Summary

Our client is an international project management and consulting organization supporting complex pharmaceutical and biotechnology capital projects. They are seeking an experienced Senior Primavera P6 Scheduler to support a major pharmaceutical CAPEX project in Vista, CA. This is a long-term contract opportunity anticipated to begin in January 2027, with an initial assignment extending through approximately October 2027 and potential for extension.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing project scheduling activities using Oracle Primavera P6, with a strong emphasis on construction, commissioning, qualification, and validation (CQV) activities. This individual will coordinate closely with project management, construction, engineering, commissioning, and CQV teams to maintain accurate schedules, monitor critical-path activities, forecast project milestones, and identify potential schedule risks.

The ideal candidate will possess 10+ years of project scheduling experience, including extensive hands-on Primavera P6 expertise and recent experience supporting pharmaceutical or biotechnology capital projects in GMP-regulated environments. Direct experience scheduling commissioning and CQV activities is essential.

This position follows a hybrid schedule, with approximately three days per week onsite in Vista, CA, and the remaining time worked remotely.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Project Scheduling & Primavera P6 Management

  • Develop, maintain, and regularly update detailed project schedules using Oracle Primavera P6.

  • Independently manage day-to-day scheduling activities for a complex pharmaceutical capital project.

  • Maintain schedule logic, activity relationships, milestones, dependencies, and critical-path information.

  • Incorporate project progress updates, revised forecasts, and schedule adjustments into the integrated project schedule.

  • Coordinate scheduling inputs from project management, engineering, construction, commissioning, and CQV teams.

  • Evaluate schedule performance against established project milestones and approved planning assumptions.

  • Ensure scheduling information remains accurate, current, and aligned with project execution requirements.

• Pharmaceutical CAPEX & CQV Scheduling

  • Support scheduling activities throughout the construction, commissioning, qualification, and validation phases of pharmaceutical capital projects.

  • Integrate commissioning and CQV activities into the overall project schedule.

  • Coordinate schedule interfaces between construction completion, equipment readiness, commissioning, qualification, and project handover activities.

  • Work closely with commissioning and CQV stakeholders to establish activity sequences, dependencies, and milestone requirements.

  • Identify scheduling conflicts and potential delays affecting commissioning and qualification activities.

  • Monitor progress against critical CQV milestones and communicate schedule impacts to project stakeholders.

  • Apply an understanding of GMP-regulated pharmaceutical project environments when evaluating scheduling requirements and execution constraints.

• Critical Path Analysis & Schedule Reporting

  • Perform ongoing critical-path analysis to identify activities affecting key project milestones.

  • Prepare and distribute regular schedule updates, progress reports, and milestone forecasts.

  • Develop short-term and medium-term look-ahead schedules to support project execution and coordination.

  • Analyze schedule deviations, emerging delays, and potential impacts on project completion.

  • Prepare schedule variance assessments and communicate findings to project leadership.

  • Identify critical and near-critical activities requiring management attention.

  • Present clear, accurate scheduling information to support project planning and decision-making.

• Schedule Forecasting & Recovery Planning

  • Evaluate project progress and forecast anticipated milestone and completion dates.

  • Identify potential schedule risks, constraints, and execution bottlenecks.

  • Assess the impact of construction delays, commissioning constraints, and changes in project priorities.

  • Develop and evaluate schedule recovery options in coordination with the project team.

  • Support discussions regarding activity resequencing, schedule adjustments, and recovery strategies.

  • Provide scheduling analysis to help project stakeholders understand potential impacts and mitigation opportunities.

  • Maintain visibility into critical schedule risks and communicate concerns proactively.

• Project Coordination & Stakeholder Management

  • Collaborate with project management, construction, engineering, commissioning, and CQV personnel to obtain accurate scheduling inputs.

  • Participate in project coordination meetings, schedule reviews, and progress discussions.

  • Communicate scheduling requirements, milestones, constraints, and priorities to relevant stakeholders.

  • Coordinate scheduling interfaces between project disciplines and execution teams.

  • Follow up on outstanding schedule updates, progress information, and critical action items.

  • Provide technical scheduling input to support project execution and management decisions.

  • Maintain professional communication with project stakeholders in a multidisciplinary environment.

• Schedule Documentation & Project Controls Support

  • Maintain organized and accurate Primavera P6 schedule files and supporting documentation.

  • Document schedule updates, changes, assumptions, and relevant planning information.

  • Prepare scheduling reports and analyses required by the project delivery team.

  • Support project controls activities through accurate progress tracking, forecasting, and schedule analysis.

  • Maintain consistency and traceability of scheduling information throughout the assignment.

  • Work within the client's established scheduling methodology, reporting processes, and quality assurance requirements.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Required Experience

  • Minimum 10 years of professional project scheduling or planning experience, preferably supporting complex capital construction projects.

  • Advanced, hands-on experience with Oracle Primavera P6 in a senior scheduling capacity.

  • Recent pharmaceutical or biotechnology CAPEX project experience.

  • Demonstrated experience working in GMP-regulated project environments.

  • Direct experience scheduling commissioning, qualification, and validation (CQV) activities.

  • Experience coordinating schedules across construction, engineering, commissioning, and project management disciplines.

  • Proven ability to independently manage complex project schedules and day-to-day scheduling requirements.

  • Experience preparing critical-path reports, look-ahead schedules, milestone forecasts, and recovery plans.

• Technical Skills

  • Advanced proficiency in Oracle Primavera P6, including schedule development, updates, logic management, and critical-path analysis.

  • Strong understanding of Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling principles.

  • Experience managing complex activity dependencies, project milestones, and multidisciplinary schedule interfaces.

  • Ability to analyze schedule performance, identify delays, and evaluate their impact on project execution.

  • Experience developing short-term look-ahead schedules and long-range milestone forecasts.

  • Strong understanding of construction sequencing and commissioning-related scheduling requirements.

  • Knowledge of pharmaceutical project execution processes, particularly the transition from construction through commissioning and CQV.

  • Ability to prepare accurate scheduling reports and communicate technical findings to project stakeholders.

• Professional Skills

  • Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.

  • Ability to work independently and take ownership of assigned scheduling responsibilities.

  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to schedule accuracy.

  • Ability to collaborate effectively with Project Managers, construction teams, commissioning personnel, and CQV stakeholders.

  • Proactive approach to identifying schedule risks, constraints, and potential delays.

  • Ability to manage competing priorities and meet demanding project reporting deadlines.

  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively in a multidisciplinary project environment.

  • Professional judgment and accountability when managing critical project scheduling information.

• Preferred Education & Experience

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related technical discipline.

  • Previous experience serving as a Senior Scheduler, Project Controls Scheduler, Planning Engineer, or Lead Primavera P6 Scheduler.

  • Experience supporting large-scale pharmaceutical or biotechnology facility construction and expansion projects.

  • Strong familiarity with commissioning, qualification, and validation scheduling requirements.

  • Experience supporting schedule recovery planning on complex capital projects.

  • Background working with international engineering, construction, or project management teams.

• Work Location & Assignment Requirements

  • Must be available to begin the assignment in January 2027.

  • Hybrid position based in Vista, CA, with approximately three days per week onsite and the remaining time worked remotely.

  • Ability to coordinate directly with onsite construction, commissioning, and CQV stakeholders.

  • Availability for an initial assignment anticipated to run January through October 2027, with potential extension depending on project requirements.

  • Ability to work full-time throughout the assignment.

  • Willingness to work within established project scheduling methodologies, reporting procedures, and quality standards.