Mechanical Lead

Morgan McKinley; Athlone; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan McKinley is partnering with a leading pharmaceutical client to hire a Mechanical Lead for a major retrofit at an OSD facility. The role is client-side, reporting to the Senior Project Manager, and will be accountable for schedule, quality, safety and GMP compliance.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in pharma construction, proven EPCM management, and strong Quality/Technical attributes. This is a hybrid role with 4 days onsite and 1 day WFH.

Qualifications

• Degree qualification in Engineering.
• Relevant experience in pharmaceutical and GMP regulated manufacturing environments.
• Minimum 10 years experience in pharma construction and EPCM coordination.
• Experience managing Mechanical activities on large projects incl. demolition, HVAC, MEP, utilities and equipment installation.
• Client-side experience or acting as client representative is a major benefit.
• Strong Quality/Turnover experience managing handover to Operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Mechanical Client Representative on site for all mechanical activities across delivery phases.
• Act as client technical authority for installation activities, ensuring mechanical scopes are delivered.
• Manage interfaces between design, construction, CQV and operations to meet critical schedules.
• Oversee installation quality, manage vendor/contractor interfaces, resolve technical issues.
• Monitor installation progress, quality and compliance with design and specifications (engineering, safety, quality).
• Be involved in constructability reviews and sequencing plans.
• Provide structured progress reporting on schedule, quality, HSE, and risks.
• Drive risk management: identify, evaluate, mitigate risks; maintain risk registers.
• Manage turnover activities and ensure successful handover to CQV and Operations including docs, training, punchlists.
• Ensure robust health, safety and environmental standards on site by CM partner.
• Provide regular stakeholder communications to Senior Project Manager and governance forums.
• Drive resource planning and site resourcing to meet programme milestones.
• Advise on best-practice quality management and GMP/GEP compliance (CTOP, VTOP, test packs, deviation reports).

Skills

Mechanical leadership

GMP experience

EPCM management

HVAC & MEP

Construction site safety

Stakeholder management

Reporting & governance

Education

Degree in Engineering

PMP

Prince2

NEBOSH

Job description

Morgan McKinley is delighted to partner with a leading pharmaceutical client to hire for a Mechanical Lead on an initial 12-months contract.

Please note this is a hybrid opportunity with 4 days onsite, 1 day wfh.

Role Summary

Mechanical lead is required to lead and deliver mechanical installation activities onsite for a major retrofit of an OSD pharmaceutical facility. The role is client-side, reporting to the Senior Project Manager, and will be accountable for schedule, quality, safety, and compliance in a GMP environment. Candidates must have minimum 10 years' experience in pharma construction, proven management of EPCM partners and contractors as well as strong Quality/Technical attributes.

Key Responsibilities

The Mechanical Lead has the below key areas of responsibilities:

• Serve as Mechanical Client Representative on site for all Mech activities throughout the delivery and execution phase, reporting to the individual Project Managers and Senior Project Manager.
• The Mech lead will act as the client technical authority across installation activities ensuring delivery of Mechanical & equipment scopes.
• Manage interfaces between design team, construction, CQV (Commissioning, Qualification & Validation) and operations to ensure critical schedules are met, design is constructable and ensure smooth transition from Mechanical Completion (MC) to Commissioning & Qualification (C&Q).
• Oversee installation quality, manage vendor/contractor interfaces and drive resolution of technical issues across a complex programme.
• Monitor installation progress, quality and compliance with design and specifications, ensuring adherence to engineering, safety and quality standards.
• Mech Client rep in constructability reviews and sequencing plans.
• Provide clear structured reporting on progress, risks and issues.
• Drive risk management: identify, evaluate and mitigate risks; maintain and report risk registers.
• Manage turnover activities and ensure successful system handover to CQV and Operations including documentation, training and punchlist closure.
• Ensure robust health, safety and environmental standards on site are being maintained by CM partner.
• Provide regular progress reporting (schedule, quality, HSE) and stakeholder communications to the various /Senior Project Manager.
• Ensure best-practice quality management and documentation for GMP and GEP compliance (CTOP, VTOP, test packs, deviation reports).
• Drive resource planning and site resourcing to meet programme and milestones.

Essential Requirements

Experience and Education:

• Degree qualification in Engineering,
• Relevant experience in pharmaceutical and GMP regulated manufacturing environments.

Knowledge:

• Minimum 10 years experience, with demonstrable experience in pharmaceutical projects.
• Proven track record of managing Mechanical activities on large projects involving demolition, HVAC, MEP, utilities and equipment installation.
• Client-side experience or acting as client representative is a major benefit.
• Strong experience managing EPCM partners, subcontractor performance.
• Strong Quality/Turnover experience managing handover from W3 walkdowns through to successful system handover to Operations
• Demonstrated ability to manage interfaces with design teams and CQV/validation teams.
• Experience planning and delivering complex programmes with multiple work packages and discipline leads.
• Strong risk management and constructability review experience.
• Excellent stakeholder management and reporting skills; able to present to senior leadership and governance forums.
• Professional certifications (PMP, Prince2, NEBOSH, or equivalent) desirable.

Desirable

Key Competencies

• Leadership of EPCM teams on live construction sites.
• Strong Mechanical Technical knowledge
• Strong problem solving and decision-making under programme pressure.
• Strong advocate and understanding of health & safety on construction sites.
• Strong communication skills across various levels of the organisation
• Strong Mechanical Quality and Turnover experience