Project Manager- Life Science (Design and Construction)
Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc.
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D), now merged with PMA, is seeking a Project Manager to join our Life Sciences team in the San Francisco area. This hybrid role will focus on leading laboratory and biotech facility projects from planning through occupancy, coordinating with owners, designers, constructors, and consultants to ensure alignment with client objectives.
You will manage budgets, schedules, procurement, and documentation while supporting business development and client interviews.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in project management, real estate development, construction, architecture, or related fields.
- Experience with life sciences environments: labs, GMP, clean rooms preferred.
- Familiarity with budgets, schedules, procurement, and project controls.
- Understanding of design and construction processes and contract administration.
Responsibilities
- Lead life sciences project management initiatives from early planning through completion, ensuring alignment with client goals, budgets, and schedules.
- Serve as liaison between owners, architects, engineers, contractors, brokers, and consultants.
- Develop and monitor project budgets, schedules, and controls; identify risks and opportunities.
- Oversee development and review of drawings, specifications, and bid documents.
- Manage contract administration, procurement, and progress payments.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Brailsford & Dunlavey and PMA have integrated hiring operations after our recent merger . Explore all of our open opportunities below.
Project Manager- Life Science (Design and Construction)
Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D), which now includes Project Management Advisors (PMA), is seeking a Project Manager to join our team in South San Francisco
This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco, CA.
An opportunity for an experienced real estate and project management professional who enjoys leading projects, collaborating with clients and project teams, and delivering high-quality life sciences facilities from early planning through completion.
At Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D), we lead the planning, development, and management of the places that shape and strengthen communities—where people live, learn, work, and innovate. B&D partners with institutions, municipalities, and organizations to deliver complex real estate and capital projects through strategic advisory and program management services across the full project lifecycle.
B&D recently joined forces with Project Management Advisors (PMA), bringing together two nationally recognized leaders in program management and real estate advisory services. Together, the combined firm offers expanded capabilities across industries and end-to-end project delivery—from early-stage strategy through design, construction, and occupancy.
Our Life Sciences team supports the development, leasing, and delivery of laboratory, research, and biotech facilities across the country. We work closely with owners, developers, tenants, brokers, and project teams to deliver technically complex environments that support innovation and scientific discovery.
As a Project Manager, you will lead smaller-scale life sciences projects while serving as a trusted advisor to clients and a key liaison between ownership, design teams, contractors, consultants, and project stakeholders. You will oversee project planning, procurement, budgets, schedules, documentation, and project delivery activities while ensuring alignment with client goals and project objectives.
- Lead life sciences project management initiatives from early-stage planning through project completion, ensuring alignment with client goals, budgets, schedules, and quality expectations
- Establish strong partnerships with clients and serve as a key liaison between owners, architects, engineers, contractors, brokers, and consultants
- Review and evaluate project requirements, program goals, and design solutions to ensure alignment with owner objectives
- Initiate and manage procurement efforts for design, construction, and consultant services
- Draft, review, communicate, negotiate, and manage contractual documents for design, construction, and consultant professionals
- Develop, maintain, and monitor project budgets, schedules, and web-based project controls while identifying potential risks and opportunities
- Analyze budget and schedule impacts and provide recommendations to support project financial objectives
- Oversee the development and review of architectural and engineering drawings, specifications, and bid documents
- Establish, lead, and document project meetings, ensuring clear communication and alignment among stakeholders
- Provide regular project updates to clients, city officials, architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants while proactively identifying issues and solutions
- Anticipate potential changes to project budgets and schedules and provide recommendations to mitigate risks and maintain project objectives
- Coordinate value engineering exercises and evaluate alternatives with ownership teams
- Identify project requirements and facilitate procurement of peer reviews and specialty consultants as needed
- Direct and mentor Assistant Project Managers and other project team members when assigned
- Coordinate with architects and project teams to monitor contractor and vendor activities and verify compliance with design specifications, schedules, and quality standards
- Support contract administration activities, including contracts, purchase orders, and progress payment documentation
- Observe and report on construction progress, project risks, and construction-related issues
- Manage project closeout activities and ensure successful project completion
- Support PMA’s business development efforts by participating in networking opportunities, proposal development, and client interviews
- 5+ years of experience in project management, real estate development, construction, architecture, engineering, or related fields, with familiarity managing life sciences environments, including laboratory facilities, research spaces, GMP environments, clean rooms, or other specialized technical infrastructure preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Real Estate Development, Urban Planning, or a related field
- Demonstrated experience managing project budgets, schedules, procurement activities, and project controls
- Understanding of design and construction processes, including architectural drawings, engineering documents, bidding, and contract administration
- Experience coordinating and managing architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, and other project stakeholders
- Ability to analyze project data, identify risks, and develop practical solutions to keep projects moving forward
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with clients and project teams
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong attention to detail and organization
- You are a confident project leader who can independently manage projects while building trusted client relationships
- You communicate clearly, professionally, and proactively with clients, consultants, contractors, and internal teams
- You have strong business judgment and the ability to anticipate challenges before they impact project goals
- You are highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage complex project information, budgets, and schedules
- You enjoy solving problems, developing solutions, and keeping projects moving forward in dynamic environments
- You are comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on project execution
- You demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and accountability in all interactions
- You thrive in collaborative environments and enjoy partnering with diverse stakeholder groups
- You are interested in the life sciences industry and the opportunity to support innovative spaces that advance scientific discovery
We recruit project managers, construction managers, planners, architects, economists, finance specialists, management consultants, and other experts. The merging of these diverse skill sets and backgrounds helps us meet—and often exceed—our firm’s goals. We are committed to every employee’s rapid professional development and provide many opportunities for everyone to stretch their intellectual capacities.
B&D Employee
We believe that a comprehensive benefits package is critical to supporting our employees’ personal and family needs, and demonstrates our true commitment to work-life balance.
Whether you are looking for a company that shares the burden of health care costs, permits occasional working-from-home flexibility, or invests heavily into each employee’s 401(k), B&D delivers a complete package.
B&D provides a complete package to our full-time employees.
- 100% company-paid medical, prescription, and dental insurance premiums for employees and their children
- Flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses
- Company-paid contributions to 401(k) retirement accounts
- Flextime and telecommuting
- Parental leave
- Voluntary vision insurance
- Company-paid disability and life insurance
- Vacation, sick, and holiday pay
- Adoption assistance program
- Reimbursement for professional memberships/certifications
- Learning & Development department dedicated to providing in-house training
- Employee assistance program
- Corporate fitness center access at most locations
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Wellness Committee and wellness-based programming
Each B&D employee embodies these attributes:
- Willing to take intellectual, emotional, & financial risks
- Committed to excellence for excellence’s sake
- Predisposed to initiate deliberate, disciplined action
- Intellectually curious
- Of high personal integrity
- Ambitious for the firm
- Engaging
- Able to endure to achieve excellence
Throughout B&D’s history, firm leaders have shown a commitment to creating positive, inclusive, and diverse environments for both our client communities as well as the firm. Inclusion is an essential part of our purpose.
In addition to making concerted efforts to hire and retain a diverse group of employees, we have an active Inclusion Committee that is dedicated to ensuring we all feel connected and included at B&D. As a firm, we are examining our biases together, which makes us all better and allows us to make smarter decisions for our clients. Working for B&D means making inclusion a top priority in your day-to-day words and actions.
At B&D, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture. This is why we are proud to have an Employee Resource Group, which was formed organically through the efforts of many individuals passionate about equity in the workplace.
In the true spirit of inclusion, this group is open to all employees. The ERG meets regularly to discuss issues, host events, and provide peer support and advise HR and senior leadership on matters related to the workplace and the broader community. Our ERG helps expand representation to include new perspectives at all levels of the organization. Interest groups represented within our ERG include, but are not limited to, LGBTQ+ employees, black employees, women employees, and employees who are parents, health and wellness initiatives, and more.
Brailsford & Dunlavey is an Aff…
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