Hays
Lead Commissioning Engineer - large pharma capital projects
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Your new company Join a global biopharmaceutical organisation delivering a major new Lab and R&D facility. You'll be part of a large capital project team supporting the transition from construction completion into safe, compliant, and fully operational use.
Your new role This is initially a 12 month contract that may extend and is inside IR35.
As a Lead Commissioning Engineer, you will support the planning, coordination, and verification of commissioning activities across a complex technical facility for a well-established global pharmaceutical company.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting commissioning strategy, planning, schedules, scope, and documentation requirements
- Coordinating commissioning activities across MEP, BMS/EMS, specialist lab systems, utilities, and life safety systems
- Overseeing commissioning-ready checks, functional testing, performance testing, and integrated systems testing
- Working closely with construction teams, designers, vendors, contractors, operations, FM, HSE, IT, and lab users
- Ensuring commissioning documentation is completed, reviewed, and approved to project standards
- Tracking deficiencies, punchlist items, risks, and technical issues through to resolution
- Supporting safe start-up activities, including RAMS, energisation risk reviews, and LOTO controls
- Contributing to handover, operational readiness, soft landings, training, and early-life support
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What you'll need to succeed A strong candidate will bring proven commissioning experience across complex construction or highly serviced technical environments:
- Experience as a Commissioning Engineer on complex capital or construction projects, with a significant preference for experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical or wider life sciences industry
- Background commissioning laboratories, R&D facilities, or highly serviced technical buildings
- Strong understanding of MEP systems, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, BMS/EMS, and automation controls
- Familiarity with specialist laboratory systems such as fume cupboards, containment, LEVs, gases, or process utilities
- Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, protocols, and commissioning documentation
- Strong planning, coordination, stakeholder management, and communication skills
- Safety-focused approach, with experience supporting RAMS, risk reviews, and safe systems of work
- Experience with integrated systems testing, operational readiness, handover, or lab design standards is advantageous
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All candidates MUST hold the right to work in the UK without sponsorship until at least September 2027.
What you'll get in return You'll be taking responsibility for delivering a critical project for a major pharmaceutical company, working with a highly experienced team in a collaborative and friendly work environment.
What you need to do now If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.
Keywords: Commissioning, Engineer, Construction, Pharmaceutical, Research, Laboratory, R&D, MEP, HVAC, BMS, EMS, Automation, Controls, Utilities, Handover, Validation, Testing, Compliance, Facilities, Infrastructure, Capital, Project, Safety, LOTO, RAMS, Operational, Readiness, Documentation, Stakeholders, Delivery
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