Principal Project Manager

Wunderlich-Malec Services (WM) is a 100% employee-owned ESOP and one of the largest and most well-established engineering companies in the United States. When you join WM you become part of a company that is:

- 100% employee-owned with 40+ years of industry history
- A Top 5 Systems Integrator Giant
- ENR Top 500 Firm

Primary Purpose

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.

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

Education BS degree in engineering or a related discipline. PMP certification preferred.

Experience 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.

Preference for experience with:

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

Working Environment

Hybrid mix of standard office environment and work-from-home leadership (at least 3 days of office work, discretionary 2 days of remote work, and on-site job walks as needed per week), 25-35% level of travel to client sites in the US; diverse industrial environments; flexible for out-of-region candidates but Southern California Region (specifically Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego) preferred.

Physical Demands of Position: Seeing, color perception, hearing, clear speech, dexterity in hands, driving, lifting, ability to mount/dismount equipment, pushing and pulling.

*Job Descriptions are not exhaustive lists of all skills, responsibilities, or efforts associated with a job. They reflect principal job elements essential for performing the job and evaluating performance.

Wunderlich-Malec is proud to offer a comprehensive employee-owner benefit package. Full-time employees may be eligible for the following benefits: Medical * Dental * Vision * Basic and Supplemental Life and AD&D * Long Term Disability * Voluntary Short Term Disability * Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts * Health Savings Account * Paid Time Off (PTO) * Paid Holidays * Tuition Reimbursement * Referral Bonus Program * 401(k)/Profit Sharing * 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) * Employee Assistance Program * Will Preparation Resources * Worldwide Travel Assistance.

Expected salary range is approximately $150,000 to $170,000 per year depending on qualifications plus a discretionary bonus and employee stock program.