Jobs › Catalent

Project Manager - Engineering

Catalent · Madison, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 28, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

This role leads capital projects at a GMP biologics site. Tell me about the largest capital project you have managed.

What they are checking: Whether they have managed capital projects of similar scale and complexity in a regulated or industrial setting.

Tell me about a time a project went over budget. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they own overruns, explain them honestly and take real steps to recover or rescope.

How do you hand a finished project over to operations so it is actually ready to use?

What they are checking: Whether they plan for SOPs, training, spares and maintenance so the project does not just end at installation.

What would you do

Halfway through, a key equipment delivery slips by eight weeks. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they rework the plan, look for recovery options and tell stakeholders early and honestly.

Manufacturing, Quality and Facilities want different things from the same project. How do you resolve it?

What they are checking: Whether they can align stakeholders around clear requirements and make tradeoffs visible.

What do you do when the scope keeps growing after the project is approved?

What they are checking: Whether they control scope through a change process and do not quietly absorb extra work and cost.

About the work

Walk me through how you build a project schedule and budget for installing a new process system.

What they are checking: Whether they plan realistically, including procurement lead times, qualification and change control.

How is a capital project in a GMP facility different from one in an ordinary building?

What they are checking: Whether they understand commissioning, qualification, validation and working inside an operating clean facility.

How do you manage contractors working in or near an operating GMP area?

What they are checking: Whether they protect production, safety and cleanliness while getting the construction work done.

How do you report project status so leadership sees risks early, not when they become problems?

What they are checking: Whether they report risks and forecasts honestly instead of showing green until the very end.

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The full job description

As published by Catalent.

About Site Catalent’s Madison, Wisconsin site is a state‑of‑the‑art biologics development and manufacturing facility supporting customers from research through early‑ and mid‑stage clinical production. Located at 726 Heartland Trail in Madison, the approximately 102,700‑square‑foot GMP facility specializes in mammalian cell line engineering, drug substance biomanufacturing, and biopharmaceutical development, utilizing flexible single‑use systems to enable rapid scale‑up and customization. The site is home to Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® and GPEx® Lightning technologies, which are used to generate high‑yielding mammalian cell lines for biologic therapies, and supports production scales ranging from 50 to 4,000 liters for clinical manufacturing. Following a $45 million expansion announced in 2025, the Madison site has significantly increased capacity, added new equipment, and created approximately 200 highly skilled biohealth jobs, further strengthening its role within Catalent’s global biologics network and Wisconsin’s growing life sciences ecosystem. Position Summary We have an opportunity for a Project Manager - Engineering to join our team. In this role, you will lead capital projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure timely, accurate, and successful project delivery. You will manage schedules, budgets, and stakeholder communication while supporting both small and large-scale initiatives. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a dynamic, regulated environment and enjoys driving projects from concept to completion. Shift: Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm Location: Madison, WI 100% Onsite The Role • Lead development and maintenance of integrated project schedules, resource plans, and cost baselines. • Lead cross-functional project teams and drive accountability across Engineering, Quality, Validation, and Operations. • Own project reporting and ensure accurate forecasting of cost and schedule performance. • Establish and manage capital expenditure (CapEx) requests, including cost tracking and earned value management. • Drive corrective actions for variances in scope, schedule, and cost performance. • Partner with Procurement to support sourcing strategy, bid evaluation, and vendor alignment and interface with internal stakeholders, vendors, contractors, and site/network leadership. • Coordinate and ensure project readiness and turnover to operations, including documentation handoff. • Perform other duties as assigned. The Candidate Minimum Requirements • Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or Chemical, Biochemical, Mechanical, Electrical, or another applicable Engineering discipline preferred. • Minimum of 5 years of experience leading capital projects from initiation through execution and turnover in a GMP or other highly regulated environment. • Experience with project controls, including cost forecasting, earned value management, and schedule management required. • Working knowledge of bioprocessing systems, clean utilities, and GMP facility design preferred. • Ability to perform regular computer-based office work with frequent movement and material handling, occasional physical activities and lifting (up to 50 lbs), while safely working in office, construction, lab, and potential cleanroom environments in compliance with EHS and PPE requirements. Preferred Skills & Background • Demonstrable leadership experience at Catalent (including but not limited to participation in Catalent-sponsored leadership programs such as NGGL, GOLD, GM Excellence, and GROW) may be considered in place of external experience. Why You Should Join Catalent • Defined career path and annual performance review and feedback process. • Diverse, inclusive culture. • Potential for career growth on an expanding team within an organization dedicated to preserving and bettering lives. • Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays. • Community engagement and green initiatives. • Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective day one of employment. • Tuition reimbursement. Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career! Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference. personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work. Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities. Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email, and confirming your request for an accommodation and include the job number, title and location to DisabilityAccommodations@catalent.com . This option is reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a disability. Information received will be processed by a U.S. Catalent employee and then routed to a local recruiter who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the application or hiring process. Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives: Catalent Pharma Solutions (Catalent) is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Catalent employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Catalent. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you. Important Security Notice to U.S. Job Seekers: Catalent NEVER asks candidates to provide any type of payment, bank details, photocopies of identification, social security number or other highly sensitive personal information during the offer process, and we NEVER do so via email or social media. If you receive any such request, DO NOT respond— it is a fraudulent request. Please forward such requests to spam@catalent.com for us to investigate with local authorities. California Job Seekers can find our California Job Applicant Notice HERE . Volunteer Work Disclosure: Applicants for employment in Massachusetts may include in their employment history any verified work performed on a volunteer basis. Massachusetts Lie Detector Test Notice: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law may be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Consistent with Massachusetts law, Catalent does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.

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