Deputy Commissioning Manager (#9BCTLJP00003532)

Smart Synergies; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Part-time telework

In-person 3 days/week

Job summary

Smart Synergies seeks a Deputy Commissioning Manager to oversee CQV activities for a cGMP pharmaceutical facility. You will coordinate with Engineering, Construction, QA, Validation, and Operations to ensure safe commissioning, robust documentation, and a smooth transition to Qualification and Operations.

This part-time telework role requires at least three days in-person weekly at the office or project site, and demands leadership of commissioning strategies, multidisciplinary collaboration,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• 10 years of industrial commissioning, startup, CQV, or facility operations experience.
• Minimum 5 years in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or regulated manufacturing.
• Experience supporting large capital projects.
• Experience with commissioning through qualification and operational readiness.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement commissioning strategies and plans.
• Coordinate day-to-day commissioning across multiple disciplines.
• Lead commissioning teams to milestones safely and efficiently.
• Manage schedules, resources, and system turnover priorities.
• Facilitate commissioning meetings and provide status updates.
• Coordinate CQV planning and readiness reviews.
• Ensure documentation supports regulatory expectations.

Skills

Collaborative leadership

Effective communication

Customer focus

Decision making

Problem solving

Role modeling

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

PE registration preferred

Job description

Job Summary:

The Deputy Commissioning Manager supports the Commissioning Manager in planning, coordinating, and executing all Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) activities for a cGMP pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. The role ensures systems are safely commissioned, thoroughly documented, and transitioned to Qualification and Validation in compliance with regulatory requirements, project procedures, and client quality standards.

The Deputy Commissioning Manager serves as a key interface between Engineering, Construction, Operations, Quality Assurance, Validation, Equipment Vendors, and Project Management teams to ensure successful project delivery from Mechanical Completion through Operational Readiness.

• Collaborate: Actively seeks out others’ opinions and input and is open-minded to their views. Challenges others appropriately and is also open to being challenged on their own views.
• Communicate: Is effective at adapting their communication style appropriately to their audience, providing context and using the right tone and level of information.
• Customer Focus: Prioritizes the customer needs and puts these at the forefront of all interactions. Ensure that others within their team maintain this same approach.
• Deliver: Demonstrates making well thought out, timely decisions and prioritization that leads to successful outcomes. Includes the right people at the right time.
• Problem Solve: Accurately assesses a situation to find the best solution or way of working in order to resolve the issues. It is focused on creating a long term fix rather than a short-term solution.
• Role Model: Contributes to the culture by inspiring and motivating others through their positive approach and attitude. Comes to work determined to do a good job, for themselves and for their team.

“This position is designated as part-time telework per our global telework policy and will require at least three days of in-person attendance per week at the assigned office or project. Weekly in-person schedules will be determined by the individual and their supervisor, in consultation with functional or project leadership”

Major Responsibilities:

Assist the Commissioning Manager in the development and implementation of commissioning strategies, procedures, and project execution plans.

• Coordinate day-to-day commissioning activities across process, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, controls, utilities, and automation systems.
• Lead commissioning teams and discipline engineers to achieve project milestones safely and efficiently.
• Support development and management of commissioning schedules, resource plans, and system turnover priorities.
• Facilitate commissioning meetings and provide regular status updates to project leadership.

CQV Integration

• Ensure alignment between Commissioning and CQV activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support development of turnover strategies between Construction, Commissioning, CQV, and Operations.
• Verify commissioning documentation supports Qualification requirements and minimizes duplicate testing.
• Participate in CQV planning sessions and readiness reviews.
• Coordinate with Validation teams to ensure documentation packages meet regulatory expectations.

cGMP Compliance

• FDA cGMP requirements
• EU GMP requirements
• ISPE Baseline Guides
• GAMP 5 principles
• Good Documentation Practices (GDP)
• Support data integrity and controlled documentation processes.
• Promote a quality-by-design and right-first-time approach throughout project execution.

System Turnover & Mechanical Completion

• Support development and management of:
  • System Boundary Drawings
  • System Turnover Packages (STPs)
  • Mechanical Completion Packages (MCPs)
  • Commissioning Turnover Packages
• Coordinate successful transition of systems from Construction to Commissioning and ultimately to CQV and Operations.
• Develop and maintain commissioning schedules, checklists, and test procedures.
• Develop and implement commissioning plans, test scripts, Energization Plans and acceptance criteria in alignment with project requirements
• Review and interpret drawings, P&ID diagrams, control schematics, and project specifications
• Coordinate with engineering, construction, QA/QC, and operations teams to ensure a seamless transition from construction to operations.
• Coordinate with Commissioning Team, Design Engineers, Construction teams, vendors, and owner representatives to resolve technical issues.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related technical discipline. Professional Engineering (PE) registration preferred.
• 10 years of industrial commissioning, startup, CQV, or facility operations experience.
• Minimum 5 years of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or regulated manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting large capital projects ($200M preferred).
• Experience with commissioning through qualification and operational readiness phases.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills for coordination with engineering, operations, and client teams.
• Experience in Commissioning or a technical consulting field such as facility design, engineering, construction management or related area.
• Identifies owner’s goals, needs, and expectations for building operation and function; identifies the Commissioning responsibilities.
• Demonstrated background working with multidisciplinary teams.

Technical Knowledge Strong understanding of:

• cGMP Regulations
• FDA and EU GMP Requirements
• ISPE Baseline Guides
• GAMP 5
• CQV Methodologies
• Mechanical Completion Processes
• Turnover Management
• Process Utilities
• HVAC Systems
• Building Management Systems (BMS)
• Environmental Monitoring Systems (EMS)

The Deputy Commissioning Manager will be measured by:

• Safe execution of commissioning activities.
• On-time system turnover and startup milestones.
• Successful CQV integration and regulatory compliance.
• Reduction of rework and duplicate testing.
• Quality and completeness of turnover documentation.
• Effective management of project risks and interfaces.
• Achievement of operational readiness and successful facility startup.