Project Controls Specialist Jobs in Virginia
Project Controls Specialist jobs in Virginia are highly active, with strong demand concentrated in defense contracting, federal government support, construction, and infrastructure development at every level from entry-level analyst through senior program controls manager. The largest hiring centers are the Northern Virginia corridor, Hampton Roads, and Richmond, where established employers such as Leidos, SAIC, and Northrop Grumman maintain significant project controls teams. The most in-demand specialties include earned value management, cost engineering, and scheduling for large-scale federal and defense programs. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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What You'll Be Doing
Job Scope: Generally responsible for planning and scheduling of heavy industrial engineering projects, monitoring project costs and/or estimating projects. Work will be performed under general supervision.
Primary responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Developing schedules and analysis for contract packages to forecast construction activities and identify coordination issues where safety and schedule can potentially be in conflict.
- Monitoring and updating schedules by obtaining updates through meetings, construction coordination interviews and field verification.
- Monitoring and maintaining the change notice/change order management system. Assist in facilitating weekly change notice hearings and change committee meetings.
- Developing estimates for construction projects including but not limited to estimates associated with change notices.
- Developing and maintaining the cost system including reconciling commitments, change orders, contractor invoices and producing cost reports.
Ideal Background
Education: High School Diploma or equivalent is required. Bachelor or Master degree in Construction Science, Building Science or advanced coursework is highly preferred.
Certification: No certification is required for this position.
Experience: This position requires 5+ years of relevant industrial experience in planning, scheduling, cost control and estimating.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- SAP experience is required.
- Knowledge and application of company business standards and good practices.
- Extreme attention to detail.
- Possesses a comprehensive understanding of the function of all engineering disciplines.
- Understanding of existing and potential customer deliverable expectations and preferences.
- Ability to set priorities.
- Ability to effectively discuss and correspond with engineering disciplines and/or contractors to ascertain and understand pertinent information concerning schedules, scopes of work, estimates and/or project costs.
- Excellent listening and communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Excellent organizational skills.
- Knowledge of other disciplines deliverable development to ensure coordination of efforts.
- Knowledge and understanding of schedule constraints and information requirements for the production of all project controls deliverables.
- Ability to develop a construction cost estimate, a detailed engineering schedule and a man-hour budget for a small project or an area for a larger project.
- Ability to determine construction material quantities.
- Experienced in estimating and scheduling professional service hours and assessing the progress and quality of project controls work.
- Ability to accurately estimate completion of assigned tasks.
- Proficient in the use of Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project scheduling software and Timberline Estimating software.
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to sit, stand, or walk for long periods of time.
Hargrove Culture
We work to create an environment founded on trust, personal integrity, and a “team mentality” so that each person understands the value of their contributions both on a project and company-wide level. We know that each person on our team contributes to the success of our company by pairing expertise and passion to meet and exceed the needs of the clients we serve across the globe.
Our safety culture protects and promotes the well-being of every person who works with us and every person touched by our work.
As a 100% Teammate owned company, we proudly offer a comprehensive benefits package including, paid holidays, personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and other benefits to eligible Teammates.
Equal Opportunity Employment Statement
Hargrove is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex (including gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, sexual identity, marital or family status), disability, military service or obligations, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Hargrove is a drug-free workplace.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.
See All 26 Project Controls Specialist Jobs in Virginia
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Find JobsProject Controls Specialist Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Project Controls Specialist Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Investment & Asset Management
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in project controls specialist jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, or a related technical field
- Proficiency in Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project for scheduling and cost tracking
- Experience with earned value management systems on federal or defense contracts
- Familiarity with FAR and DFARS compliance requirements on government contracts
- PMI Planning and Scheduling Professional or AACE International certification preferred
- Strong analytical skills for cost forecasting, variance analysis, and performance reporting
Project Controls Specialist Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a project controls specialist in Virginia?
Most project controls specialists in Virginia enter the field with a bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, business, or a related discipline. Virginia does not require a state-issued license specific to this role, but earning credentials such as the AACE International Certified Cost Professional or the PMI Planning and Scheduling Professional significantly strengthens your candidacy, especially for defense and federal contracting positions that dominate the Virginia market.
How much do project controls specialists make in Virginia?
Project controls specialists in Virginia earn a median of about $120,840 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $68,020 for the lowest 10% to over $179,970 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire project controls specialists in Virginia?
Employers hiring project controls specialists in Virginia right now include Aegis Project Controls, American Real Estate Partners, and PMA Consultants, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's concentration of major defense contractors and federal government support firms in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads means demand is steady across both large primes and their subcontractors.
Which Virginia cities have the most project controls specialist jobs?
The Virginia cities with the most project controls specialist openings are Dulles, Culpeper, and Richmond. The distribution reflects Virginia's defense and federal contracting landscape, with Northern Virginia's proximity to the Pentagon and federal agencies driving the largest share of openings, while Hampton Roads benefits from Navy and shipbuilding programs and Richmond draws from infrastructure and commercial construction activity.
Are there remote project controls specialist jobs in Virginia?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical fields because many project controls roles require on-site presence at program offices or construction sites. About 56% of project controls specialist openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is a meaningful share given the role's nature. Scheduling and cost reporting functions are most likely to offer remote flexibility, while earned value and on-site construction controls roles typically require a physical presence.
How can I get hired as a project controls specialist in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a cost or schedule analyst role, which many Virginia defense contractors such as Leidos, SAIC, and ManTech post as junior positions open to recent graduates. A degree in engineering or construction management combined with Primavera P6 training and an AACE student membership makes a strong early-career profile. Adjacent roles in project coordination, financial analysis, or construction estimating are common lateral moves into project controls at Virginia firms.
Where can I find and apply to project controls specialist jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to project controls specialist jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across defense, federal contracting, construction, and infrastructure sectors. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 26 Project Controls Specialist Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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