Design Manager – Pharmaceutical Engineering Projects

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead the design delivery of pharmaceutical engineering projects from concept development through detailed design and project execution.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing multidisciplinary design teams, coordinating stakeholders, ensuring compliance with pharmaceutical industry standards, and driving the successful delivery of projects in terms of quality, schedule, and client expectations.

This role requires strong technical expertise, excellent leadership skills, and extensive experience within pharmaceutical facilities, including cleanrooms, production areas, laboratories, utility systems, and GMP-regulated environments.

Key Responsibilities

Design Leadership & Management

• Lead and manage the overall design process for pharmaceutical engineering projects.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design activities across Process, HVAC, Architecture, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP), and other engineering disciplines.
• Develop and manage project design schedules, deliverables, and resource allocation plans.
• Ensure design quality, technical consistency, and compliance with project requirements.
• Drive design reviews and technical decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.

Project Coordination

• Act as the primary design interface between clients, consultants, contractors, vendors, and internal project teams.
• Facilitate effective communication and alignment among all project stakeholders.
• Monitor progress of design activities and proactively address technical or scheduling challenges.
• Support project teams in resolving design-related issues during construction and commissioning phases.

Pharmaceutical Compliance

• Ensure all designs comply with GMP requirements, pharmaceutical regulations, industry standards, and client specifications.
• Review facility layouts, process flows, cleanroom concepts, HVAC systems, and utility designs to ensure regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.
• Participate in qualification and validation support activities when required.

Risk & Quality Management

• Identify design risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Conduct design reviews, value engineering studies, and constructability assessments.
• Ensure design documentation is complete, accurate, and delivered according to project milestones.
• Promote continuous improvement and lessons-learned initiatives across projects.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with clients and project stakeholders.
• Present design solutions, project updates, and technical recommendations to management and clients.
• Manage client expectations while balancing project scope, quality, schedule, and budget objectives.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree or above in:
• Process Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering (HVAC)
• Architecture
• Chemical Engineering
• Pharmaceutical Engineering
• Or a related engineering discipline

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in engineering design and project delivery.
• Proven experience in pharmaceutical facility projects is mandatory.
• Strong background in at least one of the following disciplines:
• Process Engineering
• HVAC Engineering
• Architecture
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary engineering and design teams.
• Experience leading design activities for greenfield and brownfield pharmaceutical projects.
• Familiarity with GMP-compliant facilities, cleanrooms, laboratories, manufacturing plants, and utility systems.