Mechanical Project Manager

PROJECT MANAGER - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS SYSTEMS

Location: San Diego County, California

Compensation: $140,000-$175,000

Travel: Up to 25%


Company Overview


Our client is an established engineering and equipment company that designs and delivers custom mechanical process systems for demanding industrial applications. Its projects combine process equipment, pressure vessels, piping, valves, instrumentation, structural components, and automated controls.


Systems are engineered internally and manufactured through a network of specialized fabrication partners before being installed and commissioned at customer facilities.


Position Summary


We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead custom-engineered industrial equipment projects from contract award through design, procurement, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and customer turnover.


This is a technically involved project management position-not a PMO or scheduling-only role. The Project Manager must understand industrial mechanical systems and be comfortable reviewing engineering specifications, P&IDs, equipment drawings, piping layouts, and vendor documentation.


The ideal candidate will have managed projects involving equipment installed within chemical plants, refineries, energy facilities, waste-processing operations, industrial manufacturing plants, or similar processing environments. This individual will serve as the primary point of coordination among customers, internal engineers, fabrication vendors, subcontractors, and field personnel.


Responsibilities

• Manage industrial equipment projects from contract award through final commissioning and customer acceptance.
• Establish project scope, schedules, budgets, technical deliverables, procurement requirements, and execution plans.
• Review customer specifications and translate them into engineering, fabrication, procurement, and installation requirements.
• Coordinate internal mechanical, process, electrical, controls, and structural engineering resources.
• Review P&IDs, general arrangement drawings, pressure-vessel drawings, piping layouts, structural drawings, equipment data sheets, calculations, and related technical documents.
• Develop requests for quotation, identify qualified vendors, evaluate technical and commercial proposals, and support supplier selection.
• Manage fabrication vendors throughout the manufacturing cycle, including drawing review, technical clarification, schedule tracking, inspection, testing, and documentation.
• Visit supplier facilities to inspect equipment and verify compliance with specifications, codes, quality requirements, and project schedules.
• Track project costs, schedules, procurement status, technical risks, scope changes, and customer commitments.
• Coordinate equipment delivery, site installation, system integration, startup, commissioning, customer training, and final turnover.
• Support the resolution of technical and field-related issues encountered during fabrication, installation, and commissioning.
• Review and assemble project documentation, including drawings, calculations, inspection records, equipment data, test reports, and operation and maintenance manuals.
• Maintain clear communication with customers, vendors, internal leadership, engineers, and field personnel throughout the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline; a mechanical engineering background is strongly preferred.
• At least 10 years of relevant industrial engineering and project management experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing industrial equipment or process-system projects through engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation, and commissioning.
• Experience supporting projects within chemical plants, refineries, energy facilities, waste-processing operations, manufacturing plants, or comparable industrial environments.
• Strong understanding of industrial piping, valves, instrumentation, P&IDs, pressure vessels, and mechanical equipment.
• Working knowledge of ASME Section VIII pressure-vessel requirements.
• Experience reviewing mechanical and fabrication drawings against engineering specifications and project requirements.
• Experience developing RFQs, evaluating bids, selecting suppliers, and managing fabrication vendors.
• Experience overseeing equipment fabrication, shop inspections, acceptance testing, delivery, and field installation.
• Demonstrated responsibility for project budgets, schedules, technical deliverables, customer communication, and risk management.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customers, engineers, fabricators, subcontractors, and plant personnel.
• Proficiency with project scheduling software and the ability to review three-dimensional mechanical designs and fabrication drawings.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% for vendor inspections, customer meetings, installation oversight, and commissioning support.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working for an engineered-equipment manufacturer, process-system integrator, industrial engineering firm, or EPC organization.
• Experience with custom or engineered-to-order mechanical equipment.
• Familiarity with corrosion-resistant piping, tanks, vessels, or composite equipment.
• Experience with PLC- and HMI-controlled industrial systems.
• Familiarity with structural steel and equipment-support systems.
• Experience troubleshooting equipment during installation, startup, performance testing, or commissioning.
• Experience working directly with plant engineering, operations, maintenance, and capital-project teams.