Construction Project Controls Specialist

Job Description

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water.

We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career-defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story.

If you share that vision, even if you don’t meet every requirement listed, we’d still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let’s explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America.

Mott MacDonald is seeking a Construction Project Controls Specialist to support major capital construction programs at the Port of Portland (PDX). In this role, you will support the Construction Manager and Project Manager in administering construction contracts, validating contractor progress, managing documentation required for FAA‑funded work, and ensuring alignment with contract requirements, industry standards, and Port processes.

This position plays a critical role in helping the project team maintain transparency, ensure compliance, support negotiations, and verify that construction progress and payments are accurately tracked and reported.

Key Responsibilities

Field Progress Verification & Payment Certification

• Work closely with the Construction Manager and field Inspectors to verify contractor field progress and ensure that monthly payment applications accurately reflect actual site conditions.
• Review measurement and payment documentation to confirm accuracy, completeness, and compliance with construction contract requirements.
• Ensure contractor progress payment requests are processed within required statutory timelines.
• Recommend appropriate mitigation strategies to both internal and external project stakeholders when discrepancies or risks are identified.

Contract Administration, Change Management & Claims Support

• Partner with the Construction Manager and Project Manager to ensure efficient and accurate administration of engineering construction contracts.
• Perform merit and entitlement analyses to support negotiation and resolution of change orders, claims, disputes, and disagreements.
• Review contractor schedules, schedule updates, and proposed work methodologies to determine acceptability under contract terms.
• Provide recommendations regarding construction sequencing, schedule reasonableness, and potential risk areas.

FAA Documentation & Compliance

• Work collaboratively with Construction Managers, Inspectors, and Finance staff to ensure all FAA‑required supporting documentation is properly generated, validated, and submitted.
• Confirm all documentation complies with FAA standards, provisions, and funding‑related timelines.
• Help maintain compliance with all relevant federal, state, and Port requirements associated with aviation‑funded construction work.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, project management, or related discipline; or equivalent relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience in construction project controls, construction contract administration, or field engineering.
• Demonstrated experience working on active construction sites and collaborating with field inspectors and construction managers.
• Experience reviewing contractor schedules, progress payment documentation, and change order support.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate entitlement, documentation quality, and compliance with contract requirements.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to work full‑time on‑site at PDX, 5 days per week.
• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within large, complex programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with aviation, FAA‑funded, or public‑sector capital construction programs.
• Familiarity with Primavera scheduling, cost control systems, or project management tools.
• Experience preparing FAA documentation packages or similar federally‑funded documentation.
• Experience supporting negotiation of change orders or claims.

Benefits & Reward

At Mott MacDonald, our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, providing them with a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. We provide a comprehensive benefit package that includes 401k, medical, dental and vision insurance, short-term/long-term disability, paid holidays, PTO, parental leave, and company paid life insurance.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

The expected salary for this position is $117,000- $143,000

Collaboration at Our Core
At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we’re together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in-office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face-to-face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet client, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.