Project Controls Specialist Jobs in North Carolina
Project Controls Specialist jobs in North Carolina are in steady demand, concentrated in construction and infrastructure, energy, defense, and life sciences sectors, with openings at every level from entry-level cost analysts through senior program controls managers. The busiest hiring markets are Charlotte, Raleigh, and the Research Triangle, where firms like Fluor, Black & Lowe, and Duke Energy maintain significant project portfolios. The most sought-after specialties are earned value management, schedule analysis, and cost forecasting for large capital programs. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Since 1963, through the relentless commitment of our talented team members working together to achieve success, Fessler & Bowman, Inc. has grown to become an Engineering News Record Top 100 Specialty Contractor and Top 20 Concrete Contractor in the U.S.
Our Culture & Philosophy:
Fessler & Bowman is a fast-paced and culture-focused industry leader in specialty concrete and civil earthwork. When we talk about culture at F&B, it is not just a plaque hanging in our lobby. Our values are our driving force and have allowed us to build a phenomenal team delivering best in class products to our customers.
- Open & Constructive
- Take Pride in Our Product
- Relentless Commitment
- Care About Our Customers
- Team Success
Summary:
The Project Controls Analyst is the financial partner closest to project execution. Reporting to the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Manager, with a dotted-line relationship to the Regional Vice President, and embedded with the regional operations team, this role supports every active project and Project Manager in the assigned regional office, with added attention on priority and higher-risk work. The Project Controls Analyst connects what is happening in the field to budgets, commitments, change orders, billings, forecasts and monthly project health reporting, helping Project Managers produce complete, supportable project financials and helping Leadership see reliable results, risks and opportunities. The role supports, validates, challenges and recommends, while Project Managers retain ownership and approval of project-financial changes. As the Project Controls function matures, the role may take on greater direct responsibility for budgets, change events, billings, forecasts and joint venture reporting.
The descriptions below are representative of, but not limited to, the duties and responsibilities for this position.
Five Key Roles of the Project Controls Analyst:
- Project Financial Monitoring & Risk Detection: Tracks active-project cost, billing and margin against budget to find and explain financial risks early enough for the project team to act.
- Budget, Commitment & Change Management Support: Helps Project Managers keep budgets, purchase orders, subcontracts and change orders accurate, properly coded and fully supported.
- Billing, Forecasting & Job Progress Report (JPR) Readiness: Develops aligned cost, billing and labor-hour forecasts with Project Managers and makes sure monthly project health reporting is accurate and on time.
- Joint Venture (JV) Reporting & Partner Coordination: Produces accurate weekly and monthly JV cost reports, reconciles them to company records and supports partner reviews and audits.
- Project Team Partnership & Function Development: Builds trusted relationships with project teams, connects field activity to financial outcomes, and helps document and shape the processes of the new Project Controls function.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Communicating and upholding the Company’s commitment to Integrity and Code of Ethics.
- Monitors active-project financials, comparing actual cost to budget and recent run rates across labor, material, equipment, subcontract and other costs.
- Identifies financial exceptions such as unbilled production, commitment gaps, unusual margin movement, inconsistent cost coding and emerging repair or rework exposure, including rough-order-of-magnitude estimates of their impact.
- Researches the cause of each exception, discusses findings with the Project Manager, recommends a response and confirms agreed follow-up.
- Escalates significant or broad findings through the FP&A Manager and, when appropriate, to DPMs, Regional Vice Presidents or Leadership.
- Maintains a risk-based view of the regional project portfolio, concentrating effort where financial exposure or decision urgency is greatest.
- Reviews project budgets for structure, reasonableness, omissions and unusual assumptions, and supports approved budget changes.
- Assists with change events, potential change orders, customer change-order drafts, purchase orders, subcontracts and commitment change orders, confirming that amounts, cost codes, documentation and system records align.
- Supports pencil-copy billings and tracks overbilling and underbilling against production, cost, contract value and cash-flow needs.
- Meets with Project Managers to build aligned forecasts of cost, billing and labor hours covering the next 12 months or longer.
- Validates monthly forecast snapshots, data, explanations and notes ahead of JPR meetings, and contributes project-level insight during those meetings.
- Prepares and distributes weekly and monthly JV cost reports, reconciles reported cost to company records and supports quarterly reviews or audits with JV partners.
- Attends project meetings and plans regular jobsite visits to connect field activity, production, schedule and procurement to their financial effects.
- Documents recurring controls, analysis methods and handoffs, and helps establish the future operating model for Project Controls.
- Other relevant tasks as assigned
Education, Experience & Qualifications:
Required:
- 3–6 years of meaningful experience in project controls, project engineering, construction, finance, accounting, estimating, analytics or closely related project-based work
- Strong mathematical and analytical reasoning, with the ability to find, research and clearly communicate inconsistencies
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
- Strong interpersonal and outreach skills, and genuine curiosity about construction execution
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities at the same time
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering Technology, Finance, Accounting, Business, Mathematics, Data Analytics or a related field, or equivalent experience
- Background in civil engineering, construction management, project controls, project engineering, project accounting or field operations
- Experience in heavy civil, site development, concrete, utility, infrastructure or specialty contracting
- Familiarity with Procore, Foundation or comparable construction systems
- Working knowledge of job cost, commitments and change management, billing, work-in-progress (WIP) and cash flow, and project forecasting
Travel:
Up to 10% travel, primarily to active jobsites and project meetings within the assigned region.
Work Environment:
Onsite, office-based position embedded with the regional operations team, typically Monday through Friday. Regular jobsite visits require following site safety rules and wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Benefits:
Fessler & Bowman is proud to provide eligible Team Members with the following benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- 401k with company contributions
- Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off
Benefits:
Fessler & Bowman is proud to provide non-union Team Members with the following benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- 401k with company contributions
Fessler & Bowman Team Members that are part of a union will receive benefits from the appropriate union.
Recruitment Process:
The recruitment process will include a phone screen, in-person meeting, and a pre-employment background check and drug test.
Fessler & Bowman is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Since 1963, through the relentless commitment of our talented team members working together to achieve success, Fessler & Bowman, Inc. has grown to become an Engineering News Record Top 100 Specialty Contractor and Top 20 Concrete Contractor in the U.S.
Our Culture & Philosophy:
Fessler & Bowman is a fast-paced and culture-focused industry leader in specialty concrete and civil earthwork. When we talk about culture at F&B, it is not just a plaque hanging in our lobby. Our values are our driving force and have allowed us to build a phenomenal team delivering best in class products to our customers.
- Open & Constructive
- Take Pride in Our Product
- Relentless Commitment
- Care About Our Customers
- Team Success
Summary:
The Project Controls Analyst is the financial partner closest to project execution. Reporting to the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Manager, with a dotted-line relationship to the Regional Vice President, and embedded with the regional operations team, this role supports every active project and Project Manager in the assigned regional office, with added attention on priority and higher-risk work. The Project Controls Analyst connects what is happening in the field to budgets, commitments, change orders, billings, forecasts and monthly project health reporting, helping Project Managers produce complete, supportable project financials and helping Leadership see reliable results, risks and opportunities. The role supports, validates, challenges and recommends, while Project Managers retain ownership and approval of project-financial changes. As the Project Controls function matures, the role may take on greater direct responsibility for budgets, change events, billings, forecasts and joint venture reporting.
The descriptions below are representative of, but not limited to, the duties and responsibilities for this position.
Five Key Roles of the Project Controls Analyst:
- Project Financial Monitoring & Risk Detection: Tracks active-project cost, billing and margin against budget to find and explain financial risks early enough for the project team to act.
- Budget, Commitment & Change Management Support: Helps Project Managers keep budgets, purchase orders, subcontracts and change orders accurate, properly coded and fully supported.
- Billing, Forecasting & Job Progress Report (JPR) Readiness: Develops aligned cost, billing and labor-hour forecasts with Project Managers and makes sure monthly project health reporting is accurate and on time.
- Joint Venture (JV) Reporting & Partner Coordination: Produces accurate weekly and monthly JV cost reports, reconciles them to company records and supports partner reviews and audits.
- Project Team Partnership & Function Development: Builds trusted relationships with project teams, connects field activity to financial outcomes, and helps document and shape the processes of the new Project Controls function.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Communicating and upholding the Company’s commitment to Integrity and Code of Ethics.
- Monitors active-project financials, comparing actual cost to budget and recent run rates across labor, material, equipment, subcontract and other costs.
- Identifies financial exceptions such as unbilled production, commitment gaps, unusual margin movement, inconsistent cost coding and emerging repair or rework exposure, including rough-order-of-magnitude estimates of their impact.
- Researches the cause of each exception, discusses findings with the Project Manager, recommends a response and confirms agreed follow-up.
- Escalates significant or broad findings through the FP&A Manager and, when appropriate, to DPMs, Regional Vice Presidents or Leadership.
- Maintains a risk-based view of the regional project portfolio, concentrating effort where financial exposure or decision urgency is greatest.
- Reviews project budgets for structure, reasonableness, omissions and unusual assumptions, and supports approved budget changes.
- Assists with change events, potential change orders, customer change-order drafts, purchase orders, subcontracts and commitment change orders, confirming that amounts, cost codes, documentation and system records align.
- Supports pencil-copy billings and tracks overbilling and underbilling against production, cost, contract value and cash-flow needs.
- Meets with Project Managers to build aligned forecasts of cost, billing and labor hours covering the next 12 months or longer.
- Validates monthly forecast snapshots, data, explanations and notes ahead of JPR meetings, and contributes project-level insight during those meetings.
- Prepares and distributes weekly and monthly JV cost reports, reconciles reported cost to company records and supports quarterly reviews or audits with JV partners.
- Attends project meetings and plans regular jobsite visits to connect field activity, production, schedule and procurement to their financial effects.
- Documents recurring controls, analysis methods and handoffs, and helps establish the future operating model for Project Controls.
- Other relevant tasks as assigned
Education, Experience & Qualifications:
Required:
- 3–6 years of meaningful experience in project controls, project engineering, construction, finance, accounting, estimating, analytics or closely related project-based work
- Strong mathematical and analytical reasoning, with the ability to find, research and clearly communicate inconsistencies
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
- Strong interpersonal and outreach skills, and genuine curiosity about construction execution
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities at the same time
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering Technology, Finance, Accounting, Business, Mathematics, Data Analytics or a related field, or equivalent experience
- Background in civil engineering, construction management, project controls, project engineering, project accounting or field operations
- Experience in heavy civil, site development, concrete, utility, infrastructure or specialty contracting
- Familiarity with Procore, Foundation or comparable construction systems
- Working knowledge of job cost, commitments and change management, billing, work-in-progress (WIP) and cash flow, and project forecasting
Travel:
Up to 10% travel, primarily to active jobsites and project meetings within the assigned region.
Work Environment:
Onsite, office-based position embedded with the regional operations team, typically Monday through Friday. Regular jobsite visits require following site safety rules and wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Benefits:
Fessler & Bowman is proud to provide eligible Team Members with the following benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- 401k with company contributions
- Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off
Benefits:
Fessler & Bowman is proud to provide non-union Team Members with the following benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- 401k with company contributions
Fessler & Bowman Team Members that are part of a union will receive benefits from the appropriate union.
Recruitment Process:
The recruitment process will include a phone screen, in-person meeting, and a pre-employment background check and drug test.
Fessler & Bowman is an Equal Opportunity Employer
See All 39 Project Controls Specialist Jobs in North Carolina
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Find JobsProject Controls Specialist Jobs by City in North Carolina
Where North Carolina roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Project Controls Specialist Job Market in North Carolina
A snapshot from current North Carolina openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Construction & Real Estate
- Consulting & Professional Services
What North Carolina Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in project controls specialist jobs across North Carolina.
- Bachelor's degree in construction management, engineering, or a related technical field
- Proficiency in Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project for scheduling and progress tracking
- Experience with earned value management and cost performance index reporting
- PMI Planning and Scheduling Professional or AACE certification preferred by most employers
- Strong skills in cost forecasting, variance analysis, and change order management
- Ability to coordinate with project managers and subcontractors on multi-phase capital programs
Project Controls Specialist Jobs in North Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a project controls specialist in North Carolina?
Most project controls specialists in North Carolina enter the field with a bachelor's degree in construction management, civil engineering, or a closely related discipline from a university such as NC State or UNC Charlotte. North Carolina does not require a state-issued license specific to project controls, but employers consistently favor candidates who hold AACE International certifications such as the Planning and Scheduling Professional or the Certified Cost Technician, which demonstrate competency in the core skills the role demands.
How much do project controls specialists make in North Carolina?
Project controls specialists in North Carolina earn a median of about $100,820 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $61,570 for the lowest 10% to over $164,050 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire project controls specialists in North Carolina?
Employers hiring project controls specialists in North Carolina right now include ENFRA, Brady Services, and HNTB Corporation, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. North Carolina's active construction, energy, and defense sectors mean demand is distributed across large engineering and construction firms, utility companies, and government contractors with long-term capital programs in the state.
Which North Carolina cities have the most project controls specialist jobs?
The cities with the most project controls specialist openings in North Carolina are Charlotte, Cary, and Raleigh. Charlotte anchors the highest volume through its major infrastructure and utility projects, while the Raleigh and Research Triangle area draws demand from life sciences construction and technology campus development, with defense and government contracting activity concentrated around Fayetteville and the surrounding military installations.
Are there remote project controls specialist jobs in North Carolina?
Yes, but they're less common than for purely desk-based roles, since project controls work often requires on-site presence during construction or capital program execution. About 25% of project controls specialist openings tied to North Carolina are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which reflects the role's mixed nature. The tasks most frequently performed remotely are schedule reporting, cost variance analysis, and stakeholder dashboard updates, while field verification and site coordination remain on-site.
How can I get hired as a project controls specialist in North Carolina with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a junior cost engineer or project controls analyst role at a large engineering and construction firm operating in Charlotte or the Research Triangle, where companies like Fluor and Burns & McDonnell run structured associate programs for recent graduates. Candidates coming from adjacent roles such as construction scheduler, estimator, or project coordinator can transfer directly with the right Primavera P6 exposure. Earning an AACE Certified Cost Technician credential or completing a PMI scheduling certificate while applying gives candidates without direct experience a concrete edge.
Where can I find and apply to project controls specialist jobs in North Carolina?
You can find and apply to project controls specialist jobs in North Carolina on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to the state. Search the listings for roles that match your experience level and specialization, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 39 Project Controls Specialist Jobs in North Carolina
Find roles in North Carolina that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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