Senior Project Manager (m/w/d)

MKS Instruments, Inc.; Berlin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

MKS Instruments, Inc. in Berlin, Germany seeks a Senior Project Manager to lead large-scale equipment projects valued at €25M+. You will manage scope, schedule, budget and quality across global teams including engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, software, and service.

The role requires strong Agile expertise, cross-cultural collaboration, and frequent travel to Asia (especially Japan) to ensure successful delivery and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Project Management, or a related technical field.
• Extensive experience managing large-scale, global capital equipment projects.
• Experience applying Agile, Scrum, and hybrid delivery methodologies; SAFe a plus.
• Experience with Asia partners, especially Japan, and willingness to travel 30–50%.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and intercultural communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic capital equipment projects with full scope, schedule, budget, and quality accountability.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, software, and service.
• Apply Agile/Scrum to complex engineering workstreams and maintain transparent metrics.
• Manage customer and partner relationships, negotiations, and change orders.
• Identify risks and opportunities and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Project management

Agile / Scrum

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Intercultural communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering/PM

Job description

A Day in Your Life at MKS:As a Senior Project Manager, you will lead the execution of large-scale industrial equipment projects valued at €25M+, managing the full project lifecycle from contract handover to customer acceptance. You will coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, software, and customer organizations, ensuring successful delivery in a global environment. The role requires strong project management and Agile expertise, as well as close collaboration with customers and partners in Asia, particularly Japan, including extended travel during key project phases.You Will Make an Impact By:Project Leadership and ExecutionLead strategic capital equipment projects valued at €25M+, with full accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk management, customer satisfaction, project governance, execution planning, change management, and contractual compliance.Cross Functional LeadershipLead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams across engineering, software, manufacturing, supply chain, service, and customer organizations, ensuring stakeholder alignment, effective collaboration, and timely decision-making across global locations.Agile Project ManagementApply Agile and Scrum methodologies to complex engineering and product development workstreams.Facilitate Agile planning and execution activities, drive transparency through metrics and dashboards, and balance Agile development practices with milestone-driven project delivery.Customer and Commercial Management· Serve as the primary customer escalation point, building strong relationships with customers, partners, and suppliers while managing expectations, contract negotiations, claims, and change-order discussions.Risk and Opportunity Management· Identify and mitigate project risks, develop contingency and recovery plans, and drive continuous improvement through structured lessons learned.International Collaboration· Lead global projects across Europe, North America, and Asia, fostering effective cross-cultural collaboration and supporting localization and customer-specific requirements.Skills You Bring:· Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Project Management, or a related technical field.· High project/program management experience in industrial equipment, automation, manufacturing, or related industries, with a proven track record of delivering complex global projects.· Experience applying Agile, Scrum, and hybrid delivery methodologies in complex engineering environments; Agile certifications and SAFe experience are an advantage.· Experience working with customers, suppliers, and project teams across Asia, particularly Japan, with knowledge of regional business practices and cultures.· Willingness to travel internationally (approximately 30-50%) and spend extended periods in Asia during critical project phases.· Strong leadership, stakeholder management, problem-solving, decision-making, and intercultural communication skills, with the ability to influence, drive results, and operate effectively in complex global environments.#LI-CF1Globally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to various export control regulations. Applicants for these positions may be limited (by, for example, their countries of citizenship, country of origin, or immigration status) where required by law or governmental contact, and/or employment made contingent upon the issuance of appropriate governmental licensing.MKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“MKS”) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies. MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at: [e-mail] .If applying for a specific job, please include the requisition number (ex: RXXXX), the title and location of the role