Senior Cost Engineer – Major Capital Projects (Pharma)

Overview

We are supporting a leading global pharmaceutical company in their search for an experienced Senior Cost Engineer to join their project controls team, delivering cost engineering expertise across a portfolio of major capital projects (valued at $100M+). This position requires a structured and detail-oriented individual with proven experience managing cost and change control processes within regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, and petrochemicals.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS), and Schedule Breakdown Structures (SBS).

• Drive cost control, budgeting, and monthly forecasting across multiple projects.

• Track and report Value of Work Done (VoWD) and manage cost accruals.

• Liaise closely with the Planning team to ensure proper integration between progress reporting, VoWD, and Earned Value Management (EVM).

• Lead the change control process, ensuring variations are captured, assessed, and communicated.

• Support risk management processes with financial insights and exposure assessments.

• Prepare and deliver monthly reports to internal and external stakeholders in both English and German.

• Use (or oversee the implementation of) electronic cost management systems to maintain accuracy and transparency (experience preferred, but not essential).

• Implement best practices and standardized procedures to improve project execution, reduce cost/time, and enhance client–contractor relationships.

Requirements

• Minimum 15 years of experience in cost engineering or project controls within capital-intensive industries (pharma, oil & gas, or petrochemicals).

• Proven expertise in the full cost control lifecycle, from WBS setup to final close-out reporting.

• Hands-on experience with VoWD, EVM, budget forecasting, and change/risk management.

• Ability to work across multiple major projects simultaneously and adapt to changing project conditions.

• Comfortable in client-facing environments, able to drive clarity and accountability around cost performance.

• Strong written and spoken English and German skills (essential for bilingual reporting).

• Previous experience working for both clients and contractors is highly beneficial.

• Familiarity with cost management software and tools (e.g., SAP, Primavera Unifier, Excel dashboards) is a plus.

Work Environment

• Role is based in Marburg, Germany, with on-site presence strongly preferred.

• Flexibility to discuss hybrid arrangements based on candidate’s experience and availability.