and facility operators. Candidates should have strong commercial, contractual, procurement, and claims management capability. Extensive experience with project controls is required, including schedule management, cost control, risk management, quality, reporting, and change management. Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, communication, and negotiation skills are essential. Professional accreditation such as PMP, RICS, CEng, PE, or an equivalent recognized qualification is preferred.

Skills Set

• Project-Program Management
• Project direction
• PMC leadership
• Research facilities
• Research laboratories
• R and D facilities
• Laboratory construction
• Cleanrooms
• Pharmaceutical facilities
• Biotechnology facilities
• High-tech facilities
• Advanced technical facilities
• Capital projects
• Multidisciplinary leadership
• Design management
• Construction management
• Technical integration
• Specialist utilities
• Critical utilities
• Building services
• Digital systems
• Procurement management
• Contract management
• Commercial management
• Claims management
• Change control
• Project controls
• Cost management
• Schedule management
• Risk management
• Quality assurance
• HSE
• Testing and commissioning
• Operational readiness
• Facility handover
• Stakeholder management
• Client management
• Authority coordination
• Consultant management
• Contractor management
• Vendor coordination
• Project governance
• Executive reporting
• As-built documentation
• O and M manuals
• Project closeout

Why Join Us

Large-scale research and advanced technology developments are among the most technically demanding areas of Civil Engineering and project delivery. This role offers the opportunity to lead facilities where laboratories, specialist systems, digital infrastructure, building services, and operational requirements must be integrated with exceptional precision. The position provides executive-level exposure to major capital project delivery, PMC leadership, complex procurement, commissioning, stakeholder management, and specialist facility development. Experience gained in this environment can support progression toward Program Director, Regional Project Leadership, Major Projects Executive, or broader infrastructure and capital delivery leadership roles.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, infrastructure, technology, construction management, and program management solutions for complex projects worldwide. Its teams support major capital developments by combining multidisciplinary engineering, technical coordination, project controls, commercial management, construction supervision, and executive project leadership from early planning through final handover.