Principal Project Manager

Wunderlich-Malec Engineering, Inc.•Irvine, CA

11h•$150,000 - $170,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Provide project management and engineering support to customers and leadership to WM colleagues across all aspects of project delivery. This role is responsible for overseeing complex engineering and automation projects while supporting business development, proposal development, and operational excellence. This role combines technical project leadership, client relationship management, sales support, and operational oversight to ensure successful project delivery and business growth. The Principal Project Manager works closely with engineering teams, sales leadership, and executive management to drive project success, maintain customer satisfaction, and expand opportunities with strategic clients.

Requirements

BS degree in engineering or a related discipline. PMP certification preferred.
10+ years of experience in project management-related experience in process-related controls industries, implementing successful automation solutions involving PLC, DCS, HMI, and SCADA platforms. Strong leadership and client relationship skills required.
Experience in one or more of the following industries: Life Sciences, Specialty Chemicals, Food and Beverage, Water and Wastewater.
Experience with Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Life Science Computerized System Validation, and cGMP compliance is preferred.
Experience in managing the design of electrical schematics, including power distribution under 480VAC, control panels; associated NEC experience desired.
Experience leading local and remote teams of engineers/technicians to provide control system solutions.
Experience mentoring less experienced engineers.

Nice To Haves

Rockwell PLC and SCADA systems
Emerson DeltaV DCS and SCADA
Additional SCADA/HMI experience is a plus, including Ignition, Wonderware System Platform

Responsibilities

Responsible for project execution, task identification, prioritization and scheduling, financial tracking and management to budget, risk management, including early problem identification and conflict resolution, procurement, subcontracts, supporting engineers, communications, and meeting leadership, account/client management. Work will include project(s) ranging in size up to $5M. This position is responsible for ensuring the project's overall profitability.
Develops and executes project execution plans and/or project charters
Responsible for detailed knowledge of the scopes of work
Acquires resources from the BU manager and assigns work to project teams to meet overall project deadlines
Develops engineering schedules for W-M team and customer requirements; proficient with Microsoft Project/critical path, and float analysis/resource leveling
Responsible for engineering-related purchasing and subcontractor requirements, and for overall project quality
Responsible for the development of costs and proposal of change orders to the contract scope, and defining project scope, deliverables, schedules, and cost estimates
Develops and manages a plan for project profitability, including cost projections, cash flow, A/R collections, and project invoicing; must be able to independently discern the project team’s actual and remaining progress during design, documentation, code configuration, and testing
Serve as the primary customer interface for project execution and escalation resolution
Technical writing, including project definition and requirements, clearly delineated status reporting, requests for information, and customer correspondence
Project documentation: manage project documentation system, task/periodic status reporting, organization and maintenance of current network-based project files, meeting minutes and action item lists, preparing purchase orders, etc.
Identify sales opportunities, confidence to suggest scope changes with justifications, ability to network across targeted industries; Provides input to proposals and technical support to closing new business
Collaborate with sales teams to identify and pursue new project opportunities
Participate in client meetings, technical presentations, and solution discussions
Help develop strategic account relationships with key customers
Act as a trusted advisor to customers for automation, digital transformation, and operational improvements