About the RoleTechnical & Engineering Consulting is seeking an experienced
Warehouse Design Lead to support a major pharmaceutical capital project in
Puerto Rico.
The Warehouse Design Lead will provide technical and project leadership for the development, coordination, and execution of warehouse design across all project phases, from
conceptual and basic design through detailed design, construction support, and Commissioning & Qualification (C&Q).
The role will be responsible for ensuring that warehouse layouts, infrastructure, material flows, storage strategies, automation systems, and operational requirements are fully integrated into the overall facility design.
The successful candidate will serve as a key interface between
Engineering, Supply Chain/Warehouse Operations, Quality & Compliance, Construction, Commissioning, A/E firms, automation teams, and other project stakeholders.
Key ResponsibilitiesWarehouse Design Leadership- Lead the development and coordination of warehouse design concepts, layouts, specifications, and design requirements.
- Provide design leadership throughout:
- Conceptual design
- Basic design
- Detailed design
- Construction support
- Ensure alignment between warehouse design, site infrastructure, and the overall facility strategy.
- Coordinate with Architecture/Engineering (A/E) firms and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Ensure design execution remains aligned with approved design intent and operational requirements.
- Lead resolution of warehouse-related design issues and coordinate design changes with project teams.
Warehouse Layout & Material Flow- Define, develop, and optimize warehouse layouts, including:
- Receiving areas
- Storage areas
- Shipping areas
- Cold storage
- Flammable-material storage
- Quarantine zones
- Sampling areas
- Inspection areas
- Warehouse support areas
- Ensure warehouse design supports efficient and safe movement of materials, personnel, and equipment.
- Evaluate material-flow requirements and identify opportunities to improve warehouse efficiency.
- Ensure final layouts support operational, compliance, safety, and performance requirements.
Warehouse Automation & Material Handling- Incorporate automation readiness into warehouse layouts and facility design.
- Collaborate with automation and robotics teams on the design and integration of:
- Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS)
- Automated/Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
- Robotics
- Conveyor systems
- Pallet handling systems
- Other automated material-handling solutions
- Define and coordinate AGV pathways and automation interfaces.
- Ensure warehouse automation systems are appropriately integrated with facility infrastructure and operational requirements.
- Identify potential automation, equipment, space, and constructability constraints early in the design process.
Multidisciplinary Design Integration- Serve as a key technical interface between:
- Process Engineering
- Utilities Engineering
- Facilities Engineering
- Supply Chain
- Warehouse Operations
- Quality & Compliance
- Construction
- Commissioning & Qualification
- A/E firms
- Automation and robotics teams
- Facilitate technical decision-making and effective information flow across project stakeholders.
- Coordinate design interfaces and resolve multidisciplinary issues affecting warehouse execution.
- Ensure warehouse requirements are incorporated into the broader facility design.
GMP, Quality & Regulatory Compliance- Ensure warehouse designs comply with applicable:
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
- Safety requirements
- Regulatory standards
- Corporate engineering standards
- Corporate design standards
- Support development of warehouse design requirements and specifications.
- Ensure adherence to approved design intent throughout project execution.
- Coordinate with Quality and Compliance stakeholders to ensure warehouse design supports regulated operations.
Project Controls & Risk Management- Support development and management of warehouse design schedules.
- Support budget alignment for the warehouse design scope.
- Monitor design progress against project milestones.
- Identify and mitigate design-related risks, including:
- Constructability challenges
- Equipment constraints
- Space limitations
- Material-flow conflicts
- Automation interfaces
- Operational constraints
- Escalate significant design issues and facilitate timely resolution.
Construction, Commissioning & Qualification Support- Provide warehouse design support during construction execution.
- Support Commissioning & Qualification (C&Q) activities associated with warehouse systems and facilities.
- Resolve field design issues and coordinate necessary design changes.
- Maintain alignment between design intent, construction execution, commissioning, and operational requirements.
- Ensure the final warehouse design meets established operational and performance requirements.
Minimum Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Supply Chain, or a related field.
- 8+ years of relevant professional experience in industrial, pharmaceutical, or large-scale facility design.
- Demonstrated experience with warehouse or logistics facility design.
- Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering and project teams.
- Strong understanding of warehouse layouts, material handling, and operational flow.
- Ability to coordinate technical requirements across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Construction, and project stakeholders.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to identify design risks and drive technical issues to resolution.
Preferred Qualifications- Previous experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, GMP, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
- Strong understanding of warehouse automation and material-handling technologies, including:
- ASRS
- AGVs
- Robotics
- Conveyors
- Pallet handling systems
- Strong understanding of material flow and warehouse optimization.
- Experience supporting large capital projects.
- Experience working within EPCM or Design-Build project environments.
- Experience coordinating with A/E design organizations.
- Experience supporting warehouse systems through construction and C&Q.
- Experience integrating automated warehouse systems into pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.
Key Technical SkillsExperience in the following areas is highly desirable:
- Warehouse Facility Design
- Pharmaceutical Warehouse Design
- Warehouse Layout Optimization
- Material Flow
- Material Handling Systems
- ASRS
- AGV Systems
- Warehouse Automation
- Robotics
- Conveyor Systems
- Pallet Handling Systems
- GMP Facility Design
- Cold Storage
- Flammable Material Storage
- Quarantine & Sampling Areas
- Multidisciplinary Design Coordination
- A/E Design Coordination
- Constructability
- EPCM / Design-Build
- Construction Support
- Commissioning & Qualification (C&Q)
Position Details- Position: Warehouse Design Lead
- Industry: Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology / Life Sciences
- Project: Major Pharmaceutical Capital Project
- Location: Puerto Rico / Hybrid flexibility depending on candidate location
- Work Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week
- Contract Duration: Approximately 1 year
- Engagement: Independent Consultant / Contract
- Onsite Requirements: Onsite presence will be required for facility and project evaluations
Ideal CandidateThe ideal candidate is an experienced
warehouse design and engineering professional who understands how to translate pharmaceutical warehouse operational requirements into practical, compliant, and constructible facility designs.
The individual should have the technical and leadership capability to manage warehouse design across multiple project phases while coordinating complex interfaces between
facility design, material flow, automation, ASRS/AGVs, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Construction, and C&Q.
The successful candidate will be comfortable acting as the primary warehouse-design interface, challenging designs when necessary, identifying risks early, driving multidisciplinary decisions, and ensuring the final solution supports safe, efficient, compliant, and reliable warehouse operations.
