Project Engineer III

Avid Bioservices, Inc.; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 93,000 - 116,000; Full time

Job summary

Avid Bioservices, Inc. in Costa Mesa, California, is seeking a Project Engineer III to lead capital and facility projects in a cGMP environment.

You will develop technical scopes, coordinate with cross-functional teams and contractors, and drive on-time, on-budget delivery with a focus on quality and compliance. The role requires working with Operations, Facilities, Quality and EHS to meet business needs, manage documentation, and support equipment qualification and turnover activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 6+ years of life sciences capital projects experience.
• Familiarity with cGMP and URS/DS/SOPs, and document control processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide general subject matter expertise and oversight of facility systems (process, layout, MEP).
• Develop and maintain project charters, scopes, schedules, budgets, risk registers, status reports, and closeout documentation.
• Coordinate engineering design, construction, installation, commissioning, and turnover activities.
• Partner with Operations, Facilities, Quality, EHS, Procurement, Finance to translate business needs into technical requirements.
• Coordinate contractors and vendors, including drawings, submittals, RFIs, site access, schedules, and turnover docs.
• Monitor project performance against scope, schedule, budget, and quality; identify variances and corrective actions.
• Identify and track project risks, constraints, dependencies, and change requests; support contingency planning.
• Ensure project work follows cGMP, company procedures, and approved change control processes.
• Prepare and deliver concise project updates and maintain project records.
• Support equipment and facility qualification activities and turnover packages.

Skills

Facility design

Project management

cGMP knowledge

Technical drawing literacy

Vendor coordination

Microsoft Office

Communication

Construction coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Bluebeam

Job description

Description

Looking to join a passionate team dedicated to developing and manufacturing life-saving biopharmaceuticals? Avid Bioservices is a leading clinical and commercial biologics CDMO focused on creating innovative solutions to meet the needs of our clients and improve patient outcomes.

Your Role:

The Project Engineer III supports the successful delivery of capital and facility projects in a cGMP environment from initiation and scoping through execution and closeout. The role supports CapEx project teams and CapEx Project Managers by developing technical scope of work documents, coordinating technical and construction activities, and partnering with cross-functional teams, contractors, and vendors to deliver defined scope, schedule, cost, quality, and compliance outcomes. The Project Engineer III works with growing independence on routine to moderately complex projects and escalates material risks, changes, or decisions requiring leadership approval. This role combines technical engineering judgment with disciplined project execution in an operating biopharmaceutical facility.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide general subject matter expertise and oversight of facility systems, including process and facility layout, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection.
• Develop and maintain project charters, scopes, schedules, budgets, risk registers, status reports, and closeout documentation for assigned capital and facility projects.
• Coordinate engineering design, construction, installation, commissioning, and turnover activities to support safe, compliant, and timely project delivery.
• Partner with Operations, Facilities, Quality, EHS, Procurement, Finance, and other stakeholders to translate business needs into clear technical requirements and project deliverables.
• Coordinate contractors and vendors, including drawings, submittals, requests for information, site access, work sequencing, schedules, and completion documentation.
• Monitor project performance against approved scope, schedule, budget, and quality expectations; identify variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Identify and track project risks, constraints, dependencies, and change requests; elevate material issues and support contingency planning.
• Ensure project work follows applicable cGMP requirements, company procedures, engineering standards, EHS requirements, and approved change control processes.
• Prepare and deliver concise project updates for stakeholders and maintain accurate project records throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support equipment and facility qualification activities and coordinate turnover packages with the appropriate technical and quality partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction engineering, construction management, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant technical experience.
• At least six years of relevant experience as a facility design architect or engineer, construction project engineer, or facilities engineer delivering capital projects in a life sciences cGMP production environment.
• Experience supporting and coordinating simultaneous capital projects through all phases of the project lifecycle, including planning, initiation, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and closeout.
• Working knowledge of cGMP regulations and operations, with familiarity with system lifecycle documentation such as URS, DS, and SOPs, and document control processes.
• Ability to read and work with technical drawings and specifications, including facility drawings, P&IDs, and equipment shop drawings.
• Familiarity with construction administration procedures and workflows, including design reviews, submittal and shop drawing review, and RFIs.
• Strong organizational skills in project file recordkeeping and management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and project documentation tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in architectural design or engineering, commercial construction, commissioning, qualification, or validation within a biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or other regulated life sciences environment.
• Experience with facility operations or facility construction on an operationally active manufacturing site.
• Experience with construction and equipment specifications, MEP/F, AutoCAD, Bluebeam, or drawing and document management systems.
• Experience supporting vendor or contractor selection, purchase requests, contracts, or capital budget tracking.
• Experience leading multiple projects simultaneously from conceptual design through closeout.
• Formal project management training or a relevant certification.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This role is a full-time, on-site, exempt position based in Costa Mesa, California. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday unless otherwise stated by Supervisor. Project needs may occasionally require work outside regular business hours to support construction, shutdown, commissioning, or facility activities.

Compensation:

We offer competitive compensation packages for this role, including a base salary, performance-based bonuses, and comprehensive benefits such as health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) matching, and paid time off.
The compensation range for this role is $92,800 to $116,000 annually depending on experience and qualifications, with a 10% target bonus opportunity. Additionally, we offer opportunities for career growth and development as well as a supportive and inclusive work environment.

Who you are:

• You apply structured problem solving and practical engineering judgment.
• You communicate project status, risks, decisions, and expectations clearly and with confidence.
• You organize multiple priorities and follow through on commitments.
• You build productive working relationships across technical, operational, and business teams, as well as with contractors and vendors.

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

The role includes work in office, construction, utility, warehouse, and manufacturing environments. Job duties may involve standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, climbing, and occasional work in areas with moving equipment, outdoor conditions, elevated surfaces, confined spaces, noise, temperature variation, or chemical exposure. The role may require lifting or moving up to 25 pounds. Required personal protective equipment and site safety procedures must be followed. Reasonable accommodations are available to enable individuals with different abilities to perform essential job functions.