Complex Fabrication Project Manager

AISC Complex Fabrication Project Manager — Movable Bridge Experience
Position Summary
The AISC Complex Fabrication Project Manager is responsible for managing complex structural steel fabrication projects from contract award through final delivery and closeout. This role is focused on AISC-certified complex fabrication involving movable bridge structures, heavy structural assemblies, fracture-critical members, machinery support steel, trunnion/bascule-related fabrication, counterweight structures, and other transportation or infrastructure work requiring a high level of technical coordination and project control.
The primary objective is to safely deliver assigned projects on time, within scope, within budget, and in compliance with contract requirements, AISC certification requirements, customer specifications, applicable DOT/AASHTO requirements, AWS welding standards, and company quality and safety procedures.
This position requires strong engineering judgment, complex fabrication experience, bridge project documentation experience, change management discipline, and the ability to coordinate effectively with clients, engineers, inspectors, vendors, subcontractors, and internal departments.
Essential Functions
Project Management and Execution

• Manage assigned projects from contract award through closeout, including kickoff, planning, scheduling, budget control, execution oversight, invoicing support, and final closeout.
• Develop and maintain project work plans that address project scope, schedule, budget, procurement, production sequencing, inspection requirements, delivery milestones, and customer requirements.
• Coordinate internal execution with Detailing, Engineering, Procurement, Shop Operations, QA/QC, Coatings, EHS, Logistics, Field Operations, Accounting, and Executive Management.
• Identify project risks, develop mitigation plans, and notify management of issues that may affect schedule, cost, quality, safety, delivery, or customer satisfaction.
• Prepare and maintain project controls, including status reports, earned value metrics, schedule updates, open issue logs, risk logs, budget updates, and forecast-at-completion reporting.

Movable Bridge and Complex Fabrication Responsibilities

• Manage fabrication projects involving movable bridge components, including bascule, swing, lift, or other mechanically operated bridge systems.
• Coordinate fabrication requirements for heavy plate, built-up girders, machinery support frames, trunnion assemblies, counterweight boxes, curved or skewed members, large weldments, fracture-critical components, and tight-tolerance assemblies.
• Manage technical requirements involving dimensional control, fit-up, camber, sweep, hole alignment, machining interfaces, match-marking, trial assembly, survey/dimensional verification, and field installation tolerances.
• Coordinate shop assembly plans, trial-fit requirements, bolting requirements, welding procedures, NDE requirements, coating hold points, inspection requirements, and shipping configurations.
• Resolve technical and fabrication issues with engineers, detailers, inspectors, QA/QC, production teams, vendors, subcontractors, and erection teams.

Communication Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the client and manage customer expectations throughout the project lifecycle.
• Maintain clear communication with clients, vendors, subcontractors, internal departments, inspectors, engineers, and management regarding project status, open issues, required decisions, and potential impacts.
• Conduct or participate in project kickoff meetings, production meetings, client meetings, internal coordination meetings, and issue-resolution meetings.

Contract, Scope, and Change Management

• Review and understand project contracts, scopes of work, drawings, specifications, schedules, terms and conditions, quality requirements, inspection requirements, and delivery obligations.
• Manage contract compliance, including scope control, customer notifications, submittals, reporting requirements, schedule obligations, and contractual correspondence.
• Prepare, track, and manage RFIs, submittals, change orders, potential change orders, notices, backcharge responses, delay notifications, and project correspondence.
• Ensure work does not proceed outside the approved contract scope without appropriate customer and management approval of cost, schedule, and contractual impacts.
• Maintain organized project records, including contract documents, correspondence, meeting minutes, schedule updates, change logs, procurement logs, production updates, QA/QC documentation, and closeout records.

Budget, Cost, and Invoicing Management

• Understand and utilize company job cost reporting structures and project management software tools.
• Manage project budgets, cost trends, committed costs, projected costs, and forecast-at-completion reporting.
• Work with Accounting and management to ensure project financial performance is accurately tracked and aligned with contract terms.

Procurement, Vendor, and Subcontractor Coordination

• Manage procurement activities for materials, subcontracted services, specialty fabrication, machining, coatings, galvanizing, testing, transportation, and other project-specific needs.
• Review supplier and subcontractor deliverables for schedule impact, technical compliance, quality requirements, documentation requirements, and project risk.
• Ensure purchased materials and subcontracted services satisfy project requirements, including material traceability, mill certifications, Buy America/Buy American requirements when applicable, testing requirements, and customer documentation requirements.

Quality and Safety

• Support and enforce all company safety policies and procedures while promoting a strong safety culture.
• Work with QA/QC and production teams to ensure fabrication procedures, inspection test plans, welding procedures, NDE requirements, coating requirements, dimensional control requirements, material traceability requirements, and customer inspection requirements are followed.
• Support resolution of nonconformance reports, corrective actions, procedure qualification issues, welder continuity matters, inspection issues, and final release requirements.

Technical Competency and Development

• Read, interpret, and understand structural drawings, bridge drawings, shop drawings, erection drawings, welding symbols, specifications, codes, standards, and contract documents.
• Apply working knowledge of AISC, AISC Code of Standard Practice, AWS D1.1, AWS D1.5, AASHTO bridge fabrication requirements, project-specific DOT specifications, coating specifications, and other applicable requirements.
• Understand complex fabrication sequencing, material procurement, welding requirements, NDE requirements, coating requirements, dimensional tolerances, shipping constraints, and field installation considerations.
• Apply engineering judgment to identify technical conflicts, drawing discrepancies, tolerance issues, fabrication constraints, fit-up concerns, constructability concerns, and potential impacts to schedule, quality, or cost.
• Participate in continuous improvement of company processes, project management procedures, fabrication execution, documentation control, and customer communication.
• Maintain professional and technical competency through continuing education, industry involvement, and ongoing development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Engineering, Welding Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline required.
• Professional Engineer license preferred, particularly in structural, civil, or mechanical engineering.
• 10+ years of experience managing complex steel fabrication, bridge fabrication, transportation infrastructure, heavy civil, or movable bridge projects preferred.
• Direct experience with AISC-certified fabrication required, preferably involving complex bridge structures, fracture-critical members, built-up girders, machinery support steel, trunnion/bascule components, counterweight structures, or other movable bridge assemblies.
• Strong technical ability to interpret engineering drawings, shop drawings, erection drawings, welding symbols, specifications, tolerances, inspection requirements, and contract documents.
• Experience with AWS D1.1, AWS D1.5, AISC requirements, AASHTO bridge requirements, DOT specifications, dimensional control, NDE coordination, coating requirements, and owner/agency inspection preferred.
• Ability to coordinate technical issues with engineers of record, detailers, inspectors, fabricators, erectors, vendors, and customer representatives.
• Project Management Professional certification, AISC-related training, bridge fabrication training, or equivalent project management certification preferred.

Reporting
Reports to the Director of Project Management or designated executive leader.
Works closely with Project Managers, Detailing Manager, Engineering, Shop Superintendent, QA/QC Manager, EHS Director, Coatings Manager, Field Project Managers, Procurement, Logistics, Accounting, and Executive Management.
Standards

• Display a professional and ethical attitude in all work performed for the company.
• Maintain confidentiality of all company-related business.
• Support company culture, safety expectations, quality standards, and continuous improvement.
• Carry out additional responsibilities as assigned by management in the interest of company operations.