Lead Project Manager EPC

Pepper Construction•Barrington, IL

5d•$128,000•Onsite

About The Position

Pepper Construction is seeking a Lead Project Manager to manage the engineering, procurement, and construction of organics recycling infrastructure, including composting facilities, anaerobic digesters, and material recovery systems for organic waste streams. This role manages projects from permitting through construction and commissioning, coordinating across engineering, regulatory, and operations teams to deliver facilities that convert organic waste into compost, biogas, or recovered materials. Pepper Energy, a division of Pepper Construction, focuses on renewable energy solutions and provides an experienced engineer-procure-construct (EPC) team as a single-source solution for renewables construction projects.

Requirements

7+ years of industrial project management experience, with at least 3–5 years specifically leading EPC delivery for process plants, biogas, or waste-to-energy facilities.
Working knowledge of state solid waste permitting and siting requirements, including siting on inactive landfills or other constrained sites
Familiarity with odor control, leachate management, and stormwater considerations specific to organics processing
Project management skills across budget, schedule, and multi-stakeholder coordination
Bachelor's degree in environmental engineering, civil engineering, environmental science, or related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience working on facilities on closed/inactive landfills, including cap integrity and post-closure care requirements
Knowledge of anaerobic digestion biogas upgrading and pipeline or vehicle-fuel interconnection
Familiarity with local zoning and community engagement processes for waste-adjacent land uses

Responsibilities

Lead full-cycle delivery of organic waste, composting, or anaerobic digestion facilities from design phase through startup and operational turnover
Coordinate environmental permitting with state and local agencies (solid waste permits, air quality, stormwater, odor management plans)
Direct process, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering teams to finalize construction-ready drawing packages and technical specs.
Track project budgets, cash flow forecasting, and critical path schedules using internal cost controls.
Manage capital equipment purchasing, vendor bidding, and subcontracts negotiation for specialized plant machinery