Facilities Project Manager / Site Engineer

Facilities Project Manager / Site Engineer

Location: Round Lake, Illinois

Work Arrangement: On-site

Contract: 12+ months

Position Overview:

Automated Systems, Inc. is seeking a hands-on Facilities Project Manager / Site Engineer to lead building modifications and laboratory construction for a pharmaceutical client in Round Lake, Illinois. The project includes establishing a dedicated entrance within a shared building and developing new laboratory space.

This role combines overall project management with daily field coordination. The successful candidate will drive design, approvals, construction, and turnover while coordinating the landlord, architectural and engineering team, client Operations and Quality Assurance, and the contractors executing the work.

The project requires someone who can maintain momentum in a complex shared-facility environment where stakeholders have competing priorities and approval processes require persistent follow-through. This person must be comfortable in the field, understand construction sequencing, and resolve issues before they become schedule delays.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and maintain the integrated project schedule, including design deliverables, landlord approvals, permitting, procurement, construction, inspections, and turnover.
• Serve as the client’s primary day-to-day project interface with the landlord, A&E team, contractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Establish clear responsibilities, approval requirements, and decision dates. Follow up consistently and escalate unresolved issues with practical recommendations.
• Coordinate design reviews with client Operations, QA, Engineering, EHS, and the landlord to ensure operational needs and site requirements are addressed before construction.
• Provide daily field coordination, including site walkdowns, contractor meetings, work sequencing, access arrangements, material deliveries, and resolution of construction conflicts.
• Verify that work areas are ready and required drawings, approvals, permits, and supporting resources are available before scheduled activities begin.
• Coordinate with authorized site personnel to ensure applicable work permits—including hot work, confined-space entry, and other site-required permits—are issued and approved before work starts. Confirm required controls and authorizations remain in place as work progresses.
• Reinforce site safety expectations, identify unsafe conditions, and initiate stop-work and escalation through established site procedures when necessary.
• Coordinate utility shutdowns, tie-ins, construction barriers, and other activities that could affect ongoing operations within the shared facility.
• Track field questions, RFIs, submittals, changes, costs, and schedule impacts. Drive timely resolution with the appropriate technical and approval authorities.
• Partner with QA and validation personnel to coordinate change controls, construction documentation, and qualification activities as applicable.
• Report project status clearly, including completed work, upcoming activities, budget status, risks, and decisions needed.
• Drive punch-list completion and turnover, including as-built drawings, O&M information, training, and required acceptance documentation.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience managing facility renovations, laboratory construction, or similar capital projects in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Strong field experience coordinating multiple trades within an operating facility.
• Working knowledge of architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and laboratory utility systems, with the ability to read drawings and identify coordination issues.
• Experience working within site safety and permit-to-work programs, including hot work, confined-space entry, hazardous energy isolation, and contractor safety requirements.
• Proven ability to manage schedules, budgets, changes, and contractor performance while driving timely decisions across multiple organizations.
• Familiarity with GMP environments, change control, and project turnover expectations.
• Engineering, construction management, or a related technical degree preferred; equivalent practical experience will be considered.
• Experience managing projects in leased or shared facilities is strongly preferred.

Ideal Candidate:

A practical, persistent project leader who builds productive relationships while holding people accountable for commitments. This person can lead a stakeholder meeting, walk the job with the trades, identify a field issue, and follow it through to resolution. Success requires sound judgment, technical credibility, and the ability to keep work moving safely through a demanding approval environment.