Project Manager - Design

Position Title: Project Manager - Design

Position Location: Remote - work virtually from anywhere in the United States (Periodic travel for client meetings, design workshops, and project coordination required)

JOB SUMMARY

The Project Manager - Design is responsible for end-to-end delivery of assigned Building Automation System (BAS) and Electrical Power Monitoring System (EPMS) design projects supporting mission-critical and hyperscale data center facilities as an MEP consultant.

This role owns project scope, schedule, financial performance, design coordination, risk management, and client communication from project kickoff through design development and construction administration. The Project Manager works closely with Smart Tech Contracting Control Systems engineers, client teams, architects, Engineers of Record, and consultant partners responsible for other portions of the MEP design. Primary clients for this role are architecture and engineering (AE) firms that deliver programs / projects direct to the owner, with Smart Tech Contracting engaged as their BAS/EPMS design subconsultant. Depending on the project, this role also interfaces with owners, general contractors, and controls contractors.

The Project Manager serves as the primary point of accountability for assigned projects and operates with a high degree of independence while aligning with departmental standards, processes, and leadership direction. This role is expected to anticipate risk, drive decisions, and protect design quality, schedule, client satisfaction, and margin.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Design Project Execution & Delivery (45%)

• Own planning, execution, and delivery of assigned BAS and EPMS design projects from kickoff through construction administration
• Lead project initiation activities including scope review, contract requirements, project setup, deliverable schedules, staffing needs, and execution planning
• Manage design milestones across applicable phases including concept design, SD, DD, IFP/IFC, bid support, and construction administration
• Coordinate Smart Tech engineers and MEP consultant partners to ensure timely completion of deliverables
• Track and coordinate design documentation including basis of design, sequences of operation, points and alarm lists, system architecture / riser diagrams, specifications, schedules, and integration requirements
• Coordinate design reviews, page turns, interdisciplinary reviews, and QA/QC activities
• Manage RFIs, submittal reviews, design clarifications, and other construction-administration activities within project scope
• Identify scope gaps, design conflicts, and coordination issues and drive them to resolution while ensuring deliverables meet client standards, applicable codes, contract requirements, and departmental quality expectations
• Support development of BAS/EPMS-specific input to Owner Project Requirements (OPR) and early space-planning / schematic design efforts in coordination with the AE’s basis of design
• Represent Smart Tech Contracting at site visits, including existing-condition surveys and BAS/EPMS-related punch-list walkthroughs
• Coordinate BAS/EPMS scope interfaces with other MEP subconsultants, electrical and mechanical engineers, and controls subcontractors as Smart Tech’s design-side point of contact
• Coordinate resource and material forecasting for assigned design scope
• Coordinate or oversee start-up, cutover, pre-functional / functional testing, and BAS/EPMS project closeout activities during construction administration

Financial & Change Management (20%)

• Own project budgets, forecasts, profitability, and financial performance
• Monitor labor utilization, consultant costs, project burn, and remaining effort against budget
• Maintain accurate project forecasts and communicate financial risks to leadership
• Identify changes in scope and prepare additional-service proposals and change-order documentation
• Support client negotiations related to scope, schedule, fees, and contract adjustments while protecting design quality and client satisfaction
• Develop and maintain schedules of value / cost schedules to support client progress billing
• Evaluate controls-subcontractor and vendor proposals during procurement and construction administration and provide award recommendations where applicable

Schedule & Risk Management (15%)

• Develop and maintain project schedules aligned with client and overall MEP design milestones
• Track design deliverables, dependencies, decisions, reviews, and approvals
• Identify schedule, staffing, scope, technical, and commercial risks and develop appropriate mitigation plans
• Coordinate resource needs with engineering and department leadership and escalate significant risks, client concerns, or delivery constraints as appropriate

Client & Stakeholder Management (15%)

• Serve as the primary day-to-day client contact for assigned projects
• Lead project meetings with clients, architects, MEP consultants, Engineers of Record, internal engineering teams, and other project stakeholders
• Communicate project status, financial performance, schedule, risks, technical decisions, and action items clearly and professionally
• Maintain strong working relationships with client teams and consultant partners to support successful delivery and repeat business
• Promote Smart Tech Contracting’s BAS/EPMS design capabilities to AE firms, owners, and industry partners; support marketing materials and firm positioning within the design community
• Identify and develop new project opportunities with existing AE and client relationships to support account growth
• Support proposal development, project expansions, and additional-service opportunities and represent Smart Tech Contracting professionally as an MEP design consultant

Process Improvement & Administration (5%)

• Maintain accurate project documentation, meeting minutes, action logs, schedules, forecasts, and status reports
• Utilize Smartsheet and other project-management tools to provide transparency into project performance
• Support departmental standards, templates, lessons learned, and best-practice libraries
• Maintain project contract administration records; manage personal and project hours using company tools
• Leverage AI and emerging technologies where appropriate to improve project planning, reporting, workflow efficiency, and consistency

Technology, Digital Tools & AI-Enabled Efficiency

• Identify opportunities to apply AI-enabled tools and workflow automation across design documentation, forecasting, and quality processes for BAS/EPMS projects
• Support adoption of Smart Tech Contracting’s SmartTech.ai platform and related tools to strengthen design readiness, QA/QC, and project controls
• Collaborate with the Special Projects & Innovation (SPI) team to pilot and roll out emerging technologies that align with departmental standards for data security, privacy, and operational integrity
• Promote a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in the use of technology to optimize design delivery and scalability

Completion of Assigned Tasks and Deliverables on Time and on Budget

Performs Other Related Duties as Assigned

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Working knowledge of MEP consulting and design-project delivery
• Working knowledge of BAS/BMS and/or EPMS systems and their relationship to mechanical and electrical systems
• Understanding of MEP design phases and construction-document development
• Ability to coordinate technical design deliverables including sequences of operation, points / alarm lists, system diagrams, specifications, and integration requirements
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, standards, submittals, and equipment data
• Knowledge of mission-critical facility and data-center design requirements strongly preferred
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent design projects, competing deadlines, and project stakeholders
• Proven ability to manage project budgets, forecasts, profitability, scope changes, and change orders
• Strong project scheduling, risk-management, organizational, and decision-making skills
• Strong client-facing communication and relationship-management skills
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite and project-management / design-collaboration platforms such as Smartsheet, Bluebeam, Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud / BIM 360, or similar
• Familiarity with Revit / BIM design workflows preferred
• Ability to work effectively with engineers, architects, MEP consultants, clients, and construction teams
• Ability to work successfully in a remote environment through strong communication, organization, self-motivation, proactiveness, and accountability
• Ability to work under pressure and meet compressed design schedules
• Ability to leverage AI and emerging technologies to improve project workflows and operational efficiency
• Knowledge of MEP, fire alarm (FA), and fire protection (FP) trades and their interface with BAS/EPMS systems
• Knowledge of Method of Procedure (MOP) development and critical-facility work-notification processes
• Ability to follow company and site safety requirements

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The following physical demands must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working on a computer
• Ability to move through offices, project sites, and facility environments as needed
• Ability to occasionally lift or move items up to 25 pounds

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Up to approximately 10% travel for client meetings, design workshops, project coordination, and occasional site visits
• Domestic travel may be required; a valid REAL ID-compliant identification or passport is required for air travel
• Travel may include transportation by car or plane depending on business needs

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or related field preferred
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant industry experience may be considered
• 5+ years of project management, design management, or engineering-project delivery experience within MEP consulting, building automation, controls, or technically complex facilities
• Demonstrated experience owning projects through multiple design phases
• MEP consulting / design experience strongly preferred
• BAS/BMS and/or EPMS project experience strongly preferred
• Mission-critical or data-center design experience strongly preferred

BENEFITS

Smart Tech Contracting offers a very competitive benefits package; highlights include

• Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option)
• Dental and vision plans
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26
• 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option
• PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year
• Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage
• Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance
• Paid parental leave after one year of employment

CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC residents only: In accordance with CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC law, the range provided is STC's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and location.

Smart Tech Contracting is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and participates in the E-Verify program with the Department of Homeland Security. We encourage diversity in our workforce.

Are you ready to challenge yourself and redefine standards in the AEC industry? Apply now and join our award-winning team!

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

STC does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to STC in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where STC has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of STC and STC will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.