Construction System Owner – Piping (Including Flushing & Passivation)

Engagement Details

• Location: Lebanon, Indiana — 100% On-site, 5 days/week
• Positions Available: 2
• Duration: 12 months with anticipated extensions
• Start Date: ASAP
• Schedule: 40 hours/week standard; 10 hours OT typical
• Travel: Minimal
• Compensation: W2: $90-$130/hr | 1099/C2C: $100-$150/hr

The Opportunity

Planet Pharma is partnering with a large-scale pharmaceutical capital program in Lebanon, IN to identify two (2) Construction System Owners – Piping with a specialization in flushing and passivation. These are owner’s representative roles embedded within the project team, providing program-level leadership and accountability for all piping system cleaning, flushing, blowing, and passivation activities across the site prior to Mechanical Completion.

This is not a passive coordination role. The right candidate establishes the standards, governs the execution, and owns the outcomes — ensuring every piping system is delivered clean, debris-free, passivated, and fully documented for turnover. If you’ve built and led flushing and passivation programs from the ground up on major pharma or GMP capital programs, this role was designed for you.

What Makes This Role Different

On a program of this scale, flushing and passivation isn’t a checkbox — it’s a critical path activity that touches every system, every building, and every discipline on site. The right candidate owns this scope end-to-end: developing the site-wide strategy, coordinating execution readiness across construction and QA/QC teams, governing acceptance criteria, and ensuring every system is handed over clean and compliant. This is a program-level leadership seat, not a field technician role.

What You’ll Own

Strategy & Governance

• Establish and govern a site-wide Piping Cleaning & Passivation Plan — defining system boundaries, cleaning methodologies, passivation requirements, and acceptance and verification criteria
• Develop and implement Piping Cleaning Execution Plans by system and service, aligned with ASME B31 piping codes, ASTM A967/A380 passivation standards, and project cleanliness specifications
• Define inspection hold points and acceptance criteria — reviewing and approving flush media quality results, blow plate and witness results, and passivation chemical concentrations and dwell times

Field Execution & Coordination

• Lead and coordinate execution of hydro and chemical flushing, high-velocity air and nitrogen blowing, and pickling and passivation of stainless steel and hygienic piping systems
• Coordinate execution readiness across all projects and buildings — including piping installation status, system isolation and boundary definition, utility availability, and documentation readiness
• Serve as primary interface between construction and piping contractors, QA/QC and inspection teams, HSE, engineering, commissioning, and client operations and validation teams
• Oversee pre-MC readiness — confirming completion of piping installation, welding, and NDE; system isolation and boundary control; utility availability; and mechanical safety provisions

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, site HSE, and contractor safety requirements — including approval and oversight of LOTO, pressure safety controls, and chemical handling procedures
• Coordinate disposal of flushing media and chemical waste in accordance with EPA and local regulations

Reporting & Risk Management

• Chair daily and weekly coordination meetings for flushing and passivation activities — supporting pre-MC walkdowns and system readiness reviews
• Identify, manage, and escalate risks impacting system cleanliness, material integrity, Mechanical Completion readiness, and commissioning schedules
• Provide regular reporting to project leadership on progress, risks, and system readiness status
• Ensure all systems are delivered clean, dry where required, and passivated — with temporary systems removed and all documentation complete and auditable for turnover dossiers

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of experience on pharmaceutical, biotech, or GMP-regulated capital programs — with significant, hands-on experience in system cleaning, flushing, blowing, and passivation
• Demonstrated experience leading flushing and passivation activities across complex, multi-building facilities — you’ve built and governed these programs, not just participated in them
• Strong knowledge of carbon steel and stainless steel piping systems, hygienic and high-purity piping applications, and chemical cleaning methodologies
• Deep familiarity with ASME B31 piping codes and ASTM A967/A380 passivation standards
• Experience developing and implementing site-wide strategies, standards, and procedures across multiple concurrent projects
• Familiarity with Mechanical Completion, commissioning, CQV, and system turnover processes
• Strong OSHA construction safety knowledge and chemical handling experience
• Strong stakeholder management skills — comfortable influencing across construction, engineering, QA/QC, HSE, and commissioning disciplines
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering preferred — strong field or trade experience will receive equal consideration

Nice to Have

• Direct experience on large-scale greenfield pharmaceutical API or drug substance manufacturing capital programs
• Experience coordinating flushing and passivation across multi-building campus programs with multiple concurrent construction contractors
• Background working alongside commissioning and CQV teams during system turnover and pre-startup readiness