Project Lead - Mechanical

Ward Personnel; Cork; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Ward Personnel is hiring an experienced Project Lead – Mechanical to oversee mechanical construction delivery across a pharmaceutical/biopharma facility. The role manages multiple small to medium capital projects (€100k to €40m) ensuring safety, compliant, and efficient execution of all mechanical scopes.

Reporting through the Construction Manager with cross-functional interfaces to engineering, procurement, commissioning, quality, safety and operations, the candidate will lead contractors and

Qualifications

• Significant mechanical construction experience in industrial, pharmaceutical, biopharma, life sciences, or other regulated environments.
• Experience leading contractors and multidisciplinary teams on small–medium capital projects.
• Experience managing safety, quality, schedule, cost, and commissioning milestones in live plant environments.
• Must operate through a limited company.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical construction delivery across piping, HVAC, utilities, equipment installation, testing, and turnover.
• Coordinate engineering & design with external design houses.
• Hire, coordinate, and manage contractors and vendors while interfacing with live plant operations.
• Ensure compliance with drawings, specifications, standards, permits, RAMS, and site procedures.
• Monitor progress, productivity, safety, quality, manpower, schedule, and contractor performance; escalate risks and implement recovery actions.
• Support material readiness, change control, technical queries, walkdowns, punch list closure, and handover.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, procurement, commissioning, quality, safety, and operations teams.

Skills

Mechanical engineering knowledge

Project leadership

Contractor management

Safety & quality focus

Stakeholder management

Education

Mechanical Engineering degree

Construction management qualification

Safety training

Tools

P&IDs

Isometrics

Permit-to-work systems

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Project Lead – Mechanical to oversee mechanical construction delivery across a pharmaceutical/biopharma facility. The role involves managing multiple small to medium capital projects ranging from €100k to €40m and ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient execution of all mechanical scopes.

This position requires operating through a limited company.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical construction delivery across piping, HVAC, utilities, equipment installation, testing, and turnover.
• Manage Engineering & Design coordination with external design houses.
• Hire, coordinate, and manage contractors and vendors while interfacing with live plant operations.
• Ensure full compliance with drawings, specifications, standards, permits, RAMS, and site procedures.
• Monitor progress, productivity, safety, quality, manpower, schedule, and contractor performance; escate risks and implement recovery actions.
• Support material readiness, change control, technical queries, walkdowns, punch list closure, and handover.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, procurement, commissioning, quality, safety, and operations teams.

Required Experience

• Significant mechanical construction experience in industrial, pharmaceutical, biopharma, life sciences, or other regulated environments.
• Strong working knowledge of mechanical systems, P&IDs, isometrics, specifications, construction work packs, inspections, testing, and turnover documentation.
• Proven ability to lead contractors and multidisciplinary teams on small–medium capital projects.
• Experience managing safety, quality, schedule, cost, and commissioning milestones in live plant environments.

Qualifications & Certifications

• Degree, trade qualification, or equivalent experience in Mechanical Engineering, Building Services, Construction Management, or related technical discipline.
• Project management and construction safety qualifications are desirable.
• Additional training in lifting operations, permit‑to‑work, pressure systems, welding quality is an advantage.
• Must operate through a limited company.

Core Competencies

• Safety & Quality Leadership — Delivers right‑first‑time construction with strong compliance and inspection readiness.
• Mechanical Delivery Expertise — Deep understanding of installation methods, sequencing, constraints, and commissioning dependencies.
• Project Execution Discipline — Skilled in structured planning, progress tracking, risk management, issue resolution, and commercial awareness.
• Stakeholder Management — Communicates effectively with contractors, engineering, commissioning, operations, quality, safety, and leadership teams.

Reporting Structure

Reports to the Construction Manager and/or Project Director, with regular interfaces across contractors, engineering, procurement, quality, safety, commissioning, and operations.