Assistant Project Manager - Design

CRB•Kalamazoo, MI

About The Position

As an Assistant Project Manager on CRB’s Design team, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving capital projects from conception through closeout, collaborating across both CRB and client teams. This is a unique opportunity for someone with 3–5 years of experience who is eager to grow into a leadership role, build strong relationships, and make a meaningful impact on life sciences and advanced technology projects. What Makes This Role Unique Holistic Project Ownership: You’ll support and eventually lead capital projects through every phase — design, construction, validation, and closeout—acting as a central point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with diverse teams, including up to 50 CRB colleagues and 100+ client partners, coordinating efforts and ensuring seamless project delivery. Servant Leadership: Success in this role requires a self-starter who proactively removes barriers, motivates others, and builds trust across teams — even when you don’t have formal authority. Relationship Building: You’ll be the “go-to” ally for project managers and clients, fostering strong connections and facilitating communication to achieve shared goals.

Requirements

A motivated, humble, and persistent self-starter who thrives in dynamic environments.
Someone eager to learn, build a career, and grow under experienced project leaders.
A proactive communicator who takes ownership, drives progress, and isn’t afraid to ask tough questions or lead without being asked.
Technical aptitude is important, but the ability to build relationships and lead teams is essential.
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
3–5 years of relevant experience, preferably in a design firm, field construction office, or manufacturing environment. Previous roles related to process / project engineering, operations, maintenance, automation, and technical sales are an added benefit.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
Proven ability to coordinate and motivate others, even without direct authority.
Experience working in cross-functional teams and managing relationships with external partners.
Creative problem-solving and scheduling abilities.
Familiarity with project management tools and software (e.g., MS Project, Deltek, Bluebeam).
Interest in life sciences, advanced technology, or mission-critical sectors.
Background in operations, maintenance, automation, or technical sales, automation is a plus.
Knowledgeable in capital project components below:
Design Drawings: Air Plans, Electrical Plans, Architectural Layouts, P&IDs
Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) & Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), also known as installation Qualification (IQ) and Operational Qualification (OQ).
Change Control / Verification Activities – Functional Specifications, Drawing Walkdowns, Redlines

Responsibilities

Support client & CRB Project Managers in the execution and delivery of complex, multi-phase design projects.
Assist with project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and coordination across disciplines and organizations.
Monitor and report on internal project financial performance, including forecasting and cost tracking.
Lead smaller-scale projects or manage defined portions of larger, cross-functional projects.
Coordinate internal resources and external partners (including clients) to ensure project milestones are met.
Serve as a central communication hub, maintaining strong relationships with clients and team members.
Contribute to project documentation, including meeting minutes, action items, and deliverables.
Identify and creatively mitigate project risks and issues, often working with teams you don’t directly manage.
Support team development and foster a collaborative, high-performance culture.
Embrace a “servant leader” mindset—actively removing obstacles and enabling others to succeed.