Validation - Lead Engineer - Project Farma

PerkinElmer; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

PerkinElmer in South San Francisco, CA seeks a Validation Lead Engineer for Project Farma. This full-time role involves leading high-impact validation tasks, CQV protocol development, and coordinating with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality life-sciences projects.

You will mentor junior engineers, ensure FDA/GMP compliance, and travel domestically as required. The position supports project controls, dashboards, and client relations to drive successful outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Science, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 4–7 years in consulting and/or engineering services.
• Full-time on-site client presence and willingness to travel up to 100%.

Responsibilities

• Execute specific technical tasks within a project, ensuring high-quality deliverables.
• Perform CQV tasks, such as protocol development or equipment testing, under the Site Lead’s guidance.
• Report technical issues to the Site Lead and support resolution efforts.
• Ensure tasks meet client specifications, regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, GMP), and industry standards.
• Author technical documents: SOPs, requirements specifications, testing protocols, summary reports, etc.
• Identify and close individual knowledge gaps with support from other team members or leads as needed.
• Execute system and process validation protocols by using GxP best practices.
• Support necessary billables as forecasted by site dashboards on billable targets per month.
• Communicate updates internally in a timely manner and relay in-field project decisions to highlight long-range, down-stream project and team impacts.
• Provide hands-on support and troubleshooting for clients navigating the engineering life cycle of cutting-edge equipment and manufacturing processes.
• Perform due diligence on system and subject domains to generate high-quality project deliverables.
• Proactively identify and expedite escalation of roadblocks and utilize critical thinking skills and knowledge of problem-solving skills to identify creative solutions to those problems and roadblocks.
• General understanding of Earned Value Analysis (EVA) and project management tools May be requested to assist with Project Controls and Scheduling to include; Budget estimates, detailed project schedules and milestones, feasibility estimates, risks, forecasts and scenario analysis and project cost reports and analysis.
• Create alignment with cross-functional client departments including but not limited to Validation, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering and Project Controls.
• Maintain internal site tools such as site dashboards, deliverable trackers, etc.
• Continually develop technical aptitude of Project Farma’s core services within the life science space including but not limited to: Capital Project Management, Tech Transfers, Validation Life Cycles including CQV and Computer system Validation, Quality, Regulatory and Compliance, GxP Automated Systems, and Quality Control including clinical and commercial.
• Analyze complex project data and then deliver clear, articulate and concise messages in a compelling manner to support decision making.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Life Science, Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

When joining PerkinElmer, you select an experienced and trusted leader in scientific solutions, with the support of a global service network and distribution centers, providing the right solution, at the right time, to meet critical customer needs. With over an 80+ year legacy of advancing science and a mission of innovating for a healthier world, our dedicated team collaborates closely with commercial, government, academic and healthcare customers to deliver our broad portfolio of analytical solutions, and OneSource services.

Job Title

Validation - Lead Engineer - Project Farma

Location(s)

South San Francisco, CA

Job Description

This is a full-time salaried position with Project Farma, a PerkinElmer company. The successful candidate will reside in one of Project Farma's primary markets and be willing to travel domestically to meet client project requests. Project Farma’s purpose is to improve patient lives by accelerating the delivery of life-changing therapies. We accomplish this through the successful execution of high-quality life sciences projects across the full project lifecycle. Project Farma (PF) team members collaborate with cross-functional teams to build trusted client relationships, deliver an exceptional customer experience, and contribute to business growth by identifying opportunities and applying data-driven insights to support project planning, cost, schedule, and performance management. All team members are expected to embody Project Farma’s values by being curious, personable, and unselfish, while maintaining a strong commitment to a Patient Focused and People First mindset. The Validation Lead Engineer is an advanced individual contributor with demonstrated depth in their technical discipline and a growing record of leading complex workstreams. This role applies strong subject-matter expertise to solve high-impact technical and operational challenges, supports technical decision-making, and contributes to the evolution of standards, methods, or best practices within their area. The Lead Engineer works with a high degree of independence, mentors junior and peer engineers, and partners closely with project and people leaders—while remaining focused on technical delivery rather than formal people management.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute specific technical tasks within a project, ensuring high-quality deliverables.
• Perform CQV tasks, such as protocol development or equipment testing, under the Site Lead’s guidance.
• Report technical issues to the Site Lead and support resolution efforts.
• Ensure tasks meet client specifications, regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, GMP), and industry standards.
• Author technical documents: SOPs, requirements specifications, testing protocols, summary reports, etc.
• Identify and close individual knowledge gaps with support from other team members or leads as needed.
• Execute system and process validation protocols by using GxP best practices.
• Support necessary billables as forecasted by site dashboards on billable targets per month.
• Communicate updates internally in a timely manner and relay in-field project decisions to highlight long-range, down-stream project and team impacts.
• Provide hands-on support and troubleshooting for clients navigating the engineering life cycle of cutting-edge equipment and manufacturing processes.
• Perform due diligence on system and subject domains to generate high-quality project deliverables.
• Proactively identify and expedite escalation of roadblocks and utilize critical thinking skills and knowledge of problem-solving skills to identify creative solutions to those problems and roadblocks.
• General understanding of Earned Value Analysis (EVA) and project management tools May be requested to assist with Project Controls and Scheduling to include; Budget estimates, detailed project schedules and milestones, feasibility estimates, risks, forecasts and scenario analysis and project cost reports and analysis.
• Create alignment with cross-functional client departments including but not limited to Validation, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering and Project Controls.
• Maintain internal site tools such as site dashboards, deliverable trackers, etc.
• Continually develop technical aptitude of Project Farma’s core services within the life science space including but not limited to: Capital Project Management, Tech Transfers, Validation Life Cycles including CQV and Computer system Validation, Quality, Regulatory and Compliance, GxP Automated Systems, and Quality Control including clinical and commercial.
• Analyze complex project data and then deliver clear, articulate and concise messages in a compelling manner to support decision making.

Talent Development

• Focus on professional development and support team collaboration under the Site Leads guidance.
• Share technical knowledge with peers to support project delivery.
• Mentor less experienced team members.
• Participate in Project Farma internal qualification training program.

Site Strategy

• Support the execution of site strategy under the direction of the Site Lead, contributing to specific project tasks that align with Project Farma’s services.
• Perform assigned tasks to meet strategic objectives, such as preparing and executing CQV Protocols.
• Identify and report client needs or project challenges to the Site Lead for further action.
• Maintain professional relationships with project team members and client POCs at the operational level (e.g., technicians, engineers) to facilitate task completion.

Resource Management

• Provide input on task-level resource needs to the Site Lead to support project delivery.
• Report workload or skill gaps within assigned tasks.
• Assist in maintaining project schedules by communicating resource constraints.

Business Growth & Development

• Contribute to project-level success by delivering high-quality work that supports business growth opportunities.
• Build meaningful internal and external relationships.
• Present Project Farma as a service to clients as needed.
• Communicate with clients in a professional manner.
• Ensure any client feedback or opportunities identified are being escalated properly.
• Provides data or insights (e.g., project progress, risks) to the Site Lead for inclusion in dashboards or expansion discussions.
• Participate in project tasks that support extensions or proposals, such as preparing deliverables for clients.
• Identify opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling of additional Project Farma services outside of the Validation discipline.

Operational Performance & Billability

• Maintain 100% individual billability by completing assigned project tasks.
• Escalate any roadblocks on achieving billable targets to the site lead.

Attributes for Success

• Technical Delivery: Applies advanced technical knowledge and professional expertise.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Seeks better ways, adapts to change and champions new ideas.
• Customer Focus & Professionalism: Represents PF with consistent professionalism, appropriate escalation and respect for internal stakeholders, even during high stress delivery situations.
• Integrity & Humility: Demonstrates self‑awareness and puts PF mission above ego.
• Collaboration & Communication: Communicates clearly and proactively and drives transparent alignment with clients.
• Project Execution: Delivers reliably, manages priorities and drives for high quality outcomes.
• Growth Mindset: Shows openness to new ideas, feedback and change.

Experience Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Life Science, Engineering, or related discipline (OR a combination of equivalent work experience in capital project engineering, pharma cGMP facility start‑up, CapEx/OpEx project management and/or comparable military experience).
• Minimum 4-7 years in consulting and/or engineering services.
• Full‑time on‑site client presence.
• Willingness to travel up to 100% or as required for client project assignments.

Project Farma is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. PerkinElmer is committed to a culturally diverse workforce.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis. We will not sponsor applicants for current or future work visas for this position. This position may require significant travel to support project and business needs. We cannot employ anyone with an invalid driver's license.

The annualcompensation range for this full‑time position is $(85,000) to $(100,000). The final base pay offered to the successful candidate will be determined by factors including internal equity, work location, as well as individual qualifications, such as job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

PerkinElmer is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. PerkinElmer is committed to a culturally diverse workforce.

Are you ready to help improve the lives of millions of people and create a healthier world? When you work at PerkinElmer, that’s exactly what you’ll do. From our dedicated scientists and world‑class operations employees to our innovative R&D professionals and committed sales and service groups, we’re a unique team of 5,000+ global colleagues who come to work every day knowing we’re making a difference. Through innovation, collaboration, and believing in our mission, we strive to create an inspiring and inclusive culture for our employees, so that they can be their best and, together, create a better tomorrow.

Join us today.