Principal Electrical Engineering Project Manager

Genentech is establishing a new Campus Development Team (CDT) to oversee the implementation of the Campus Vision Plan (CVP) for the South San Francisco campus. This Principal Electrical Engineer position provides single-point accountability for the successful end-to-end delivery of all electrical and low voltage systems, with a primary focus on the complex laboratory and research environments within the gRED development. This role will also provide expertise for the supporting Vivarium, Utility Plant, and Electrical Distribution Hub as part of the CVP.

The Principal Electrical Engineer works within a large, cross-functional project organization and serves as the primary technical liaison, coordinating the specific power, reliability, and low-voltage needs of scientific and vivarium user groups into actionable engineering designs. This position is responsible for ensuring all electrical and low voltage systems are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality, meeting the critical demands of a world-class R&D and animal care facility.

The Opportunity

Responsibilities
The responsibilities for this position may include, but are not limited to:

• Provides technical leadership and deep subject matter expertise for the electrical engineering designs supporting gRED research laboratories, specialized vivarium spaces, and associated supporting projects.
• Actively leads the design and planning of electrical systems critical to laboratory operations and specialized vivarium environments.
• Coordinates with the Utility Master Plans to ensure that upgrades to critical electrical infrastructure (including the Regional Utility Plant and Electrical Distribution Hub) directly support the reliability, redundancy, and scalability required by the new lab facilities.
• Serves as a respected industry expert on laboratory electrical design, engaging with the Roche/Genentech internal and industry external network to learn, influence, and collaborate on new technologies and best practices for gRED.
• Primary focus will be ensuring scientific user requirements are incorporated into robust technical solutions for the gRED project.
• Provide expert design guidance on medium/low voltage power distribution to labs and strategies for flexible “plug-and-play” power and robust emergency power/UPS systems to protect critical experiments, data, and animal life-support systems.
• Work closely with other technical leads to ensure seamless integration of fire alarm, security, and voice/data systems with lab-specific platforms like Building Automation Systems (BAS) and environmental monitoring systems.
• Serve as the electrical SME in all design and user-group meetings, providing clear technical options analysis and advocating for designs that prioritize scientific workflow, flexibility, and safety.
• Ensure all electrical designs align with Roche/Genentech and site-specific standards, with a particular focus on standards governing laboratory design and vivarium operations.
• Coordinate the electrical scope into a comprehensive strategy to address the technical needs across all aspects of the gRED project, from main infrastructure to the point-of-use in the lab.
• Support broad Design Engineering & Construction Services process improvement projects and LEAN initiatives, applying these principles to improve the lab design and delivery process.
• Drive innovation in electrical systems specifically for R&D environments, adopting technologies that improve lab flexibility, energy efficiency, and operational reliability.
• Participate in the development of a project-wide electrical infrastructure strategy to ensure the new gRED labs are adaptable for future scientific platforms and technologies, reducing total cost of ownership while maximizing uptime and research continuity.

Key Tasks

• Project Planning and Coordination: Develop and maintain a comprehensive project plan, coordinating with architects, engineers, and contractors. Apply innovative thinking to proactively identify and mitigate risks while monitoring progress via KPIs and reporting status to management.
• Budgeting and Resource Management: Support the development and management of the project budget, ensuring cost control and effective resource allocation. Assist with procurement activities, including vendor selection, contract negotiation, and material acquisitions.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, fostering collaboration, transparency, and alignment. Serve as a trusted liaison, keeping all parties informed and engaged through regular meetings and progress reports.
• Team Leadership: Provide effective leadership by clarifying roles and fostering a collaborative, motivated work environment. Mentor and guide team members while contributing strategic design and technical expertise to the facility’s construction.
• Quality Control and Safety: Implement and enforce strict quality control measures to ensure compliance with industry standards and specifications. Conduct regular inspections and audits to proactively identify and promptly address any quality or safety concerns.

Who You Are

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent. Electrical Professional Engineering (PE) in the State of California is desirable.
• Experience:
  • 15 years or more of hands-on experience in the design, construction, and commissioning of electrical systems for complex pharmaceutical, biotech, or vivarium facilities.
  • Demonstrated portfolio of successfully completed R&D laboratory projects, showcasing expertise in powering and grounding sensitive scientific equipment (e.g., mass specs, NMRs, electron microscopes) and managing high-density equipment loads.
  • Deep expertise in designing critical power infrastructure for research environments, including emergency generators, UPS, and redundant distribution strategies to protect high-value assets, long-running experiments, and animal welfare.
• Knowledge:
  • Expert-level knowledge of NEC, NFPA, IEEE, OSHA standards, and standards specific to labs and animal facilities.
  • Experience with energy-efficient lab design is highly desirable.
  • Lab and vivarium project design experience is highly desired but not required.
• Skills:
  • Excellent communication (written/verbal), presentation, leadership, interpersonal, collaborative, conflict resolution, and negotiating skills (especially in translating complex engineering concepts to scientific stakeholders).
  • Exceptional organization and planning skills.
  • Advanced Microsoft Office and Google Suite skills.
  • Teamwork and collaboration skills to facilitate cross-functional and interdepartmental efforts.
• Attributes:
  • Must be dependable, attentive to details, and proficient in coordination tasks.
  • Self-starter with the ability to work with minimum or no supervision.