Principal Project Manager

Lonza Group Ltd.; Vacaville (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Medical, dental and vision insurance

401(k) matching plan

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Employee assistance programs

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Lonza Group Ltd. in Vacaville, California is seeking a Principal Project Manager to lead end-to-end capital and non-capital projects on site.

This fully on-site role ensures safe delivery, cGMP compliance, and schedules and budgets across engineering, MSAT, SHE, and QA. You will own project performance from design through commissioning, coordinate with Global Engineering and site teams, and manage external contracts to optimize delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent).
• Proven end-to-end project execution experience in regulated environments.
• Strong budget management and milestone delivery focus.
• Excellent communication with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of capital and non-capital projects on site.
• Own project performance, budgets, and milestone schedules for upgrades and construction.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, local, and EHS requirements.
• Communicate objectives, risks, and milestones with management and teams.
• Partner with procurement to manage external contracts and internal resources.
• Identify risks, resolve conflicts, and align stakeholders for successful outcomes.
• Refine project procedures and governance to ensure compliance.

Skills

Project management

Budget management

Stakeholder communication

cGMP knowledge

Risk management

Education

Bachelors degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Location: Vacaville, California This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards. The Principal Project Manager (PM), is responsible for managing capital and expense (non-capital) projects at the Vacaville site. This position ensures safe delivery, compliance with all applicable requirements, including cGMP quality, risk, schedule and budget. The PM shall work closely Global Engineering, and colleagues in Vacaville Facilities and Engineering (F&E), Manufacturing, Manufacturing Science and Technology (MSAT) Safety Health Environment (SHE) and Quality Departments.

What you will get

The full-time base annual salary for this position is expected to range between $159,750 to $266,250. In addition, below you will find a comprehensive summary of the benefits package we offer:

• Performance-related bonus
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) matching plan
• Life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance programs
• Paid Time Off

What you will do

• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex cGMP facility modifications, tech transfers, and capital projects from design through commissioning and closeout.
• Own project performance by strictly managing budgets and meeting milestone schedules for manufacturing upgrades and new construction.
• Ensure all engineering, construction, and operational activities strictly adhere to federal, state, local, and EHS regulatory requirements.
• Communicate project objectives, risks, and milestone status with senior management, client teams, procurement, legal, and F&E leadership.
• Partner with procurement to develop, negotiate, and manage external contracts and internal resources to optimize project delivery.
• Proactively identify project risks, resolve cross-functional conflicts, and align stakeholder expectations to ensure successful outcomes.
• Continuously refine project management procedures and ensure full compliance with internal project governance standards.

What we look for

• Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering.
• Proven expertise in end-to-end project execution, spanning scope definition, engineering design, procurement, construction, commissioning, start-up, and closeout.
• Strong executive accountability for strict budget management, accelerated delivery schedules, and enterprise milestone targets.
• Executive-level oversight of complex, highly regulated operational environments, ensuring absolute compliance with local, federal, and EHS standards.
• Exceptional ability to align expectations, communicate risks, and drive strategic alignment with senior leadership, legal, procurement, and client teams.
• Advanced expertise in orchestrating internal resources and partnering with procurement to negotiate high-value contractor and supplier agreements.
• Champion of continuous improvement, evolving site-wide project procedures, governance frameworks, and automation infrastructure.

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of. Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.