Lead Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer

Blackfield Associates; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackfield Associates are seeking an experienced Electrical Controls & Instrumentation SME to lead technical governance on a major pharmaceutical capital project in the Manchester area.

The role focuses on controls, instrumentation, BMS/EMS interfaces and critical process equipment, with three days on site per week, and the rest remote.

You will drive design assurance, stakeholder engagement, and compliance with GMP and SHE requirements across all design stages.

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a Controls Engineer or Instrumentation SME in highly regulated pharma environments.
• Strong leadership, design assurance and governance capabilities across major capital projects.
• Deep understanding of GMP requirements and interfaces with Design Contractors and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Engage stakeholders to capture technical requirements reflected in design.
• Develop project-specific technical requirements and specifications for controls systems.
• Review contractor responses and ensure alignment with project needs.
• Produce regular Design Assurance Reports and identify value engineering opportunities.
• Support risk assessment and GMP/SHE compliance throughout design and build.

Skills

Controls engineering

Instrumentation engineering

Technical leadership

GMP knowledge

Design assurance

Engineering governance

Contractor collaboration

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Electrical Controls & Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a major pharmaceutical capital project.

The successful candidate will provide technical leadership, design assurance and engineering governance across controls and instrumentation systems, working closely with project stakeholders, design contractors, equipment suppliers and work package teams.

The role will require three days per week on site in the Manchester area, with the remaining time worked remotely, subject to project requirements.

Responsibilities:

The role will cover controls and instrumentation across:

• Control systems and instrumentation.
• Building and process control interfaces.
• BMS and EMS interfaces from a controls and instrumentation perspective.
• Process and general instrumentation.
• Electrical/control interfaces.
• Process equipment controls.
• Critical and non-critical control systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Engage with key project stakeholders to ensure their technical requirements are understood and reflected in the design.
• Develop project-specific technical requirements and specifications for controls and instrumentation systems.
• Ensure relevant technical specifications and requirements are provided to the Design Contractor.
• Define and agree the required design deliverables for all design stages.
• Review Design Contractor responses to technical requirements and ensure project requirements are correctly incorporated.
• Prepare technical requirements for relevant package equipment and control systems.
• Attend project meetings and provide technical input as required.
• Participate in procurement strategies, including contractor pre-qualification, technical assessment and selection.
• Produce regular Design Assurance Reports to ensure ongoing technical alignment.
• Identify and support value engineering opportunities.
• Ensure GMP and SHE requirements are appropriately reflected within design deliverables.
• Participate in SHE and technical risk assessment activities and ensure appropriate mitigations are incorporated into the design.
• Provide technical guidance to Work Package Owner teams.
• Ensure technical solutions are aligned with project requirements, cost and schedule.
• Provide input into project planning and delivery strategies.
• Review relevant mechanical packages from a controls and instrumentation perspective.
• Review BMS descriptions of operation from a controls/electrical perspective where required.
• Review EMS URSs and associated documentation from a controls and instrumentation perspective where required.
• Support the development of system redundancy strategies and maintenance philosophies.
• Review and provide technical input into sustainability requirements.
• Respond to construction queries where the Design Contractor is unable to provide appropriate technical answers.
• Answer Design Contractor technical queries as required.
• Review Design Contractor enquiry specifications for relevant systems and provide technical input into bid evaluation and supplier selection.
• Review representative samples of drawings, calculations and technical documentation to ensure project requirements have been correctly interpreted.
• Support technical resolution of issues throughout design and construction.

Requirements:

• Significant experience as a Controls Engineer, Instrumentation Engineer, Controls SME, Instrumentation SME or Technical Authority within pharmaceutical, biotechnology or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience across controls and instrumentation engineering within major capital projects.
• Experience providing technical leadership, design assurance and governance.
• Strong understanding of GMP and engineering requirements within a pharmaceutical environment.
• Experience working with Design Contractors, suppliers and Work Package Owner teams.
• Experience reviewing technical specifications, drawings, calculations and design documentation.
• Experience with BMS, EMS and/or process control interfaces would be advantageous.
• Experience with process and building instrumentation, control systems and electrical interfaces.
• Strong understanding of technical risk management and design assurance.

Location & Working Arrangement

• Manchester area, 3 days per week on site.