Critical Utilities Lead Engineer, Life Sciences

LJC; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

LJC is seeking a Critical Utilities Lead Engineer to provide technical leadership in planning, design, and delivery of clean utility systems for life sciences manufacturing. You will collaborate with process, mechanical, electrical, and construction teams to ensure regulatory-compliant, reliable, and well-integrated utility solutions.

Responsibilities include developing system architectures, supporting front-end pursuits, and mentoring junior engineers while upholding GMP/GxP, FDA, and ISPE

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 10–20+ years of experience designing critical and clean utility systems for life sciences manufacturing or regulated facilities.
• Experience leading design of utilities supporting manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with GMP/GxP, FDA expectations, ISPE Baseline Guides, ASME, and industry best practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and design of critical and clean utility systems for life sciences facilities from early planning through construction support.
• Develop system strategies for PW, WFI, clean steam, clean compressed air, process gases, and waste systems.
• Coordinate with process, automation, electrical, and building teams to integrate utilities with equipment layouts.
• Define architectures that satisfy GMP, GxP, and regulatory expectations, focusing on reliability and contamination control.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to LJC’s standards for critical utilities design.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Regulatory knowledge

Multidisciplinary coordination

BIM coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering

Tools

BIM software

CAD/engineering drawings

Project management tools

Job description

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $8.1 billion in revenue for 2025, Clayco specializes in the \"art and science of building,\" providing fast track, efficient solutions for mission critical, industrial, life sciences, power & energy, aviation, commercial, institutional, residential and sports & entertainment related building projects.

About LJC

LJC Design & Engineering is a full-service architecture, engineering, and design firm committed to enhancing the quality of the human experience through integrated design. We are a team of high-energy professionals who share a passion for design, a collaborative approach, and a casual culture. We solve challenges by leveraging the collective expertise and ingenuity of the best and brightest minds across development, design, and construction.

The Role We Want You For

LJC is seeking a Critical Utilities Lead Engineer to provide technical leadership in the planning, design, and delivery of clean and critical utility systems that directly support life sciences manufacturing operations. This role focuses on utilities that come into direct contact with the product or manufacturing process, requiring a strong understanding of regulated environments, system reliability, and operational risk.

The Critical Utilities Lead Engineer plays a key role in early project definition, system strategy development, and multidisciplinary coordination, working closely with process engineers, mechanical engineers, architects, and construction teams. This position is suited for an experienced utilities engineer capable of leading complex systems within a design-build delivery model and supporting front-end project pursuits.

The Specifics of the Role

• Lead the planning and design of critical and clean utility systems for life sciences manufacturing facilities from early planning through construction support.
• Develop system strategies for clean and critical utilities such as purified water (PW), water for injection (WFI), clean steam, clean compressed air, process gases (as applicable), process waste, biowaste, and associated distribution/collection systems.
• Collaborate with process engineers to align utility system capacity, quality, redundancy, and operational requirements with manufacturing processes.
• Define system architectures that support GMP, GxP, and regulatory expectations, including reliability, maintainability, and contamination control.
• Support front-end project efforts by contributing to proposals, utility narratives, conceptual system layouts, and client presentations.
• Lead technical discussions with clients related to utility system performance, risk mitigation, redundancy strategies, and lifecycle considerations.
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, architectural, and construction teams to ensure critical utilities are fully integrated with building systems and equipment layouts.
• Review calculations, drawings, specifications, and equipment selections to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with regulatory and project requirements.
• Support compliance with applicable codes, standards, and guidelines, including GMP/GxP, FDA, ISPE Baseline Guides, ASME, and relevant local regulations.
• Participate in multidisciplinary coordination and design reviews to resolve technical challenges and support constructability.
• Mentor and support the development of junior engineers involved in critical utility system design.
• Contribute to the development of LJC’s critical utilities design standards, tools, and best practices for life sciences manufacturing facilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10–20+ years of experience designing critical and clean utility systems for life sciences manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or other regulated production facilities.
• Demonstrated experience leading the design of clean and critical utilities that directly support manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of critical utility system design, including generation, storage, distribution, monitoring, and redundancy strategies.
• Experience coordinating utility systems with process equipment, automation, electrical systems, and building infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of applicable standards and guidance, including GMP/GxP, FDA expectations, ISPE Baseline Guides, ASME, and relevant industry best practices.
• Experience working in a design-build or fast-track project delivery environment preferred.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions, client meetings, and pursuit presentations.
• Familiarity with BIM-based coordination and documentation workflows.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure preferred but not required.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and manage complex technical challenges.

Some Things You Should Know

• Our clients and projects are nationwide
• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!

Why Clayco and LJC?

• 2025 Best Places to Work – St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2025 ENR Top 400 – Top Data Center Contractor (Top 3).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms – Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.