Cost Engineer

Progressive; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 96,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

£100/day Umbrella per diem

Job summary

Progressive is seeking an experienced Cost Engineer for a major project in the UK nuclear sector, based near Reading. The role is a 26-week contract with hybrid work (3 days on site, 2 days remote) and a rates of £70.68/hr Umbrella.

The successful candidate will develop, manage and report project costs across the lifecycle, driving robust financial control. Key responsibilities include budgeting, baseline management, cost reporting (EVM), and variance analysis.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in cost engineering, controls, or quantity surveying within complex engineering or nuclear environments.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, change control, and earned value analysis knowledge.
• Experience across the full project lifecycle from bid phase through to project close-out.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain project baseline budgets and WBS dictionaries.
• Monitor and validate accruals, commitments and financial data.
• Manage cost risk budgets, contingency drawdown and risk management activities.
• Control financial change management aligning with contractual requirements.
• Produce internal and external cost reports including EVM and variance analysis.
• Maintain EACs, support forecasting, and provide financial insights to stakeholders.

Skills

Cost engineering

Budgeting

Forecasting

Earned value management (EVM)

Cost control

Education

HNC in Cost Engineering / Quantity Surveying

Job description

We're recruiting for an experienced Cost Engineer to support a major project within the UK nuclear industry. This is an immediate-start contract opportunity based near Reading, working on a hybrid basis with 3 days per week on site and 2 days remote.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the development, management, and reporting of project costs, ensuring robust financial control throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Contract Cost Engineer (Inside IR35) | Nuclear Sector | Reading | £70.68/hr Umbrella

• Develop, implement, and maintain project baseline budgets, Control Account Plans, Responsibility Assignment Matrices, and WBS dictionaries.
• Monitor, control, and validate project accruals, commitments, resource forecasts, and financial data.
• Manage cost risk budgets, contingency drawdown, and support wider project risk management activities.
• Control financial change management, ensuring alignment with contractual and business requirements.
• Produce internal and external cost reports, including Earned Value Management (EVM) and variance analysis.
• Maintain Estimates at Completion (EACs), support forecasting activities, and provide financial performance insights to project stakeholders.

Requirements

• Significant experience in cost engineering, project controls, or quantity surveying within a complex engineering, construction, infrastructure, defence, or nuclear environment.
• Strong understanding of budgeting, cost control, forecasting, change management, and earned value analysis.
• Experience across the full project lifecycle from bid phase through to project close-out.
• HNC (or equivalent) in Cost Engineering, Quantity Surveying, or a related discipline.
• Professional membership or qualification (e.g. APM, AcostE, RICS) highly desirable.
• Advanced knowledge of EVM and project cost management methodologies.

Contract Details

• Location: Reading
• Duration: 26 weeks
• Rate: £70.68/hr Umbrella
• Per Diem: £100/day Umbrella for site days where home address is more than 30 miles from site
• Hybrid Working: 3 days onsite
• Start: ASAP, subject to clearance

Security Requirements

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