Assistant Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Project Manager – Manufacturing Facility Expansion

Job Description

This role supports the successful expansion and startup of a new manufacturing facility by assisting with project planning, scheduling, budgeting, documentation, contractor coordination, equipment installation, and production readiness activities. The assistant project manager serves as a key liaison between internal teams, vendors, contractors, and project leadership to ensure project milestones are achieved safely, on time, and within budget, while gaining hands-on exposure to construction, manufacturing operations, and capital project management.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing and maintaining detailed project plans, timelines, milestones, action items, and deliverables for the facility expansion project.
• Monitor project schedules and follow up on open items to ensure deadlines are met and critical path activities stay on track.
• Support new facility construction activities, including site development, facility layout implementation, and coordination of on-site work.
• Assist with planning and coordinating equipment installation and commissioning activities to support production readiness.
• Coordinate daily activities with contractors, vendors, engineers, and operations teams to keep construction and installation work progressing smoothly.
• Track project spending, including invoices, purchase orders, commitments, and forecasts, to support capital project budget management.
• Maintain organized project documentation such as contracts, drawings, layouts, schedules, and change orders using appropriate tools and systems.
• Update and manage project tracking tools, including Smartsheet and other project coordination systems, to ensure accurate and current information.
• Support risk management efforts by helping identify potential issues, tracking mitigation actions, and escalating concerns to project leadership when needed.
• Collaborate closely with engineers, contractors, suppliers, operations teams, leadership, and external partners to resolve issues quickly and keep stakeholders aligned.
• Prepare and update reports, presentations, and status summaries using Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and other tools for use by project leadership and stakeholders.
• Track and follow up on action items from project meetings to ensure ownership, accountability, and timely completion.
• Assist with production readiness activities, including coordinating readiness checklists, validating equipment installation status, and supporting startup plans.
• Support vendor management activities by helping schedule vendor visits, coordinating on-site work, and tracking deliverables and performance.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to streamline project coordination, documentation, and communication processes.
• Provide flexible support during key phases such as major equipment installations, commissioning, and production startup, which may require adjusted working hours.

Essential Skills

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, Business, or a related field.
• At least 1 year of experience supporting industrial, manufacturing, construction, or facility projects.
• Experience with project management or project coordination in environments involving construction, manufacturing, or facilities.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to read and interpret facility drawings, layouts, and technical documents.
• Experience tracking action items, project schedules, budgets, and project documentation.
• Strong organizational skills with a high level of attention to detail and follow-up.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with contractors, vendors, engineers, and senior leadership.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and sound judgment in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and quality.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional coordination and stakeholder updates.
• Comfort working in both office and manufacturing or construction environments.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting equipment installation or commissioning projects.
• Familiarity with capital project management processes and tools.
• Experience using Smartsheet or similar project coordination and scheduling tools.
• Exposure to site development and facility layout planning.
• Experience contributing to risk management activities on projects.
• CAPM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or related professional certifications.
• Interest in career growth into roles such as Project Manager, Facilities Manager, Engineering Project Manager, or Operations Leadership.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Adaptability and willingness to support evolving project needs during construction and startup phases.

Work Environment

The role follows a Monday–Friday schedule, with hours that may vary depending on weekly duties and contractor schedules. Work time is split between office and manufacturing or construction environments, with approximately 60–70% focused on office-based project coordination and 30–40% spent on the manufacturing floor or expansion site. The position involves frequent interaction with contractors, engineers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders in both formal and field settings. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required when working in active construction and manufacturing areas, and adherence to site safety and attire requirements is expected. A flexible schedule may occasionally be needed during major equipment installations, commissioning activities, and production startup events to support critical project milestones.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Hazelwood, MO.

The pay range for this position is $36.00 - $43.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Hazelwood,MO.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 8, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.