Cost Engineer (Curtis Bay, MD)

Planet Group; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 187,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

Grace is seeking a Project Controls Cost Engineer at the Curtis Bay site to develop and maintain cost budgets and forecasts for multiple capital projects, coordinating with Project Managers and leveraging GPM guidelines to ensure accurate cost reporting in SAP.

The role emphasizes robust WBS/CBS cost management, integration with MS Projects or Primavera schedules, and proactive cost control through the project lifecycle, with a focus on governance and data integrity.

Qualifications

• BS degree or higher; relevant professional experience considered in lieu of degree
• Minimum 7 years' cost engineering experience on capital projects in refining or petrochemical
• Experience using SAP for cost controlling and reporting
• Experience with cost portfolio management on large projects (e.g., $250M–$20MM)
• Ability to manage costs using a capital stage-gate methodology

Responsibilities

• Learn and apply the client's GPM guidelines and portfolio tools
• Produce budgets and funding reports at each stage gate with detail per GPM
• Serve as site SME on LC area factors, cost trends, and contractor rates
• Collaborate with PMs to align master scope with vendor estimates
• Develop robust WBS/CBS approach connected to SAP and cost/schedule integration
• Support change management with cost/schedule impact assessments
• Coordinate interfaces between Owner and Contractor cost forecasting
• Contribute to continuous improvements in cost performance and forecasting
• Assist with annual AOP cost analyses and budget forecasts
• Maintain dialog with Maintenance on cost forecasts and reclasses

Skills

Microsoft Office

Communication

Analytical skills

Earned Value

Portfolio management

Cost control

Multi-tasking

Team collaboration

Education

BS degree

Tools

SAP

MS Projects

Primavera

Job description

Pay Rate: $90-105/hour

Are you interested in growing professionally, creating and adding value, and being part of a team that is contributing to the growth of Project Controls internally? Our client Curtis Bay is actively looking to bring on board a Project Controls Cost Engineer who will report to the Senior Project Controls Manager. Our Curtis Bay facility is one of two in the entire global Grace network that manufactures products for all client business lines including Materials Technologies, Specialty Catalysts, Refining Technologies and Advanced Refining Technologies (ART).

You will assist to develop and maintain a consistent and structured approach to project controls for the Curtis Bay site. You'll utilize existing client tools and deliverables within the client Project Methodology (GPM) to develop, produce, and analyze cost budgets and forecasts at various project stages and improve upon local application of those tools and practices, including follow up on the cost performance in later stages to support cost control on individual projects and across the portfolio.

Job Specific Responsibilities

• Learn and maintain a strong working knowledge of client's GPM guidelines and Portfolio management tools, as well as cost budgeting and forecasting tools of the trade
• Produce project budgets and funding reports at each stage gate with the appropriate level of detail per client's GPM guidelines and based on project size and complexity
• Becomes site SME regarding LC area factors such as taxes as applicable to projects, cost trends, contractor hourly rates and mark-ups by discipline, and application of industry standard progress methods.
• Work with Project Managers (PM's) in all phases of projects to ensure alignment of the master project scope (control estimate) and estimates/proposals received from vendors and service providers for the work. Provide support and feedback to PM's during bid process to ensure all potential costs have been accounted for
• Lead in the local development of a more robust and consistent WBS/CBS approach to cost management from initial funding stage through the life of the project, resulting in cost structures that integrate well with SAP reporting as well as integrated cost and schedule management
• Advancement in the application of WBS/CBS philosophy at the cost estimate stage will be coupled with a matching WBS approach to development of project schedules via MS Projects or Primavera, whereby enabling improvement and consistency in project cost forecasting
• Actively engage with PMs in application of the Change Management workflow when necessary, giving in depth assessment of cost and schedule impacts of individual changes and helping ensure proactive documentation and DOA compliance, signoffs, etc.
• Works with local and central project controls teams to ensure systems, tools and processes are in place in support of continuous improvements relating to cost performance, forecasting, and cost predictability.
• Plays an active part in annual AOP development, producing high level cost analyses as needed to allow creation of a more credible forecasting approach to quarterly spend projections for the following budget year and outyears
• Maintain an ongoing dialog with the Maintenance team to ensure project cost forecasts are accurate and work order settlement rules are in place for all capital reclasses.
• Facilitate interfaces between Owner and Contractor cost forecasting and analyses
• Be an active participant in work process development and improvement
• Works with Finance to ensure capital and capital expenses are clearly defined and allocated properly.
• Support additional assigned duties/responsibilities.

Required Experience

• B.S. degree. In lieu of degree, a combination of a high school education and relevant professional experience will be considered, such as professional certifications or training specific to cost and/or accounting will be given strong consideration
• Minimum of 7 years' experience as a cost engineer on capital projects in the refining or petrochemical industry
• Previous SAP Experience
• Cost portfolio management on projects of various sizes; typically, in the range of $250M - $20MM
• Sound knowledge, proven skills, and competencies in application of project cost control principles, methodologies and tools, supporting all phases of project execution, especially around Project Cost Control, Forecasting and Reporting, within a project-oriented Owner Organization. Must be able to deliver accurate cost information, reporting and guidance to management.
• Ability to manage project costs using a capital stage gate methodology

Required Skills

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to work unsupervised
• Ability to multi-task
• Ability to communicate effectively at different levels of an organization.
• Analytical skills
• Understanding of Earned Value Methodologies
• Ability to multi-task
• Ability to manage a portfolio of many simultaneous projects.
• Ability to challenge the status quo
• Culturally astute
• Cost management experience with multiple foreign exchanges

Preferred Qualifications - What will put you above the rest

• B.S. degree in an engineering or construction management or Finance discipline
• Leadership experience
• Certification credentials from ACCEi or PMI
• Clear understanding and knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Ability to develop and/or improve processes and procedures
• Understanding of accrual and/or value of work done methodologies
• Asset/Capital depreciation methods.