Senior Manager, Laboratory Design & Space Planning

Pfizer • Pearl River, NY

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Laboratory Design & Space Planning serves as Pfizer’s global scientific-workplace authority, setting laboratory planning and design standards and translating evolving R&D priorities into portfolio-level laboratory, support, and associated office-space solutions across Pfizer’s global research portfolio. The role partners with R&D leaders and scientists to plan and continuously optimize safe, flexible, efficient, science-focused laboratory environments. It owns and evolves global laboratory planning and design standards and delivers programming and technical planning inputs—including feasibility, scope, assumptions, and risks—to inform workplace strategies, capital planning, and investment recommendations.

Reporting to the Director, R&D Workplace Strategy Lead, the role is the team’s senior laboratory space specialist and liaison to Global Workplace Design & Change Management (DCM) and the Sustainability & Hospitality Center of Excellence (COE). It supports site and portfolio master planning, demand forecasting, utilization analytics, project delivery, and small-project oversight. The position is hybrid, primarily office-based, and involves travel to R&D sites and regional offices, including approximately 25–30% domestic travel and global travel as needed. Flexible hours may be required to collaborate across global time zones.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering, a scientific discipline, or a related built-environment field; equivalent professional qualification or experience may be accepted in lieu.
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in laboratory design and planning, space planning, or workplace/occupancy planning, including programming and design across multiple project phases and facility types.
• Demonstrated expertise in pharmaceutical or biotechnology research environments and specialized laboratory types, including biology, chemistry, analytical and pharmaceutical sciences, process development, vivarium, clean room, and containment environments.
• Knowledge of scientific equipment, workflows, and the operational, safety, and regulatory considerations, such as cGMP, that shape laboratory design.
• Ability to translate user and scientific requirements into laboratory space programs, adjacency diagrams, test fits, and workflow-driven layouts; ability to read and produce architectural drawings.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD and Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC).
• Working knowledge of CAFM/IWMS and space-management platforms such as TRIRIGA.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Ariba.
• Strong data-analysis and space-benchmarking skills, including cost estimating for laboratory builds, moves, and reconfigurations.
• Knowledge of construction practices, applicable building codes, and laboratory EHS, life-safety, and egress requirements, and ability to apply current guidance when planning or rearranging laboratories.
• Strong communication, presentation, influencing, and facilitation skills; sound judgment; ability to work independently and lead cross-functional, multi-trade discussions.
• Ability to analyze alternatives and technical and operational tradeoffs and manage multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities in a matrixed, global organization.
• Flexible, collaborative approach; listens well and adapts in ambiguous and evolving environments.
• Breadth of diverse leadership experience and capabilities, including influencing and collaborating with peers, developing and coaching others, and guiding colleagues’ work.
• Ability to travel domestically approximately 25–30% and globally to R&D sites and regional offices as needed.
• Ability to work flexible hours to accommodate collaboration and decision-making across global time zones.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States by any employer and have permanent U.S. work authorization; work visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency with Revit, Bluebeam, building information modeling (BIM), and other industry-standard design or space-planning software.
• Experience coordinating laboratory programming with containment, MEP systems, casework, and equipment planning, and reviewing external consultant deliverables against approved programs.
• Experience with master planning and strategic portfolio planning across multi-site or geographically dispersed portfolios.
• Knowledge of sustainability frameworks relevant to laboratory and workplace design, such as WELL, LEED, and BREEAM, and their application in corporate real estate.
• Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) experience, including structured design, data collection, and findings synthesis.
• Formal project- and change-management experience or certification.
• Master’s degree in architecture, engineering, facilities management, life sciences, or a related discipline, and/or relevant professional licensure or accreditation.

Responsibilities

• Engage R&D leaders and scientists to understand current and future scientific requirements and translate them into laboratory, support, and associated office-space solutions.
• Facilitate programming with scientists, laboratory operations, Engineering, EHS, and Digital to document workflows, equipment, headcount, capacity, adjacencies, and personnel and material flows.
• Produce space programs, blocking-and-stacking concepts, and phase-appropriate planning narratives; assess how automation and emerging technologies affect laboratory requirements.
• Own and maintain Pfizer’s global laboratory planning and design standards across laboratories, hybrid workspaces, and shared support functions, and drive their evolution in coordination with the COE.
• Integrate evidence-based insights, inclusive design, sustainability, well-being, safety, and operational feedback into laboratory standards.
• Identify opportunities for flexible and adaptable laboratory design, balancing scientific needs, accessibility, colleague needs, functionality, technology, operational efficiency, and cost.
• Support site, campus, and network master planning and strategic portfolio planning by forecasting demand and providing capacity, utilization, and feasibility analyses.
• Evaluate renovation, consolidation, expansion, and new-build options and their tradeoffs; use space records and approved analytics and AI-enabled tools to inform scenario planning, capital investment, and occupancy decisions.
• Maintain accurate space records in CAFM/IWMS environments such as TRIRIGA.
• Act as a primary liaison among scientists, project teams, architects, engineers, and planners, and as the team’s liaison to DCM and the Sustainability & Hospitality COE.
• Build relationships across GWE operations, laboratory operations, Engineering, Digital, Real Estate, capital planning, project delivery teams, and external consultants.
• Partner with site EHS and Laboratory Instrument Services teams to confirm safety requirements and services needed when moving or populating laboratories.
• Develop project scopes and support internal and external design and construction teams through design, construction, commissioning, start-up, and occupancy.
• Use Autodesk Construction Cloud to test laboratory layouts, including corewalls, assets, and equipment; identify equipment-related utility, structural, environmental, containment, and digital requirements with Engineering and EHS.
• Review design deliverables against approved programs and provide scope, assumptions, and risks to inform cost estimates, schedules, and investment planning.
• Manage multiple concurrent small projects, typically under $50,000, including feasibility and test fits, proposals, logistics, work orders, JHA, construction oversight, and multi-trade coordination.
• Manage approved project budgets, purchase orders, Ariba transactions, and Statements of Work; estimate move and reconfiguration costs for proposed laboratory changes.
• Bring innovative practices to workplace design and change management, and embed sustainability, resilience, and operational continuity—including energy efficiency, waste reduction, eco-friendly materials, and colleague well-being—into recommendations.
• Influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, and oversee and guide colleagues’ work to achieve meaningful outcomes and business impact.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution.
• Paid vacation, holidays, and personal days.
• Paid caregiver/parental and medical leave.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage.
• Eligibility to participate in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan, with a bonus target of 17.5% of base salary.
• Eligibility to participate in Pfizer’s share-based long-term incentive program.
• Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior