Pharma & Biotech Design
Design support for cGMP biotech and pharmaceutical environments, helping clients move from early requirements through coordinated engineering and facility planning with reduced project risk.
Hixson delivers integrated biotech engineering services for San Diego organizations building or upgrading cGMP, lab, and technical facilities. From early planning through detailed design, our multidisciplinary team helps reduce project risk, support compliance, and create high-performing environments suited to the region's innovation-driven life sciences market.

Integrated planning, design, compliance, and technical engineering services for biotech and regulated facility projects.
Design support for cGMP biotech and pharmaceutical environments, helping clients move from early requirements through coordinated engineering and facility planning with reduced project risk.
Laboratory design solutions that balance advanced science spaces, technology needs, office functions, and employee amenities to create efficient, user-friendly research environments.
Automation engineering for facility systems and production environments, including controls selection, programming, testing, startup, and commissioning for regulated operations.
Coordinated engineering for critical building systems that support reliable facility performance, integrated design execution, and alignment across architecture and technical disciplines.
Environmental, health, and safety compliance support to help biotech projects address permitting considerations and align facility design with regulatory expectations.
Strategic planning services that help biotech organizations evaluate growth, define facility priorities, and create a roadmap for phased expansion or modernization.
Hixson helps biotech organizations align facility design, engineering, and operational goals under one coordinated team. For San Diego companies navigating fast-moving R&D growth, cGMP requirements, and competitive life sciences expansion, this integrated approach improves communication, supports compliance, and keeps projects moving from concept through implementation with greater clarity and control.

See how Hixson supports complex science, technology, and regulated facility projects across North America.
Clients choose Hixson for specialized expertise, integrated delivery, and long-term project partnership.
Hixson brings 75+ years of design and engineering knowledge to complex biotech facility challenges.
Twenty in-house disciplines streamline coordination for San Diego biotech projects with fewer handoff gaps.
cGMP-focused design and EH&S support help regulated facilities address technical and permitting expectations.
Our team works as an extension of client teams in San Diego's fast-paced life sciences environment.
Experienced specialists supporting complex biotech facility projects.

Manager, Plumbing Systems & Fire Protection Engineering
John oversees the department responsible for the design and engineering of plumbing systems and fire protection engineering for a variety of project types, including new construction, building utility upgrades, utility capacity analyses, and process line additions. John and his team work with a range of systems, including domestic water, process water, hot water production, direct contact water heaters, high pressure/rinse water, compressed air, natural gas, sanitary drainage, process drainage, central sanitation systems, fire pumps, and fire sprinkler systems.

Manager, Controls & Automation Engineering
As the Manager of Hixson's Controls & Automation department, Craig guides the team responsible for designing, implementing, and commissioning advanced control systems and automation solutions. His responsibilities include overseeing the development of automation strategies that streamline manufacturing processes, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure seamless integration of new and existing systems.

Manager, Process Engineering
Warren leads the team providing processing design services, process optimization studies, and process commissioning and FAT, SAT, and IQ activities. He advises on waste, energy, and GHG emissions reductions, and conducts safety and dust evaluations, including PSM/HAZOP. His expertise spans all food and beverage sectors including fluid, dried and cultured dairy products, processed meat, flavors, and prepared foods. Warren is also on the IDFA Food Safety Committee and actively participates in the 3A, SSI steering committee, and work groups.

Manager, Civil Engineering
In his role as Manager of Civil Engineering, Steve leads the team responsible for the planning, design, and engineering of roads, stormwater hydraulics and modeling, and onsite utilities. On project work, Steve is responsible for civil site project design, specifications, technical design, and project coordination with the client, government regulatory bodies, outside consultants, and contractors. As a senior staff member with our firm, Steve also serves as a mentor to newer associates.

Vice President & Director, Project Management Services
Chris, a Hixson officer and member of the Board of Directors, oversees Hixson’s Project Management, Cost Estimating, and Construction Administration departments. Chris also serves in a project management role, leading teams consisting of representatives from the client, Hixson, contractors, and vendors to effective project completion. Chris assumes overall responsibility for development of project delivery strategies, coordination of all Hixson disciplines, and facilitating effective communication and management to focus resources on delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget.

Manager, Mechanical Engineering
Dave brings more than three decades of experience to his role as the Manager of Hixson’s Mechanical Engineering Department. His work has included the design and project management of new facilities, as well as modification of existing facilities for high technology and food processing industries. At a corporate level, Dave is a member of Hixson’s Dairy and Beverage Industry team, which works to continuously improve the value Hixson offers to the dairy industry through development of our knowledge base, services and capabilities.

Manager, Electrical Engineering
Kyle serves as the Manager of Hixson’s Electrical Engineering department. In this role, he oversees the team responsible for the creation and delivery of electrical designs. This includes the design of high, medium, and low voltage power distribution, lighting, telecommunications, and fire alarm systems. Kyle brings more than 15 years of experience in electrical consulting and design to his role. Areas in which Kyle specializes include electrically hazardous area classification, high- and medium-voltage power distribution, protective relaying, arc flash studies, harmonics analysis, cogeneration design, emergency systems design, and complex laboratory designs.

Senior Vice President, and Director, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
Scott, an officer of the firm, leads the teams responsible for mechanical and electrical project tasks and design, specifications, technical content, consultation during equipment selection and installation and systems start-up assistance. In addition, Scott also serves as the Quality Assurance Manager, overseeing the firm’s commitment to quality. Over Scott’s more than three decades of experience, he has worked on greenfield, brownfield, and renovation projects for food & beverage plants in all sectors, labs, pharma & biotech facilities, and workplace projects.

Manager, Manufacturing Engineering
In his role as Manager of Hixson’s Manufacturing Engineering department, Scott leads the team responsible for project consulting and coordination between client, vendor, and internal disciplines within Hixson for overall manufacturing processes, functionality, equipment, and layouts. These team members develop process flow diagrams, equipment lists, and preliminary utility requirements, as well as develop equipment layouts that range from high level master planning to detailed construction documents. In addition to this role, Scott is a member of Hixson’s Meat Industry advisory team, focusing on technologies related to the meat and plant protein industry.

Director of Architecture
Derek is the Director of Hixson’s Architecture department. In this role, Derek leads the teams who design projects for our Food & Beverage, Pharma & Biotech, Laboratory, and Workplace clients. Previously, Derek served as the Manager of Hixson’s Process Layout department, where he directed the team that plays a critical coordination role in the overall development of process models and the 3D equipment model management process. Prior to these management roles, Derek, who began his career with Hixson in 2008, served as a Project Architect.
Hixson provides integrated biotech engineering services including pharma and biotech design, lab design, master planning, building systems engineering, controls and automation, strategic facility consulting, site selection, and EH&S compliance support. These services are coordinated through in-house technical disciplines so clients can move from early planning through design and implementation with stronger alignment across teams.
Connect with our team for guidance on planning, design, and compliance.
Hixson supports biotech engineering projects for clients across broad service regions and major innovation markets.
North America
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Share your project goals, timeline, and facility needs, and our team will follow up to discuss the right next steps.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at +1 513-241-1230. You can also send us a quick email at info@hixson-inc.com.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at +1 513-241-1230. You can also send us a quick email at info@hixson-inc.com.