Project Engineering Lead

KBR Careers; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 210,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions (STS) seeks an experienced Project Engineering Lead to steer the PMC engineering organization for a major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the United States. You will serve as the client's primary engineering interface within the PMC team, guiding governance, design integration, and readiness.

You will coordinate disciplines, manage scope, schedule, and deliverables, drive design reviews and risk assessments, and champion safety, quality, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of engineering experience, including leadership of large capital projects.
• Experience managing large multidisciplinary engineering interfaces across EPC organizations within regulated GMP environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight to a multidisciplinary PMC team (20+ personnel) responsible for planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup support of a major pharmaceutical facility.
• Lead the integration and coordination of all engineering disciplines to ensure alignment with objectives and execution strategies.
• Serve as the primary technical authority within the PMC organization, providing governance and timely decision‑making for project delivery.
• Oversee engineering activities across FEED, detailed design, procurement, construction, commissioning, qualification, and startup readiness.
• Ensure designs comply with GMP standards, regulatory expectations, and project specifications.
• Coordinate interfaces among EPC contractors, suppliers, client stakeholders, operations, quality, validation, and regulatory teams.
• Manage engineering scope, schedule, deliverables, and performance to meet milestones.
• Lead design reviews, risk assessments, constructability evaluations, and MOC processes for safe, compliant outcomes.
• Lead value engineering, lifecycle cost improvements, and constructability enhancements.
• Develop, review, and approve PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specs, and automation strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Engineering governance

Project delivery

GMP experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Job description

Project Engineering Lead

KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions (STS) provides holistic and value-added solutions across the entire asset life cycle. These include world-class licensed process technologies, differentiated advisory services, deep technical domain expertise, energy transition solutions, high-end design capabilities, and smart solutions to optimize planned and operating assets.

KBR is seeking an experienced Project Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership and oversight of the PMC engineering organization while serving as the client's primary engineering interface within the PMC team. This role is accountable for engineering governance, technical decision-making, design integration, engineering performance management, and ensuring alignment among engineering contractors, project teams, and key stakeholders. The Project Engineering Lead ensures all engineering disciplines function as a cohesive, integrated team and that project designs support safe and effective execution, regulatory compliance, operational readiness, and long‑term asset performance.

Functional job responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Support the PMC Project Manager, while providing leadership, direction, and oversight to a multidisciplinary engineering PMC team (approximately 20+ personnel) responsible for the planning, design, and procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup support of a major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
• Lead the integration and coordination of all engineering disciplines, including process, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation & controls, automation, civil/structural, architecture, utilities, and validation, ensuring alignment with project objectives and execution strategies.
• Serve as the primary technical authority within the PMC organization, providing engineering governance, resolving complex technical issues, and driving timely decision‑making to support project delivery.
• Oversee engineering activities throughout all project phases, including FEED, detailed design, procurement, construction, commissioning, qualification, and operational readiness.
• Ensure facility and utility designs comply with applicable pharmaceutical industry standards, GMP requirements, regulatory expectations, corporate engineering standards, and project specifications.
• Coordinate engineering interfaces among EPC contractors, equipment suppliers, client stakeholders, operations, quality, validation, and regulatory teams to ensure seamless project execution and maintain client satisfaction.
• Manage engineering scope, schedule, deliverables, and performance, ensuring timely completion of design packages while maintaining alignment with overall project milestones and objectives.
• Lead design reviews, technical risk assessments, constructability evaluations, and management of change (MOC) processes to ensure safe, compliant, and cost-effective project outcomes.
• Lead value engineering, design optimization, lifecycle cost improvement, and constructability enhancement initiatives throughout project development, driving Target Value Design concepts.
• Oversee the development, review, and approval of key engineering deliverables, including process flow diagrams (PFDs), P&IDs, equipment specifications, facility layouts, utility system designs, automation strategies, and commissioning and qualification documentation.
• Drive engineering quality assurance and design consistency across all disciplines, ensuring technical integrity, completeness, and adherence to project requirements.
• Collaborate closely with project controls, procurement, construction, and commissioning teams to optimize execution strategies, mitigate risks, and support achievement of cost and schedule targets.
• Promote and champion a strong safety culture, ensuring compliance with HSE requirements and the integration of safety, quality, and operational excellence principles throughout the project lifecycle.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of engineering experience, including leadership of large capital projects in excess of $500MM TIC.
• Experience successfully managing large multidisciplinary engineering interfaces across EPC organizations within regulated GMP environments.
• Strong knowledge of engineering governance, design management, and project delivery processes.
• Experience supporting commissioning, startup, and operational readiness activities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical decision-making and stakeholder alignment.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Experience supporting pharmaceutical or biotechnology facilities.
• Prior experience in an Owner's Representative or PMC role for major capital projects in excess of $1B TIC.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license and/or PMP certification.

Decarbonization – Energy Transition – Sustainability

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team's philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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