Design Project Engineer - Industrial & Water

Position Overview

Kiewit Industrial & Water Engineering (KIWE) is looking for a Project Engineer to join our engineering services project management team. You will be part of our growing team focused on managing industrial engineering projects including project development, Pre-FEED, FEED, and detailed engineering design scopes. Kiewit’s Industrial markets include industrial power, mineral processing/metals, energy transition and biomanufacturing.

This role is primarily focused on leading indicative estimates during early project development (FEL 1–2), while progressively taking on project management responsibility for small and mid-sized engineering scopes. PM responsibilities will increase as capability is demonstrated and business needs allow (target 9-12  mo.).

This position requires professional experience in engineering, construction management, or similar roles. The individual must be capable of balancing multiple competing priorities, including but not limited to managing multiple estimates, setting team expectations, maintaining positive and engaging communication, and managing estimating tasks and multi-discipline project teams to meet project requirements within budgeted time and price.

District Overview

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
• 5-8 years' experience in increasingly challenging positions, preferably in an engineering organization
• 2+ years’ experience performing engineering-related design, estimating or management within the industrial markets is preferred
• 2+ years’ experience in a consulting role, preferred
• EPC experience is a plus

• Estimating Software: Experience with InEight Estimate (Hard Dollar), AspenTech Capital Cost Estimator, or other “engineer’s estimate” software is a plus

• Strong negotiation, presentation, and persuasion skills. 
• Experienced in communicating ideas, winning approval, and reaching resolutions with a variety of audiences.
• Strong analytical ability and the capacity to interpret data and make recommendations.
• Comfortable with change and ambiguity; adaptable, collaborative and a systems thinker.
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• Attention to detail, with the ability to recognize discrepancies
• Ability to work well as part of a cross-discipline team

Location

This position is located in Lenexa, KS and may require up to 25% travel on average based on project demands. This role is intended to be part of the Lenexa-based Engineering Services team supporting projects across Kiewit’s industrial markets.

Responsibilities

• Indicative Estimate Management:
• • • Lead and develop indicative estimates for large, complex industrial projects, as part of scope for the FEL 1-2 phases of a consulting project.
    • Review project RFP and engineering deliverables and understand the project needs.
    • Promotes efforts to find innovative estimating methods to generate consistent, cost effective and accurate solutions to tight schedules and quick turnaround on estimates. 
      • Develop and maintain knowledge of current Kiewit practices, industry best practices, alternate approaches, including AACE guidelines.
      • Develop and maintain estimating processes, guidelines, and standards.
    • Become familiar with how to present indicative pricing to clients and best approaches depending on the client, contract, and project type.
    • Work with the project team and estimating management to establish the estimate basis and approach, vendor vs. historical pricing, quantity development, and ensure no gaps or overlap.
    • Manage the estimate schedule, estimate staffing, project team coordination, and estimate deliverable production.
    • Collaborate with vendors and engineers to ensure correct pricing and quantities.
    • Coordinate and lead estimate review presentations (internal and client), with project PM support.
    • Track production metrics for estimates (productivity, quality, schedule) and long-term outcomes with projects (FEL phase progression).
    • Perform other tasks for the estimating team as needed.
    • Must be capable of assisting with major technical problems encountered during bid preparation. 
      
      
  • Project Management:
    • Support the project manager in directing the development and overseeing the implementation of the project execution plan including deliverables lists, schedule, budget, manpower projections, and quality management.
    • May serve as the project manager for small scope projects ($50,000-$500,000).
    • Know the project contract requirements.
    • Support project from initiation through closeout, as required.
    • Engage in schedule, scope, budget, and change management.
    • Coordinate client billings with the Kiewit business management team
    • Communicate project status to Kiewit management and clients, such as providing regular weekly reports, monthly reports, and other reports as required

   

  • Proposals
  • Provide budget, schedule, and scope for indicative estimates for proposals.
  • May support or lead project planning processes within the proposal phase.

   

  • Client Engagement
  • Develop client engagement skills for future leadership of client projects.
  • Serve as point of contact for indicative estimate discussions with client.

Qualifications

• • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
  • 5-8 years' experience in increasingly challenging positions, preferably in an engineering organization
  • 2+ years’ experience performing engineering-related design, estimating or management within the industrial markets is preferred
  • 2+ years’ experience in a consulting role, preferred
  • EPC experience is a plus
  • Estimating Software: Experience with InEight Estimate (Hard Dollar), AspenTech Capital Cost Estimator, or other “engineer’s estimate” software is a plus
  • Strong negotiation, presentation, and persuasion skills. 
  • Experienced in communicating ideas, winning approval, and reaching resolutions with a variety of audiences.
  • Strong analytical ability and the capacity to interpret data and make recommendations.
  • Comfortable with change and ambiguity; adaptable, collaborative and a systems thinker.
  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Strong written and verbal communications skills
  • Attention to detail, with the ability to recognize discrepancies
  • Ability to work well as part of a cross-discipline team

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