Skills

Leadership Stakeholder Management Prioritization Training Project Management

Job Specifications

Location: On-site

Contract: Until 31 December 2026

Function: Engineering

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager - Engineering & Automation to lead automation and process equipment projects within a highly regulated CAR-T manufacturing environment.

This position sits within the Engineering & Automation department and works closely with the Director and Managers of the Make Asset Management (MAM) function. The role combines technical depth in GxP-compliant automation systems with strong project leadership and stakeholder management capability.

This is a hands-on engineering project management role in a pharmaceutical/biotech setting - not a purely administrative PM position.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Portfolio Leadership

Manage long-term planning of engineering and automation projects.
Initiate and deliver projects aligned to departmental strategy and capacity planning.
Own full project lifecycle (scope, budget, timeline, risk, and reporting).
Support portfolio-level resource planning and prioritization.
Represent engineering projects to internal MAM stakeholders and external partners.

Automation & Technical Scope

Lead design and implementation of GxP-compliant automation systems.
Oversee historian integration and server-hosted software for equipment connectivity.
Manage PLC and HMI system design and deployment.
Ensure compliance with GMP and data integrity standards.
Resolve complex technical challenges impacting operational priorities.

Compliance & Continuous Improvement

Ensure systems meet regulatory and validation requirements.
Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
Support knowledge management, capability development, and training of junior engineers.
Conduct gap analyses to strengthen departmental performance.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Engineering or equivalent through experience.
10+ years of relevant professional experience.
Minimum 5 years in project management or people leadership roles.
Proven experience in automation engineering within GMP/GxP-regulated environments.
Strong knowledge of PLC, HMI, and historian systems.
Demonstrated stakeholder management experience in a manufacturing environment.

Preferred Experience

Pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing background.
Systems engineering expertise.
Experience with qualification and validation of pharmaceutical systems.
Exposure to advanced therapy or cell therapy manufacturing environments.

What We’re Looking For

Strong safety and quality mindset.
Clear and effective communicator, able to explain complex engineering concepts.
Structured and solutions-oriented approach.
Transparent and accountable in project execution.

About the Company

Behind every groundbreaking discovery in life sciences is a team of extraordinary people. At Panda, we connect that talent with organisations that are changing the world. We are a Life Science recruitment consultancy specialising in biotechnology, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals where trust, expertise, and exceptional service are the foundation of everything we do. Covering regional complexities whilst providing tailored talent solutions, we help clients and candidates meet their ambitions of both today and tomorrow... Know more