Senior MEP Manager - Pharma

Gilbane Building Company; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 160,900 - 269,280; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive health and welfare benefits

Generous profit-sharing/401k plan

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

A leading construction firm is seeking a Senior MEP Manager in Chicago to lead MEP teams across multiple complex projects, particularly in pharmaceutical facilities. This role requires strong communication and leadership skills to coordinate with project managers and ensure project success. Candidates should possess a relevant engineering degree, over 15 years of related experience, and excellent knowledge of MEP systems. This position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, aiming to foster an inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

• 15+ years related field experience.
• Previous pharmaceutical manufacturing facility construction experience is highly desirable.
• Experience in a supervisory role on a large project.
• OSHA 30 hour certified.

Responsibilities

• Protects Gilbane and the owner from cost, quality, and schedule impacts.
• Coordinates with Project Managers and MEP staff to understand needs.
• Provides oversight for MEP-GMP preparation.
• Manages the MEO document review process.
• Identifies staffing needs and assesses staff skill levels.

Skills

Troubleshooting MEP systems

Scheduling skills

Risk management

Quality assurance for MEP work

Safety culture promotion

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Job description

Overview

Do you consider yourself to be a highly technical, strong communicator with the desire to work in a team environment on complex projects? Gilbane is seeking a Senior MEP Manager - Pharma to lead and mentor the MEP teams on multiple projects while working with Project Managers and Project Executives to help define regional needs and project specific needs in all areas of MEP. This role will sit primarily on the job site, with occasional travel to the office for trainings, meetings, etc.

Who are we?

As a Top-10 ENR Contractor, Gilbane is a family-owned business with 45 offices that has been shaping communities since 1870. Consistently recognized as one of the most reputable construction management firms in the country, Gilbane is committed to delivering projects safely and on-time. You will have the opportunity to build schools, labs, hospitals, corporate offices, sports arenas and more!

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Who are you?

You are a coach/leader who leads with an inclusive and empathetic mindset. You provide feedback and guidance to help others excel in their current or future roles. You determine priorities, delegate work, and effectively communicate progress. You establish measures to assess the impact, quality, and timeliness of results while praising successes and sharing lessons learned. You build high performing teams by attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining talented individuals through motivation and discipline to maximize impact on the organization and the individual.

You leverage business insights by understanding industry trends, local market/economic conditions, and Gilbane's business model to make critical decisions and create competitive advantage. You deploy a strategic mindset when considering solutions to long-term opportunities and risks that may develop in the future.

Your core values match Gilbane's: Integrity, Caring, Teamwork, Toughmindedness, Dedication to Excellence, Discipline, Loyalty, and Entrepreneurship.

What's in it for you?

Gilbane offers employees multi-dimensional training opportunities through a number of resources. While managing your responsibilities to projects, you will be able to enroll in trainings through our award‑winning Gilbane University to build leadership and technical skills. In addition, you would work with an experienced team which provides you with the opportunity to learn new industry skills every day. You will protect and promote the interests of both Gilbane and the client in all matters as well as demonstrating the personal characteristics of a developing leader.

Job Locations: US-IL-Chicago | US-PA-Philadelphia | US-VA-Arlington | US-MD-Baltimore

Requisition ID: 2026-12005

Category: Superintendent

Responsibilities

• Protects Gilbane and the owner from cost, quality, and schedule impacts
• Coordinates with Project Managers and MEP staff to gain an understanding of needs and how to best assist each project
• Provides oversight and assumes accountability for MEP-GMP preparation
• Assists with the development and implementation of the Project Execution Plan
• Manages the MEO document review process, Value Engineering, and constructability in conjunction with MEP field staff
• Assumes overall responsibility for the buyout, installation, and testing of control systems on multiple projects
• Establishes long term relationships with clients to ensure repeat business
• Assumes overall responsibility for the MEP discipline and associated staff members on simultaneous complex projects
• Identifies staffing needs and assess staff skill levels
• Provides leadership in peer group activities
• Responsible for the career development and coaching of team members
• Fosters a positive and inclusive work environment to motivate and engage team members
• Interprets and translates the organizational strategy, ensuring team understanding of their role in accomplishing strategic goals
• Collaborates closely with business development to ensure seamless integration with sales strategies including performance metrics on your assigned projects, pursuits, and client deliverables. Actively participates in opportunities to strengthen client, partner, and industry relationships that position Gilbane as the "Builder of Choice"

Qualifications

Experience/Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
• 15+ years related field experience
• Previous pharmaceutical manufacturing facility construction experience is highly desirable
• Experience in a supervisory role on a large project
• OSHA 30 hour certified
• Or equivalent combination of education and experience

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to troubleshoot MEP systems
• Strong scheduling skills with proficiency in scheduling software
• Strong risk management skills
• Ability to manage the quality assurance process for all MEP work
• Ability to create an environment where "safety first" is the culture and all trades people work with an incident and injury free attitude

Gilbane is an Aff… employment without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Salary to be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, and/or experience of the applicant, as well as the internal equity and alignment with the team.

The pay ranges from $160,900-$269,280 plus benefits and retirement program.

Gilbane offers an excellent total compensation package which includes competitive health and welfare benefits and a generous profit‑sharing/401k plan. We invest in our employees' education and have built Gilbane University into a top training organization in the construction industry. Qualified applicants who are offered a position must pass a pre‑employment substance abuse test.

Note to Recruiters, Placement Agencies, and Similar Organizations: Gilbane does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Please do not forward unsolicited agency resumes to our jobs alias, website, or to any Gilbane employee. Gilbane will not pay fees to any third party agency or firm and will not be responsible for any agency fees associated with unsolicited resumes. Unsolicited resumes received will be considered property of Gilbane and will be processed accordingly.