Life Sciences Construction Program Lead

ERM; Warrendale (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Construction Program Manager to lead a multi‑stream capital program in a pharmaceutical or life sciences manufacturing environment. The role involves direct on‑site leadership, governance, and coordination across design partners, GC/CMs, and CQV teams to deliver scope on time and within budget.

You will manage integrated master schedules, cost control, procurement, and contract administration while maintaining safety and regulatory alignment throughout the program lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 12+ years managing complex capital construction projects, preferably as an owner’s representative or CM/GC.
• Track record of delivering projects safely, on schedule, and within budget.
• Strong CPM scheduling and cost-control capabilities; skilled with procurement and change management.
• Excellent communication and leadership; able to influence without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Act as owner’s representative and liaison among program leadership, design partners, GC/CMs, and contractors.
• Lead governance processes, risk/issue registers, action trackers, and meeting cadences.
• Ensure scope clarity, workstream alignment, and timely cross‑functional issue resolution.
• Create and manage integrated master schedules, phasing, and site logistics plans.
• Coordinate design development for constructability and CQV readiness.
• Develop contracting strategies, bid packages, and procurement timelines.
• Own cost and schedule performance including forecasting and contingency management.
• Perform critical path analysis and drive recovery actions as needed.
• Manage change control with contractors and vendors; negotiate scope, cost, and time adjustments.
• Lead bid solicitations, evaluations, and contract onboarding.
• Administer contracts with commercial/legal teams; validate progress and deliverables.
• Identify risks of claims and support dispute avoidance and resolutions.
• Maintain daily field presence to validate progress, sequencing, and plans.
• Coordinate with GC/CM on workface planning and constraint removal.
• Oversee QA processes including submittals, inspections, and punchlists.
• Champion safety expectations and ensure proper planning and execution.
• Interface with Client/GC/EHS teams to track safety concerns and corrective actions.
• Manage program risk register and implement mitigation and contingency strategies.
• Convert field data into concise executive-ready updates and dashboards.
• Lead coordination meetings across design, construction, operations, permitting, quality, and CQV.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

CPM scheduling

Cost control

Procurement

Stakeholder mgmt

On-site leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Procore/ACC

Excel

Power BI

BIM/VDC workflows

Job description

ERM is seeking a Construction Program Manager to lead a multi‑stream capital program in a pharmaceutical or life sciences manufacturing environment. The role involves direct on‑site leadership, governance, and coordination across design partners, GC/CMs, and CQV teams to deliver scope on time and within budget.

You will manage integrated master schedules, cost control, procurement, and contract administration while maintaining safety and regulatory alignment throughout the program lifecycle.