Project Controls Engineer

Overview

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) directs the worldwide overseas building program for the Department of State. Working with other offices and bureaus, foreign affairs agencies, and Congress, OBO's challenge is to set worldwide priorities for the design, construction, acquisition, maintenance, use, and sale of real properties and the use of sales proceeds.

Construction and Security Management Directorate (CSM), Office of Construction Management (CM), Is responsible for OBO's construction program, including leading the coordination of the contractual design activities, in conjunction with other offices, on design/build projects and construction and commissioning on design/build and design/bid/build projects. CSM/CM provides management oversight and on-site construction supervision for OBO worldwide construction program.

Responsibilities

As a Project Controls Engineer assigned to the Controls Branch of OBO/CSM/CM/CS/CON, the contractor serves as a Project Control Engineer (PCE) assigned to one or more of the Department's overseas facility construction projects and performs a wide range of engineering-related functions in support of the planning, implementation, and oversight of the assigned project(s). The PCE will also support the Office Risk Program and will work in coordination with the primary scheduler and risk team. The contractor will provide engineering expertise on several projects from a schedule and risk perspective and will work with the team members to achieve effectiveness in meeting the scope, schedule, and cost goals of the OBO construction management office. The contractor must be fluent in all technical requirements of the project, including those related to other engineering disciplines and architecture, as well as in a full range of administrative requirements.

• Reviews OBO project execution schedules (PESs) developed by construction contractors awarded the work; and prepares and submit comments based on technical errors or omissions from the PES to the Project Director (PD) and to appropriate OBO management personnel.
• Reviews contractors pay applications to determine conformance with the updated project execution schedule.
• Serves as a member of Technical Evaluation Panels (TEPs) for the evaluation of bid proposal project execution schedules.
• Actively participates in project kick-off meetings with the contractor awarded the project and provides general comments on the Division 1 Project Scheduling specification and on schedule development and use on the project.
• Performs annual review of OBO Division 1 Project Scheduling specification for necessary changes based on lessons learned, technical clarity, and discovered errors.
• Evaluates new projects to determine estimated construction duration to be used as the basis for the OBO Request for Proposal.
• Evaluates the contractor's Request for Equitable Adjustment (REA), Time Impact Analyses (TIA), and claims to determine their validity, and apportions responsibility between contractor and OBO.
• Meets with the contractor's project control engineer to discuss appropriate PES development for compliance with the Contract Division 1 Project Scheduling specification, good scheduling practice, and what data should be presented to OBO.
• Develops PES fragments to detail the schedule elements of commissioning, accreditation, and close-out procedures.
• Trains CSM office and field personnel in the use, importance, and evaluation of the project execution schedule.
• Works with other office members on special projects and initiatives to improve our business processes.
• Maintains competence and awareness of state-of-the-art through training for professional development and completion of courses required by OBO at the Foreign Service Institute or outside training vendor.
• Requests through the IDIQ Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) that a scheduling consultant be issued a task order to perform scheduling support services as workload increases; provides technical direction to the scheduling consultant; monitors the consultant's work and reports; and serves as the liaison between the consultant and project management; and
• Performs special projects as management may require, such as TDY replacement of project personnel, research data on past projects, development of schedule analysis tools, etc.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Knowledge of, and skill in applying, general theories, concepts, principles, and methodologies in a variety of engineering disciplines sufficient to anticipate, investigate, evaluate, and resolve a wide range of engineering problems and issues arising from the scheduling of overseas facility construction projects; to evaluate, advise on, oversee, or direct contracted work to ensure its quality and compliance with plans, designs, and specifications; to prepare a variety of engineering reports, contractual change orders, fact sheets, and correspondence; and to anticipate, investigate, evaluate, and resolve engineering problems and conditions affecting the quality, scheduling, budgeting, or progress of work performed in completing projects.
• Interest in learning and understanding of the mission, functions, and objectives of the Office, the Bureau, and the Department and the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, sufficient to coordinate work efforts, ensure that work is performed successfully and in a cost-effective manner, and that work efforts are not duplicated.
• Professional expertise in United States and international project management principles and processes preferred, including scheduling, budget and resource control, cost/benefits analysis, risk management, metrics development and utilization, and analysis to provide authoritative guidance in these areas and to resolve complex schedule engineering and project management issues.
• In-depth knowledge of engineering project planning, scheduling, cost accounting, and estimating as they relate to the management of the planning, design, and construction of a wide range of facilities overseas.
• Awareness of some Federal contracting and procurement processes in the pre-award and post-award environments, in order assist advise on and prepare statements of work, justifications, and other contractual documentation in support of contracted work associated with scheduling aspects of projects and oversee and evaluate contractor performance.
• Skill in oral and written communication techniques to develop expert assessments and recommendations on a broad range of project scheduling and project control issues; to communicate and exchange complex technical information with both technical and non-technical personnel; and to prepare and present briefings to senior management officials on project status and related complex and/or controversial scheduling and project control issues.
• Experience in the use of automated applications such as the Primavera P6, Microsoft Office Suite, and familiarity with Database applications. Department of State property management database applications such as the Buildings Management Integrated System (BMIS) is desirable. Experience with project control and construction management software programs is desirable.
• Ability to meet and interact in a professional, tactful, and effective manner with United States Government management and program officials within and outside of the Department on a wide variety of project scheduling and control and associated technical issues.

AAP/EEO Statement

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.