Cost Engineer

Are you ready to play a critical role in controlling high-value capital investments that bring life-saving therapies to life? As a Project Cost Engineer in Visp, you will take ownership of cost controls and financial forecasting for major global facility expansion projects, driving direct value across our state-of-the-art site.

Fully site-based roles

This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards.

What you will get:

• An agile career and dynamic working culture.

• An inclusive and ethical workplace.

What you will do:

• Drive forward-looking project cost performance and deliver accurate EAC (Estimate at Completion) reporting for large-scale capital investments (>250M CHF).

• Establish project-level cost control frameworks and manage transition from initial cost estimates to sanctioned control budgets.

• Define, administer, and monitor key project interfaces and control protocols across engineering partners and third-party suppliers.

• Lead monthly cost reporting activities, encompassing commitments, Value of Work Done (VOWD), accruals, cash flows, and foreign exchange impact.

• Partner with Project Leadership and cross-functional teams to manage project change orders, risk/opportunity evaluations, and contingency drawdowns.

• Oversee supplier cost management tools, applications for payment, productivity trends, and material tracking mechanisms.

• Support comprehensive project close-out processes, including commercial settlements, asset activations, and historical benchmarking.

What we are looking for:

• Degree or advanced degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Science, or equivalent commercial experience.

• Extensive background (10+ years) as a Cost Engineer managing large-scale (>250M CHF) pharmaceutical or biotech capital projects in EPCm environments.

• Direct experience representing the Client owner side within the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry.

• Strong proficiency in capital project financial controls, cost forecasting, change management, and risk analysis.

• Professional command of English (written and verbal); business fluency in German is a strong advantage.

• Familiarity with enterprise systems such as SAP, SAP Ariba, or Oracle Primavera Unifier.

• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, prioritize in fast-paced capital environments, and clearly articulate cost trends to senior stakeholders.

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

As Lonza’s talent acquisition partner, please note, Randstad is responsible for the engagement and contracting of this contingent role.

Ready to play your part in shaping the future of life sciences? Apply now.

Job Description Summary: 

Lonza is expanding its current facilities around the globe and requires professionals to support the growth. Lonza is seeking a Cost Engineer with relevant experience to support the Global Engineering Capital Projects for Lonza’s global facilities and infrastructure. This position will be directly responsible for cost management and overseeing the costs and cost reporting of projects through various project stages. 

Responsibilities and Activities: 

The Cost Engineer shall provide Project Leadership with forward-looking information identifying expected project cost performance and comparisons against sanctioned targets. This presents an early recognition of potential over- or under-runs and provides project leadership with information to pro-actively influence outcomes. 

The primary purpose and minimum responsibilities of a Lonza Cost Engineer are detailed below: 

• Provide support in the development of Project Cost Estimates and transition from Estimate to Control Budget. 

  
  

• Identify and establish all project interfaces (including systems) and shall identify the protocols, responsibilities, and points of contact for administering and controlling these interfaces. 

  
  

• Provide accurate and timely Cost Reports to Project Leadership and other stakeholders for inputs to the corporate reporting deadlines. 

  
  

• Ensure that the Engineering Partner and other Contractors (as applicable) have proper methodologies and tools in line with the applicable project control requirement (i.e. Application for Payment process, material trending, productivity analysis, change log. etc).  

  
  

• Establish at project level processes that supports the Cost Management requirements. 

  
  

• Maintain the cost reporting (Budget, Commitments, Value of Work Done assessment, Accruals, Foreign Exchange, Estimate to Complete, Estimate at Completion, Phasing) for the entire project based on internal and 3rd Party supplier inputs, validated by an independent evaluation, verification and integrating of same into overall Lonza reporting. 

  
  

• Support Project Leadership in managing project resources and forecasting overruns or potential savings. 

  
  

• Provide Project Leadership with accurate, timely and robust estimates and reports of EAC. 

  
  

• Support the Project Change, Risk & Opportunity Management on the cost impact calculation. 

  
  

• Establish control of the contingency draw down and run down according to guidelines.  

  
  

• Support project close out activities including support of asset activation and commercial close out and benchmarking. 

  
  

• Provide management, oversight and support to other cost engineers as required. 

  
  

Key Interfaces: 

• Internal Lonza Stakeholders (all Budget Owners e.g. Capex Lead, Project Lead, Engineering/Construction Leads etc.) 

  
  

• Internal Lonza Functions (Procurement Team/PMO/Finance etc.) 

  
  

• External Lonza Stakeholders (3rd Party suppliers)  

  
  

Skills: 

• Degree or advanced degree from an accredited college or university, Engineering, Science, Quantity Surveyor equivalent experience. 

  
  

• Excellent command of English required. Business fluent in German an advantage. 

  
  

• 10+ years of experience as a Cost Engineer for large (>250 Mio CHF) pharmaceutical projects in EPCm organisations and preferably having working experience as Client representative in Pharma Companies. 

  
  

• Ability to interpret cost data in a consistent and efficient manner and articulate relevant information to senior management. 

  
  

• Excellent written and oral communications and interpersonal and influencing skills. 

  
  

• Microsoft office proficient. 

  
  

• Proficiency in SAP, SAP Ariba and Oracle Primavera Unifier knowledge is desirable. 

  
  

• Experience working in a global environment. 

  
  

• Experience in pharmaceutical projects using Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning type contracts. 

  
  

• Strong analytical skills. Ability to conduct analysis of complex/large data sets, draw conclusions accordingly, and prepare and support decisions.  

  
  

• Able to deal with Ambiguity - can conform to shifting priorities, and demands. 

  
  

• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a fast paced environment.