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Drug Development Project Manager Jobs in California

Amat

Business Development Project Manager

Santa Clara, CA · On-site +1

$180K - $248K/yr

... development programs from concept through commercialization. * Experience managing business ... Proven ability to lead complex projects and cross-functional teams. * Experience influencing ...

Merck & Co.

... drug development, project management, and/or medical field experience -OR- Master's Degree and 6+ years of pharmaceutical, clinical drug development, project management, and/or medical field ...

ASML

Training and Development Project Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$82K - $124K/yr

... projects. * Manage employee competence assessment program, including gap assessments and gap closure plans. * Assist in the management of organizational development programs for San Diego Factory ...

Totex Manufacturing Inc

Project Manager

Torrance, CA · On-site

$95K - $110K/yr

The project manager is the primary company contact with the customer 's various departments involved in the development project and communicates the customer's needs to internal departments ...

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Drug Development Project Manager information

What does a drug development project manager do?

A Drug Development Project Manager oversees and coordinates all aspects of pharmaceutical product development, from early research through clinical trials to regulatory approval and market launch. They manage cross-functional teams, timelines, budgets, and communications to ensure projects meet scientific, regulatory, and business goals. These professionals play a critical role in identifying risks, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Their work helps bring new therapies to market efficiently and safely.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a drug development project manager, and why are they important?

A Drug Development Project Manager requires expertise in pharmaceutical sciences, regulatory requirements, and project management, often supported by a relevant degree and PMP certification. Familiarity with project management tools (like MS Project or Smartsheet), clinical trial management systems, and documentation platforms is essential. Excellent leadership, strategic communication, and problem-solving abilities help navigate complex timelines and cross-functional teams. These skills ensure efficient project execution, regulatory compliance, and successful advancement of drug candidates through development phases.

What are some common challenges faced by drug development project managers, and how can these be managed effectively?

Drug Development Project Managers often encounter challenges such as coordinating cross-functional teams, managing shifting regulatory requirements, and ensuring projects stay on schedule and within budget. Effective communication and proactive risk management are essential to navigate these complexities. Building strong relationships with stakeholders and maintaining transparent project plans can help address issues early and keep development efforts aligned with company goals.

What is the difference between Drug Development Project Manager vs Clinical Research Associate?

AspectDrug Development Project ManagerClinical Research Associate
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in life sciences, PMP certification often preferredBachelor's in life sciences, clinical research certification beneficial
Work EnvironmentCoordinates multiple teams across drug development phasesMonitors clinical trial sites and ensures protocol compliance
Industry UsageUsed in pharmaceutical and biotech companies during drug developmentPrimarily in clinical trial sites and CROs

The Drug Development Project Manager oversees the entire drug development process, coordinating teams and managing timelines. In contrast, the Clinical Research Associate focuses on monitoring clinical trials at sites to ensure compliance and data integrity. Both roles are essential in the drug development pipeline but differ in scope and responsibilities.

How to become a drug development project manager?

To become a drug development project manager, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as life sciences, pharmacy, or engineering, along with experience in pharmaceutical or biotech project management. Many professionals pursue certifications like PMP (Project Management Professional) to enhance their credentials. Strong organizational, communication, and regulatory knowledge are essential for managing complex drug development processes effectively.

What are popular job titles related to Drug Development Project Manager jobs in California?

For Drug Development Project Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Drug Development Project Manager jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Drug Development Project Manager jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Drug Development Project Manager jobs?

Cities in California with the most Drug Development Project Manager job openings:

Drug Development Project Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Drug Development Project Manager job openings in California as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Associate Product Development Project Manager

Corona, CA • Hybrid

Developlus, Inc.
Manufacturing • 51 - 200 employees
Learn more about Developlus, Inc.external

$85K - $110K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 9 days ago

Job description

POSITION: Associate Product Development Project Manager
DEPARTMENT: Product Development
REPORTS TO: Product Development Director
LOCATION: Corona, California / Hybrid
POSITION SUMMARY
The Product Development Project Manager is responsible for managing both new product development and existing product change initiatives across Developlus's hair color, remover, hair care, and styling portfolio. This role serves as the central project leader responsible for coordinating cross-functional activities from concept approval through commercialization while also managing product lifecycle changes after launch.
The position owns project execution, Engineering Change Request (ECR) coordination, packaging change management, stage-gate governance, and documentation control activities. The Project Manager ensures successful launches within established development timelines while maintaining alignment across Product Development, Marketing, Packaging, Regulatory, Quality, Operations, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Sales, and external manufacturing partners.
The ideal candidate has extensive beauty industry experience and understands the complexities of launching products into major retail channels including Ulta Beauty, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Amazon, and specialty beauty retailers. The successful candidate must possess strong project management skills, exceptional organizational abilities, and the ability to manage multiple new product launches and existing product updates simultaneously.
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
  • Lead multiple new product development projects through the entire stage-gate process from concept through commercialization.
  • Build and maintain detailed project timelines spanning 10–18 month development cycles.
  • Establish critical milestones and ensure adherence to launch schedules.
  • Monitor project progress and proactively address risks, delays, and resource constraints.
  • Develop mitigation plans and contingency strategies for critical project risks.
  • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with brand objectives alongside PD Director.
  • Support prioritization and management of the innovation pipeline across multiple brands and product categories.

ENGINEERING CHANGE REQUEST (ECR) MANAGEMENT
  • Own the changes for the Engineering Change Request (ECR) process for product, packaging, formula, artwork, component, and supplier changes.
  • Schedule, facilitate, and document ECR review meetings.
  • Coordinate review and approval activities across all impacted departments.
  • Track ECR status, approvals, implementation plans, and completion dates.
  • Ensure approved changes are communicated and executed according to established procedures.
  • Provide ECR status updates and escalation recommendations to leadership.

EXISTING PRODUCT amp; CHANGE MANAGEMENT
  • Manage updates and revisions to existing products and packaging.
  • Prioritize and coordinate existing product changes alongside new product development initiatives.
  • Drive implementation of approved formula, packaging, artwork, supplier, specification, and process changes.
  • Ensure all changes comply with stage-gate requirements and change-control procedures.
  • Maintain visibility of all active product and packaging change initiatives.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
  • Coordinate activities across Product Development, Marketing, Packaging, Regulatory, Operations, Quality, Purchasing, and Sales.
  • Lead weekly cross-functional project meetings and communicate project status updates to core team.
  • Manage action items, deliverables, and accountability across all departments.
  • Escalate issues and recommend solutions to the Director of Product Development.
  • Foster collaboration, accountability, and project management best practices across cross-functional teams.

BEAUTY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
  • Support development of innovative beauty products across hair color, hair care, styling, and personal care categories.
  • Coordinate formulation development, testing, stability programs, and product evaluations alongside the Product amp; Education Lead.
  • Track product samples, approvals, and development revisions.
  • Support competitive benchmarking and innovation pipeline initiatives.
  • Proactively research, track, and analyze new product launches across the beauty market, identifying key trends, innovations, and competitive insights.
  • Monitor emerging ingredient, formulation, packaging, and consumer trends to support innovation strategy.
  • Attend supplier presentations, industry events, and trade shows as appropriate to identify new technologies and opportunities.

PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT amp; CHANGE CONTROL
  • Manage packaging development timelines, artwork approvals, and component sourcing.
  • Coordinate packaging readiness to support commercialization timelines.
  • Ensure packaging components meet quality, regulatory, and retailer requirements.
  • Partner with packaging suppliers to support component development, qualification, and timeline execution.

DOCUMENTATION CONTROL amp; PROJECT GOVERNANCE
  • Coordinate documentation control activities associated with product and packaging changes.
  • Ensure specifications, artwork files, BOMs, technical documents, and supporting records are reviewed, approved, and maintained.
  • Maintain project documentation, meeting records, approval records, and change-control documentation.
  • Partner with documentation control personnel to maintain revision history and document accuracy.
  • Ensure accountability and ownership of projects after documentation release and approval.

COMMERCIALIZATION amp; LAUNCH READINESS
  • Coordinate first production runs and launch preparation activities.
  • Monitor inventory planning and launch execution milestones.
  • Ensure all commercialization requirements are completed before launch.
  • Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, and Purchasing to ensure manufacturing readiness and successful launch execution.

RETAIL amp; CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
  • Support retailer-specific launch requirements and milestone management.
  • Coordinate timelines to meet customer presentation, line review, and launch deadlines.
  • Collaborate with Sales and Marketing teams to support retailer launch strategies.
  • Support retailer presentations, customer meetings, and retailer-exclusive development initiatives as needed.

REGULATORY amp; QUALITY COMPLIANCE
  • Coordinate required product testing, claims support, and documentation alongside Product amp; Education Lead.
  • Partner with Regulatory Affairs to ensure compliance with domestic and international requirements.
  • Support compliance with FDA, MoCRA, retailer, and applicable international regulatory requirements.

SUPPLIER amp; VENDOR MANAGEMENT
  • Coordinate activities with contract manufacturers, packaging suppliers, testing laboratories, and external development partners.
  • Track supplier deliverables and timelines to support project milestones.
  • Support supplier evaluations and continuous improvement initiatives.

REPORTING amp; PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
  • Maintain project management systems, Microsoft Project Management timelines and documentation.
  • Prepare project status reports, agendas, and updates.
  • Track key project metrics and identify opportunities for process improvement.
  • Develop and maintain project dashboards, timelines, and launch tracking tools.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives within Product Development.
  • Highly organized and self-driven with an entrepreneurial mentality.

QUALIFICATIONS
Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing.
  • Experience utilizing project management/timeline or workflow management systems.
  • Strong understanding of product commercialization processes, manufacturing readiness, and supply chain coordination.
  • Knowledge of FDA cosmetic regulations, MoCRA requirements, claims substantiation, and retailer compliance standards preferred.
  • Experience managing multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Project reporting tools.

EXPERIENCE
  • Minimum 4–5 years of project management experience in the beauty, cosmetics, hair care, hair color or personal care industry.
  • Experience managing mass and/or prestige beauty product launches required.
  • Experience with hair color and hair care product development strongly preferred.
  • Proven success managing product development timelines of 10–18 months.
  • Experience working with contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers.
  • Experience supporting launches into major retail channels.
  • Experience managing packaging development and packaging change initiatives.
  • Experience leading cross-functional change-control or ECR processes preferred.

CORE COMPETENCIES
  • Strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership abilities.
  • Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
  • Self-driven with an entrepreneurial mindset.
  • Ability to influence without direct authority.

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