Mid Level Construction Project Lead Jobs

JOB TITLE: Construction Project Manager (Industrial Construction)
LOCATION: Houston, TX (home base). First assignment in Corpus Christi, TX
TRAVEL: 80% on-site at the assigned project
DURATION: 3+ Month Contract to Hire
RATE RANGE: $60-70/hour

Position Summary:

Our client’s Industrial Construction team is looking for a Construction Project Manager to own construction on large materials refining and process plants. This is an assignment-based role, based in Houston, with 80% of time on site at the project being supported. The first assignment is in Corpus Christi, TX. You’ll lead a discipline or process area from mobilization through mechanical completion and commissioning handover, with full accountability for schedule, budget, safety and quality. Your background could be in civil, structural, mechanical, piping, fabrication, electrical, instrumentation or process construction. You’ll drive field work on a fast-paced site with many contractors, working closely with design, leadership and process operations to deliver on schedule and within budget. This role suits a hands-on leader who leads from the front, takes on complexity, and takes pride in delivering world-class industrial facilities.

Responsibilities:

- Own construction for a discipline or process area, from procurement strategy and contractor mobilization through installation, mechanical completion and commissioning handover.
- Drive schedule performance with urgency, removing the team’s biggest obstacles in real time and holding contractors to a high standard of productivity, quality and safety.
- Manage area or discipline budgets and cost performance: track earned value, administer change orders, and raise variances with recovery plans already in hand.
- Coordinate across civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation and process interfaces to resolve conflicts between design and field, and sequence construction around commissioning needs.
- Hold contractors and vendors accountable through clear work packages and a steady presence in the field, from the first foundations and steel through final punch.
- Keep look-ahead plans current with project controls and procurement, flag long-lead risks and material gaps before they threaten the critical path, and act on them right away.
- Report status, risks and critical-path exposure clearly to program leadership and partners in engineering, procurement, quality, commissioning and operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

- 5+ years managing large-scale construction projects, preferably ground-up industrial or manufacturing work.
- Proven ability to manage subcontractors, track cost and schedule, and run multi-discipline field work independently with little oversight.
- Strong working knowledge of industrial construction methods in at least one core discipline (civil/structural, mechanical/piping, electrical/instrumentation or process equipment installation), and able to coordinate across all of them.
- Exceptional communicator who can align design, procurement, field teams and leadership around clear priorities and firm dates.
- Relentless problem-solver who takes full ownership and reasons from first principles.
- Based in or willing to relocate to Houston, TX, and able to spend 80% of the time on site at assigned projects, starting in Corpus Christi.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

- Earned value management, cost tracking and change order administration
- Look-ahead and critical-path scheduling (Primavera P6 or MS Project typical)
- Construction work packaging and contractor performance management
- Reading construction drawings and specifications across disciplines
- Commissioning handover and mechanical completion processes

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

- Ground-up (greenfield) industrial, manufacturing or process-plant experience
- Experience in materials refining, chemical or heavy process construction
- Experience managing construction on sites with many contractors and disciplines
- Experience working on assignment or traveling between project sites

Education:

- Engineering degree (civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical or related) preferred, or equivalent technical experience

BENEFITS SUMMARY:

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate or annual salary only, unless otherwise stated. In addition to base compensation, full-time roles are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, Commuter and 401K benefits with company matching.

FAIR CHANCE POLICY:

Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, qualified applicants will be considered for assignment with arrest and conviction records. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness, meet client expectations, standards, and accompanying requirements, and safeguard business operations and company reputation.