Associate Director, Engineering

Scorpion Therapeutics; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 142,000 - 224,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus and long-term incentive

Medical/dental/vision

Retirement (401(k))

Paid holidays/vacation

Compassionate and sick days

Job summary

Scorpion Therapeutics in Durham, NC seeks a Senior Capital Projects Manager to lead large capital projects and integrated portfolios in a manufacturing and lab setting. You will drive scope, schedule, budget, risk and commissioning, coordinating with sites, quality, EHS, procurement, and finance to deliver assets safely and on time.

You will develop execution plans, ensure compliance and startup readiness, coach engineers, and report through governance gates.

Qualifications

• 10+ years delivering capital/expense projects in manufacturing/lab/infrastructure environments; independent site/project delivery.
• Lead cross-functional teams; deliver in active facilities where safety/quality/compliance and startup readiness are critical.
• Project controls knowledge (cost, schedule, forecasting, change, risk, reporting); strong communication; sound judgment/decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Manage large capital projects or portfolios; deliver assets safely, on time, within scope and budget.
• Lead integrated cross-functional teams (GES, Site Engineering, Operations, Quality, EHS, Maintenance, Technology, Procurement, Finance, and external partners).
• Develop and execute project execution plans (scope, delivery strategy, procurement, construction, commissioning/startup, risk management, communications, closeout).
• Ensure projects meet business priorities, manufacturing needs, compliance, safety, standards, and approved capital objectives.
• Lead design development (scope definition, design coordination, constructability/value management, decision trade-offs).
• Support procurement/contracting strategies; manage budgeting/forecasting/financial reporting, cost control, contingency, and change control.
• Manage schedules (planning, sequencing, milestones/critical path, shutdown/tie-in coordination, recovery).
• Oversee execution (field coordination, contractor performance, construction safety interface, quality, issue resolution).
• Prepare governance/stage-gate/funding materials; manage project communications/escalations and risks.
• Coordinate execution in active manufacturing; manage commissioning/qualification/validation interface, turnover docs, closeout, and transition.
• Coach/guide engineers or project managers.

Skills

Capital project management

Cross-functional leadership

Change management

Regulatory compliance

Lean manufacturing

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

Responsibilities:

• Manage large capital projects or portfolios of smaller capital/expense projects; deliver assets safely, on time, within scope and budget.
• Lead integrated cross-functional teams (GES, Site Engineering, Operations, Quality, EHS, Maintenance, Technology, Procurement, Finance, and external partners).
• Develop and execute project execution plans (scope, delivery strategy, procurement, construction, commissioning/startup, risk management, communications, closeout).
• Ensure projects meet business priorities, manufacturing needs, compliance, safety, standards, and approved capital objectives.
• Lead design development (scope definition, design coordination, constructability/value management, decision trade-offs).
• Support procurement/contracting strategies; manage budgeting/forecasting/financial reporting, cost control, contingency, and change control.
• Manage schedules (planning, sequencing, milestones/critical path, shutdown/tie-in coordination, recovery).
• Oversee execution (field coordination, contractor performance, construction safety interface, quality, issue resolution).
• Prepare governance/stage-gate/funding materials; manage project communications/escalations and risks.
• Coordinate execution in active manufacturing; manage commissioning/qualification/validation interface, turnover docs, closeout, and transition.
• Coach/guide engineers or project managers.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.

Required experience/skills:

• 10+ years delivering capital/expense projects in manufacturing/lab/infrastructure environments; independent site/project delivery.
• Lead cross-functional teams; deliver in active facilities where safety/quality/compliance and startup readiness are critical.
• Project controls knowledge (cost, schedule, forecasting, change, risk, reporting); strong communication; sound judgment/decision-making.

Preferred:

• GMP/regulatory experience; relevant project types (upgrades, packaging, utilities, electrical, fire protection, energy resilience).
• Commissioning/qualification/validation and operational handover familiarity; capital governance/stage-gate exposure.
• External partner experience; Lean Project Delivery; mentoring; structured risk/constructability/operational readiness review tools.

Required skills:

• Adaptability, Capital Project Management, Change Management, Regulatory Compliance, Lean Manufacturing, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Technical Transfer, and related leadership/data/strategic decision skills.

Benefits/Compensation (if applicable):

• Annual bonus and long-term incentive
• medical/dental/vision
• retirement (401(k))
• paid holidays/vacation
• compassionate and sick days
• salary range $142,400–$224,100