Engineering Manager – Owners Reps (Remote)

Planet Group; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Remote; USD 117,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Travel opportunities 25-50%

Long-term contract

Job summary

Planet Group is seeking a Senior Engineering Manager - Owner's Representative to support major capital construction projects in the pharmaceutical industry. The role provides engineering leadership, oversees external consultants and vendors, and ensures alignment with objectives, budgets and schedules.

This remote-friendly position requires 25-50% travel to project sites in Alabama and Virginia, with long-term contract potential and conversion to permanent employment after ~6 months.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive engineering experience in pharmaceutical/biotech capital projects.
• Experience as Engineering Manager or Owner's Representative.
• Knowledge of cGMP, process systems and facility infrastructure.
• Experience overseeing external consultants and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work remotely within US time zones and travel 25-50%.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering leadership across multiple disciplines on complex projects.
• Oversee external consultants, design firms, contractors and equipment vendors.
• Establish execution strategies, design review processes and technical requirements.
• Ensure activities align with scope, budget, schedule, safety and quality.
• Coordinate engineering decisions among internal teams and external partners.
• Oversee design through conceptual design, detailed design, procurement, construction and commissioning.

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Senior Engineering Manager - Owner's Representative

Location: Remote (Eastern or Central Time Zone preferred); Philadelphia, PA area preferred Travel: 25-50% to project sites in Alabama and Virginia Compensation: $85-$95/hour (W2) Employment Type: Long-term contract (12+ months), with potential for conversion to a permanent position after approximately six months Openings: 2 Start Date: ASAP

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Engineering Manager - Owner's Representative to support major capital construction projects within the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry.

This position will provide engineering leadership, technical oversight and project governance throughout the full lifecycle of complex pharmaceutical manufacturing facility projects.

The successful candidate will act as an owner's representative, overseeing external engineering consultants, design firms, construction partners and equipment vendors to ensure that engineering solutions align with project objectives, regulatory requirements, budgets and schedules.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior engineering professional with extensive pharmaceutical construction experience who enjoys leading multidisciplinary teams and overseeing complex capital projects.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership & Project Oversight

• Serve as the owner's primary engineering representative, providing technical leadership across multiple engineering disciplines.

• Oversee external engineering consultants, design firms, contractors and equipment vendors throughout the project lifecycle.

• Establish engineering execution strategies, design review processes, technical requirements and project deliverables.

• Ensure engineering activities align with project scope, budget, schedule, safety and quality requirements.

• Coordinate engineering decisions among internal stakeholders, external engineering partners and construction teams.

Engineering Design & Technical Management

• Oversee engineering activities from conceptual design and feasibility through detailed design, procurement, construction and commissioning.

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering reviews involving process, mechanical, electrical, civil, automation and facility systems.

• Review engineering deliverables, technical specifications, equipment packages and design documentation.

• Ensure designs comply with applicable industry standards, cGMP requirements and pharmaceutical manufacturing regulations.

• Evaluate design changes, technical risks, constructability and engineering solutions to ensure alignment with project objectives.

Construction, Commissioning & Validation

• Provide engineering oversight during construction, equipment installation, startup and commissioning.

• Coordinate with construction managers, contractors and vendors to resolve technical issues and maintain project schedules.

• Support commissioning, qualification and validation activities associated with pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

• Ensure engineering deliverables and installed systems meet operational, maintenance, safety and regulatory requirements.

• Oversee engineering documentation, system turnover and operational readiness activities.

Stakeholder & Contractor Management

• Collaborate with internal engineering, manufacturing, quality, validation, procurement and project management teams.

• Manage technical coordination among external engineering consultants, construction partners and equipment suppliers.

• Monitor engineering performance, identify potential risks and implement corrective actions.

• Communicate project progress, technical challenges and recommendations to senior leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil or a related engineering discipline.

• 15+ years of progressive engineering experience, including significant involvement in pharmaceutical, biotechnology or life sciences capital construction projects.

• Demonstrated experience as an Engineering Manager, Owner's Representative, Design Manager, Project Engineering Manager or similar technical leader.

• Proven experience overseeing multidisciplinary engineering teams and external engineering consultants on complex capital projects.

• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, cGMP requirements, process systems, clean utilities and facility infrastructure.

• Experience managing engineering activities throughout design, construction, commissioning, qualification and validation.

• Familiarity with EPC, EPCM, design-build or other major capital project delivery models.

• Strong understanding of engineering design reviews, technical risk management, project schedules and construction coordination.

• Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work remotely within Eastern or Central time zones and travel approximately 25-50% to project locations in Alabama and Virginia.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.

• Previous experience serving as an owner's representative on large pharmaceutical or biotechnology manufacturing construction projects.

• Experience overseeing engineering activities on major greenfield or brownfield pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

• Familiarity with pharmaceutical process equipment, automation, clean utilities, commissioning and operational readiness.

• Experience managing external engineering firms, EPCM contractors and multidisciplinary project teams.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive hourly compensation of $85-$95/hour.

• Long-term contract opportunity anticipated to last 12 months or longer.

• Potential conversion to permanent employment after approximately six months.

• Remote work arrangement with travel to major pharmaceutical construction project sites.

• Opportunity to support complex, large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing capital projects.

Overtime and holiday hours are compensated at straight time. Benefits and any permanent employment package will depend on applicable employment arrangements.