Manager/Director, Project Controls

About American Terawatt

American Terawatt is building a new industrial electric grid for the United States.
We design and deploy advanced power transmission systems, serving large industrial loads, gigawatts at a time. Our systems deliver power to everything from frontier AI datacenters to highly automated manufacturing, refineries, mines, and more.

The backbone of American Terawatt’s network is HVDC transmission, anchored by our unique terminal design. American Terawatt’s terminals are standardized, modular, and natively integrate energy storage. Each one is designed to expand to operate as a full node on our future HVDC transmission network.
We are early-stage and venture-backed, with a small, experienced team (~20 people today) and active projects across the US. Our investors include Altimeter, Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, Zero Infinity Partners, and other leading firms.

About the role

We are hiring a Manager/Director of Project Controls to build AmWatt's project controls function from the ground up and own the schedule of record for every project.
You will work closely with Development, Engineering, Commercial and Procurement, and you will be the controls counterpart to EPC contractors, converter OEMs, owner's engineers and lenders' independent engineers.
This is a hands-on role. You build and maintain the schedules yourself, and you lead a Project Controls Analyst. The team grows as projects move toward construction.
You will report to Chris Benson, our Head of Power Development.

What you will own

As Manager/Director of Project Controls at American Terawatt, you will:

• Design, Implement, Maintain, and Update Oracle Primavera P6: build and maintain each project's integrated master schedule, set scheduling standards and baselines, and approve the progress updates that come back from Asana.
  

• Design, Implement, Maintain, and Update Asana: set up and administer the team’s Asana workspace as the day-to-day execution layer. That means configuring project templates, task structures and workflows across every package; keeping work in Asana aligned with the P6 schedule activities; and making sure owners report progress in Asana so it can flow back to P6 for approval.
  

• Own the risk register: set the scoring method and risk owners, and lead the monthly risk review.
  

• Run the monthly schedule update: status, slip analysis, re-forecast and approval, then publish approved changes to Asana for the functional teams.
  

• Integrate OEM and EPC schedules: take in their XER files, review logic, float and critical path, lead owner-side delay analysis, and write the schedule specification contractors must follow.
  

• Prepare the schedule and controls package for financing, and decide when the team needs a Senior Planner/Scheduler and a Cost and Risk Analyst.

What success looks like

You will help shape the exact roadmap, but we expect success in this role to include the following early milestones:

In your first month

• Learn the project roadmap, the key OEM and EPC milestones, and the schedule data that exists today.

• Stand up the P6 environment and start the level-1 integrated master schedule for the lead HVDC project.

• Agree the monthly update and risk review cycle with leadership.

By month six

• Have a baselined integrated master schedule for each active project, updated monthly.

• Publish AmWatt's scheduling standard and the schedule specification for EPCs and OEMs.

• Run the two-way P6–Asana link in production with the AI tooling team, with a live risk register behind it.

What we are looking for

Required experience

• 10+ years of project controls experience on large energy, transmission or infrastructure projects.

• Expert command of Primavera P6, including XER exchange, multiple baselines, cost loading and forensic delay analysis.

• Experience reviewing and integrating contractor and OEM schedules.

• Experience leading controls on a project or program, while still building schedules yourself.

• Clear written communication with executives, lenders and contractors.

Preferred experience

You do not need to check every box. We value relevant skills, sound judgment, and the ability to learn quickly

• Owner or developer experience on utility‑scale transmission, generation or HVDC projects.

• Project controls experience at an EPC such as Kiewit, Quanta or Burns & McDonnell.

• Experience supporting project finance diligence with lenders and independent engineers.

• PMP and/or AACE PSP or DRMP certification.

• Comfort working in an AI-forward team that automates its reporting.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation: Competitive compensation package, including salary and equity, commensurate with experience.

• Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, including 75% coverage for dependents and spouses.

• Wellness: Up to $300/month reimbursement for gym and wellness expenses, or Bay Club membership for SF‑based employees.

• Meals: Lunch provided daily when working from an office.

• Time off: Unlimited PTO with manager approval, plus company‑wide office closures for July 4 week and one week in December.

• Additional perks: Laptop of choice provided, convenient SF office location on the Embarcadero and near public transit (pre‑tax transit benefit), and employee contribution 401(k) program.