Construction Project Engineer

Construction Project Engineer

This role offers the opportunity to serve as a Construction Project Engineer on a large, high-pressure industrial project in New York, supporting complex scopes of work including heavy excavation, civil construction, concrete, and underground utilities and electrical systems. You will provide critical support to an established Project Management team, helping to manage project controls, cost reporting, and field coordination while working both in an office environment and on active construction sites.

Responsibilities

• Manage the change management process effectively under the direction of the Project Manager, ensuring all changes are documented, evaluated, and implemented in alignment with project goals.
• Serve as a key participant in monthly cost report meetings, contributing meaningful data, insights, and talking points to support accurate forecasting and financial decision-making.
• Adhere to project controls procedures, including monthly cost control, preparation of pay requests, and comprehensive cost reporting, to maintain financial discipline and transparency.
• Expedite material deliveries by coordinating with vendors and project teams to ensure timely arrival of materials and minimize schedule impacts.
• Review and evaluate shop drawings accurately to verify compliance with contract documents, specifications, and design intent.
• Encourage team members to seek innovative and different approaches to project challenges and opportunities, fostering continuous improvement and creative problem-solving.
• Support business development efforts by identifying client needs, recognizing where company capabilities align with those needs, and effectively communicating the organizations value and differentiation to prospective clients.
• Review customer feedback proactively and help build a customer-centric mentality within project teams, demonstrating understanding of different market sectors and delivery systems to maintain strong client relationships.
• Coach and mentor less experienced team members, providing guidance, support, and knowledge sharing to help them grow professionally.
• Support and promote a positive and inclusive work environment that values collaboration, respect, and diverse perspectives.
• Prepare and manage project documentation such as RFIs, change orders, submittals, meeting minutes, and other records using appropriate tools and systems.
• Contribute to scheduling and budgeting activities by providing accurate information from the field and office, and assisting in tracking progress against project milestones.
• Work primarily on active construction sites, coordinating with field personnel, subcontractors, and stakeholders to support safe and efficient project execution.

Essential Skills

• Generally 2 to 5 years of construction project experience, ideally with a general contractor in a high-pressure environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and professionally.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and build strong, collaborative relationships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, for reporting, documentation, and communication.
• Proficiency in Procore for managing RFIs, submittals, change orders, meeting minutes, and other project documentation.
• Knowledge of RFIs, submittals, scheduling, budgeting, and project documentation processes on construction projects.
• Understanding of contract documents and specifications and the ability to interpret and apply them in the field and office.
• Demonstrated capability to establish specific, measurable, attainable performance goals and hold others accountable for achieving them.
• Ability to build active team participation, foster team trust, and strengthen positive interactions among project stakeholders.
• Ability to articulate financial knowledge and customer satisfaction awareness, including an understanding of how construction projects contribute to company profitability.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt communication style to suit different audiences and situations, including delivering highly effective presentations and writing clearly and concisely on complex or sensitive topics.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and priorities in a fast-paced project environment.
• Ability to work primarily on active construction sites and effectively interface with field staff, subcontractors, and clients.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• OSHA 30-hour certification.
• OSHA 10-hour certification.
• Experience in general construction, particularly in heavy excavation, civil work, concrete, and underground utilities and electrical scopes.
• Familiarity with financial management concepts related to construction projects, including cost control and reporting.
• Experience preparing and managing RFIs, change orders, submittals, and meeting minutes.
• Ability to provide relevant examples and paraphrasing to ensure understanding when communicating with diverse audiences.
• Interest in professional development and continuing education through structured training programs.
• Commitment to supporting a positive, inclusive, and customer-focused culture.

Work Environment

This position is based onsite in a downtown Syracuse office and at an active jobsite in New York, providing a blend of office-based project controls work and field-based coordination on a large industrial construction project. You will spend significant time on active construction sites, working around heavy excavation, civil construction, concrete operations, and underground utilities and electrical installations. The environment is fast-paced and high pressure, typical of major general contractor projects, with close collaboration between project management, field supervision, subcontractors, and clients. You will use technologies such as Microsoft Office and Procore daily to manage documentation, communication, and project controls. The organization offers an excellent total compensation package that includes competitive health and welfare benefits and a generous profit-sharing and 401(k) plan, and invests in employees education through a robust internal training program recognized as a leading development resource in the construction industry. Pre-employment substance abuse testing may be required, and reasonable accommodations are available to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Clay, NY.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $33.65 - $40.86/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.