Planner/Scheduler - Life Sciences Construction

AcceleratedPM; Kankakee (IL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

AcceleratedPM is seeking a proactive Planner/Scheduler to support a major biopharmaceutical manufacturing expansion in the Kankakee, IL area. This hands-on role reports to a Senior Planner/Scheduler and focuses on schedule development, progress updates, field verification, contractor coordination, and project controls reporting.

The ideal candidate is a developing professional who takes ownership, thinks independently, and escalates concerns while growing into greater scheduling responsibility

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of experience in planning, scheduling, project controls, construction coordination, or related capital project role.
• Working knowledge of Oracle Primavera Cloud, Primavera P6, or a comparable CPM scheduling platform.
• Understanding of basic scheduling concepts, including logic relationships, float, constraints, calendars, milestones, baselines, and progress updating.
• Ability to understand construction sequencing and communicate effectively with contractors and field personnel.
• Experience collecting, reviewing, or validating construction progress information.
• Demonstrated initiative, personal accountability, and ability to work independently within assigned responsibilities.
• Strong follow-through and willingness to pursue outstanding information rather than wait for it to be provided.
• Ability to identify routine issues, propose solutions, and recognize when escalation is required.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to adapt to changing priorities and reporting deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard project reporting tools.
• Ability to work full time on site and comply with project safety and PPE requirements.

Responsibilities

• Support the development, maintenance, status updating, and analysis of project schedules using Oracle Primavera Cloud or similar Primavera-based platforms.
• Proactively collect progress, forecast, milestone, procurement, constraint, and turnover information from contractors and project stakeholders.
• Participate in field walks to verify installed work, confirm reported progress, identify constraints, and understand construction sequencing.
• Update actual dates, remaining durations, progress, logic, coding, and schedule narratives under the direction of the Senior Planner/Scheduler.
• Prepare look-ahead schedules, milestone reports, variance summaries, critical and near-critical activity lists, and dashboard inputs.
• Support planning meetings by preparing schedule extracts, documenting decisions, tracking commitments, and incorporating approved updates.
• Review contractor schedule updates for missing information, open ends, excessive constraints, unrealistic durations, incorrect calendars, and inconsistent progress.
• Maintain milestone trackers, constraint registers, action logs, progress records, and schedule documentation.
• Identify missing inputs, conflicting information, unsupported progress, and emerging schedule concerns and raise them promptly.
• Investigate routine schedule issues, develop an initial assessment, and recommend practical next steps.
• Support baseline development, reforecasting, earned value reporting, change control, recovery planning, and cost/schedule integration.
• Coordinate effectively with construction, engineering, procurement, quality, commissioning, validation, and project controls personnel.

Skills

Scheduling

CPM scheduling

Primavera Cloud

Primavera P6

Project controls

Microsoft Excel

Field coordination

Construction scheduling

Power BI

Acumen Fuse

Contruent

CMiC

Tools

CMiC

Power BI

Acumen Fuse

Contruent

Job description

Company: AcceleratedPM

Job Type: Full-time

Job Location: Kankakee, IL

Work Schedule: Hybrid (at least 4 days a week on site - relocation options available)

AcceleratedPM is seeking a proactive Planner/Scheduler to support a major biopharmaceutical manufacturing expansion in the Kankakee, Illinois area. Working under the direction of a Senior Planner/Scheduler, this individual will support schedule development, progress updates, field verification, contractor coordination, and project controls reporting. The ideal candidate is a developing professional who takes ownership, thinks independently, actively pursues required information, and identifies issues before they become problems. This is a hands-on role for someone with a practical, solutions-focused approach who wants to grow into greater scheduling responsibility.

Location/Travel:

• Heavy on-site presence required (4 days/week or more).


• Primary project location is in the Kankakee, IL/Bourbonnais Township area.


• Work environment includes construction offices and active construction areas where PPE and site safety requirements apply.

Role Focus:

• Support the Senior Planner/Scheduler in maintaining credible, logic-driven project schedules.


• Take ownership of assigned schedule areas, contractor packages, reports, and follow-up actions.


• Work directly with field and project stakeholders to obtain progress information, validate status, and identify constraints.


• Bring a proactive, can-do approach by investigating issues, proposing practical next steps, and escalating concerns appropriately.


• Develop practical knowledge of construction sequencing, procurement, turnover, commissioning, and project controls requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the development, maintenance, status updating, and analysis of project schedules using Oracle Primavera Cloud or similar Primavera-based platforms.


• Proactively collect progress, forecast, milestone, procurement, constraint, and turnover information from contractors and project stakeholders.


• Participate in field walks to verify installed work, confirm reported progress, identify constraints, and understand construction sequencing.


• Update actual dates, remaining durations, progress, logic, coding, and schedule narratives under the direction of the Senior Planner/Scheduler.


• Prepare look-ahead schedules, milestone reports, variance summaries, critical and near-critical activity lists, and dashboard inputs.


• Support planning meetings by preparing schedule extracts, documenting decisions, tracking commitments, and incorporating approved updates.


• Review contractor schedule updates for missing information, open ends, excessive constraints, unrealistic durations, incorrect calendars, and inconsistent progress.


• Maintain milestone trackers, constraint registers, action logs, progress records, and schedule documentation.


• Identify missing inputs, conflicting information, unsupported progress, and emerging schedule concerns and raise them promptly.


• Investigate routine schedule issues, develop an initial assessment, and recommend practical next steps.


• Support baseline development, reforecasting, earned value reporting, change control, recovery planning, and cost/schedule integration.


• Coordinate effectively with construction, engineering, procurement, quality, commissioning, validation, and project controls personnel.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Approximately 2-5 years of experience in planning, scheduling, project controls, construction coordination, or a related capital project role.


• Working knowledge of Oracle Primavera Cloud, Primavera P6, or a comparable CPM scheduling platform.


• Understanding of basic scheduling concepts, including logic relationships, float, constraints, calendars, milestones, baselines, and progress updating.


• Ability to understand construction sequencing and communicate effectively with contractors and field personnel.


• Experience collecting, reviewing, or validating construction progress information.


• Demonstrated initiative, personal accountability, and ability to work independently within assigned responsibilities.


• Strong follow-through and willingness to pursue outstanding information rather than wait for it to be provided.


• Ability to identify routine issues, propose solutions, and recognize when escalation is required.


• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to adapt to changing priorities and reporting deadlines.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard project reporting tools.


• Ability to work full time on site and comply with project safety and PPE requirements.

Preferred Skills:

• Pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, or other process-intensive project experience.


• Familiarity with commissioning, qualification, validation, turnover, or operational readiness activities.


• Exposure to clean utilities, process piping, HVAC, automation, electrical systems, controlled environments, or manufacturing equipment installation.


• Familiarity with earned value management, schedule quality reviews, or cost/schedule integration.


• Experience with Power BI, Acumen Fuse, Contruent, CMiC, or similar project controls tools.


• AACE, PMI-SP, PMP, or related certification, or interest in pursuing a professional certification.

Salary: $140k - $160k (1099 contract option may also be available)

Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package, including employer-matched Simple IRA, health, vision, and dental insurance, and PTO for W-2 employees. Relocation assistance is also available.