Energy & Infrastructure Preconstruction Lead

ARCO Companies; Chicago, Downers Grove (IL, IL); On-site; USD 84,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Traditional and Roth 401k

Tuition reimbursement for associates

Scholarship for associates’ children

Sabbatical after five years + travel"

Volunteer leave

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid parental leave

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

ARCO Companies in Chicago, IL seeks a Project Developer to guide early-stage opportunities from site evaluation through preconstruction. You will manage due diligence, entitlements, permits, design coordination, budgets, schedules, and client communications, serving as the main client contact and trusted advisor.

The role requires 2–5 years in preconstruction or PM, with a PE license preferred. You will collaborate with internal design and construction teams and support business development

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in engineering, architecture, or real estate.
• 2–5 years in preconstruction or project management; experience with mechanical systems preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred; ARCO will support licensure for EIT.

Responsibilities

• Manage due diligence for prospective sites, including surveys and structural, MEP, and environmental studies.
• Coordinate real estate entitlements, permits, documentation, and external partners.
• Serve as primary client contact during preconstruction and advise on site layout, design, schedule, and cost.
• Develop and maintain preliminary budgets, cash-flow analyses, engineering and construction cost estimates, and preconstruction schedules.
• Lead design coordination through concept development, permitting, and construction documents.
• Research design alternatives and value-engineering, communicating cost and schedule impacts.
• Communicate decisions, risks, budgets, schedules to clients and internal teams.
• Travel to prospective sites for inspections and meetings with authorities.
• Build relationships with internal teams to support ARCO’s collaborative approach.
• Support business development through client relationships, proposals, and presentations.

Skills

Client management

Stakeholder coordination

Budgeting & cost estimation

Project scheduling

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Architecture, or Real Estate

Tools

Microsoft Project

Excel

Job description

ARCO Companies in Chicago, IL seeks a Project Developer to guide early-stage opportunities from site evaluation through preconstruction. You will manage due diligence, entitlements, permits, design coordination, budgets, schedules, and client communications, serving as the main client contact and trusted advisor.

The role requires 2–5 years in preconstruction or PM, with a PE license preferred. You will collaborate with internal design and construction teams and support business development