Project Manager for Investment and Improvement Projects (m/f/d)

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 100,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.

Location/Division Specific Information

Phadia is the leading supplier of fully automatic blood analysis systems for allergy and auto-immune diseases. With our innovative products, we set standards worldwide and assist clinicians in providing fast and reliable diagnoses, thus helping patients at an early stage. Phadia GmbH in Freiburg is the German subsidiary of the Immunodiagnostics division of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global company that develops, manufactures and distributes in vitro diagnostics in the field of allergy and autoimmune diagnostics. Our customers expect a consistently reliable and high standard of quality from our products, which we ensure through innovative biochemical and medical technology solutions as well as highly qualified and motivated employees.

A Day in the Life

Based at the Freiburg site within the Immuno Diagnostics Division (IDD). Responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of operational projects, including:

• Acquisition of new production machinery and equipment
• Upgrades and relocations of existing machinery and equipment
• New production facility projects within site master planning
• Capacity expansion and quality improvement initiatives
• Business continuity measures

In addition, the role covers operational business projects focused on optimizing processes and systems, with a strong emphasis on business case development and operational performance.

Responsibilities

Lead Operations Investment Projects

• Manage projects from planning through execution, ensuring compliance with the quality management system (ISO 13485).
• Oversee all phases: Concept studies, User requirement specification (URS), design phase, commissioning (FAT/SAT), and qualification/process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ).
• Monitor and communicate project status, timelines, risks, and scope changes.
• Allocate resources effectively and manage project budgets, forecasts, and investment requests.
• Facilitate project team and steering group meetings, ensuring stakeholder alignment.
• Report KPIs and elevate issues to steering groups and relevant boards.

Drive Business and Productivity Initiatives

• Lead projects focused on operational efficiency, capacity, and quality improvements.
• Develop business cases and implement strategies to optimize processes and reduce costs within the operational process environment
• Apply lean principles to streamline workflows
• Assess outsourcing opportunities and other measures to enhance productivity

Collaboration and Relationship Building

• Build strong cross-functional relationships with production, facility management, QA, regulatory affairs, and other departments.
• Support validation strategies, risk assessments, and impact analyses with SMEs and validation leaders.
• Collaborate with global project managers and engineering teams to ensure best practices.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications

Education

• University degree (e.g. bachelor or master) in mechanical Engineering, quality engineering, applied sciences or equivalent practical expertise

Experience

• Many years of experience in engineering including some years in project management, preferably in the diagnostic or medical device area.
• Experience in working in an operational setting preferably in production, process development and/or validation/qualification management
• Ability to develop business cases, manage budgets, and perform financial forecasting.
• Familiarity with lean principles and continuous improvement tools.
• Experience from working in a global and/or cross-functional environment.
• Experience with Quality Management (QM) Systems, preferably ISO13485/GMP.

Competencies

• Strong leadership skills for project management and project teams
• Strong professional communication skills with a self-reliant, structured and solution-oriented mindset
• Open-minded and flexible to act agile in a changing environment
• Team-player, high competence in connecting, motivating and inclusion of distributed teams (cross- departmental, cross-functional, cross-site, cross- country)
• Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken

What we offer

• Employment with an innovative, future-oriented organisation
• Outstanding career and development prospects
• Company pension scheme and other fringe benefits
• Exciting company culture which stands for integrity, intensity, involvement and innovation

If you are interested, please apply online with your CV and Motivation Letter including possible start date and salary expectations.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, each one of our 100,000 extraordinary minds has a unique story to tell. Join us and contribute to our singular mission-enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or any other legally protected status.