Principal Project Controls Engineer
About The Position
This role is a valuable part of Roche's Global Engineering team within Pharma Technical Operations, which is dedicated to delivering complex capital projects that drive manufacturing innovation and operational excellence. As a Project Controls Engineer, you will serve as a critical strategic partner within project teams, safeguarding the financial and operational integrity of major CAPEX initiatives through rigorous cost and schedule monitoring, analysis, and proactive corrective action. You will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with Project Managers, Finance partners, procurement teams, contractors, and senior leadership across single and multidisciplinary projects supporting Pharma Technical Operations, CMOs, and Affiliates. This position offers significant technical responsibility and the chance to influence project outcomes while building a reputation as a trusted advisor in project controls and financial management. As Principal Project Controls Engineer, you will be the financial and operational guardian of major CAPEX projects, responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and appraising project performance across cost and schedule controls to ensure projects remain on track and within budget. You will work as a critical strategic partner with Project Managers and cross-functional teams, identifying variances early and formulating corrective actions while maintaining transparent adherence to corporate procedures and financial compliance standards.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Economics, or Business Administration
- Professional qualification from PMI, RICS, or AACEi (or equivalent)
- Minimum of 8 years (6 with a Masters) of hands-on experience in Project Controls roles such as Cost Engineer or Quantity Surveyor
- Strong expertise in capital finance, depreciation, and industrial project lifecycles
- Ability to translate complex financial data into clear narratives and actionable insights that influence stakeholder decisions
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and lead across matrixed environments, engaging effectively with Project Managers, Finance partners, procurement teams, contractors, and executive leadership
- Proficient in SAP R/3, Primavera (P6), MS Office, and Google Suite
- Strong analytical rigor to dissect complex datasets and identify the underlying "story" behind the numbers
- Commitment to transparent adherence to corporate procedures, financial compliance standards, and audit requirements
- Meticulous attention to detail and a proactive approach to risk management and change control
Responsibilities
- Establish, maintain, and reconcile the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), work packages, and comprehensive project cost reports; perform regular audits between project cost data and official accounting systems (SAP) to ensure financial integrity
- Deploy and manage Project Cost Control systems in strict accordance with corporate procedures, site financial accounting laws, and tax principles; produce accurate, unbiased monthly cost forecasts and capital expenditure plans
- Utilize Primavera and advanced analytics to monitor schedule and budget performance; identify early warnings in cost and schedule trends, conduct "what-if" scenario analyses, and provide actionable recommendations for recovery plans
- Execute integrated change management processes, ensuring all scope, schedule, and cost impacts are documented, approved via Delegation of Authority (DOA), and reflected in project forecasts and risk registers
- Collaborate with procurement teams to maintain auditable registers for bid evaluations, contracts, bank guarantees, and retentions; support technical bid reviews and vendor/contractor assessments
- Conduct project kick-off workshops and provide comprehensive project controls training to internal teams and external contractors to ensure consistent application of processes and standards
- Ensure timely delivery of the Project Data Collection Report and facilitate formal financial closure, including reconciliation of actuals against approved budgets and lesson-learned documentation
Benefits
- A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
