Junior Cost Analyst

JAB Recruitment; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

Jab Recruitment seeks a Junior Cost Analyst / Project Controls Specialist in Downtown Houston, TX, for a long-term contract opportunity. You will support capital infrastructure projects and assist with cost management, budgets, forecasting, and reporting.

The ideal candidate has 2–4 years of experience in project controls or cost analysis within EPC/oil and gas contexts, with SAP PS/CO experience and strong Excel skills; eligibility to work in the US is required.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in project controls, cost analysis, or project accounting.
• Experience supporting capital projects in EPC, energy, oil and gas, or infrastructure.
• SAP knowledge, PS and CO modules preferred.
• Strong Excel, Word, and Outlook skills.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, finance, construction management, or related field.
• Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Track project costs, commitments, incurred expenses, and forecasts against budgets.
• Support cost reporting and management reporting.
• Review contractor invoices and validate costs against progress.
• Assist with EAC reviews and cost forecasting.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate financial data.

Skills

Cost analysis

EVM

Forecasting

Budget tracking

Financial reporting

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Finance/Construction Management or related field

Tools

SAP

Excel

Word

Outlook

PowerPoint

Job description

Junior Cost Analyst / Junior Project Controls Specialist

Location: Houston, TX - Downtown

Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days onsite, 2 days remote)

Experience Level: 2–4 Years

Employment Type: Contract

**Please Note**

• This is a long-term contract 1-2 years
• Opportunity to convert to permanent based on performance, and internal client approval - not guaranteed.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the US indefinitely without present or future need for visa sponsorship.
• No C2C - 3rd party firms need not reach out.

Work Schedule

Hybrid schedule based in downtown Houston:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: Onsite

Position Overview

We are seeking a Junior Cost Analyst / Project Controls Specialist to support capital infrastructure projects within an established Project Controls team. This position is ideal for an early-career professional with 2–4 years of experience in project controls, cost analysis, or project accounting within an EPC, energy, oil and gas, or infrastructure environment.

The successful candidate will support project cost management, budget tracking, forecasting, contractor invoice validation, and financial reporting. Working closely with project management, engineering, construction, procurement, and accounting teams, this individual will help maintain accurate project cost information, identify variances, and provide visibility into project financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Track project costs, commitments, incurred expenses, and forecasts against approved budgets.
• Support cost reporting, monthly project scorecards, trend logs, and management reporting.
• Review contractor invoices and validate billed costs against actual project progress and incurred costs.
• Identify cost discrepancies, investigate variances, and elevate potential budget or forecasting concerns.
• Assist with estimate-at-completion (EAC) reviews, cost forecasting, and earned value analysis.
• Support AFE funding confirmation, purchase requisitions, and project financial administration.
• Participate in project review meetings and assist with updating budgets and forecasts.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to collect, reconcile, and validate project financial data.
• Assist with administrative, financial, and system close-out activities upon project completion.
• Prepare cost summaries and presentations for project management as needed.

Required Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in project controls, cost analysis, project accounting, or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting capital projects within an EPC, energy, oil and gas, construction, or infrastructure environment.
• Working knowledge of SAP, preferably within the Project Systems (PS) and Controlling (CO) modules.
• Understanding of project cost management processes, including WBS structures, budget tracking, cost reporting, and forecasting.
• Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM), including earned value metrics, progress measurement, and cost variance analysis.
• Ability to review contractor invoices, reconcile costs, and identify discrepancies between reported costs and project progress.
• Understanding of project financial concepts, including incurred versus committed costs and estimate-at-completion (EAC).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Construction Management, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Must be locally based in the Houston, TX area and authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience supporting oil and gas, midstream, pipeline, facilities, or other energy infrastructure projects.
• Exposure to large-scale capital projects and contractor cost management.
• Familiarity with Authorization for Expenditure (AFE) processes and SAP requisition workflows.
• Exposure to project development and implementation phases.
• AACE certification or relevant professional development in project controls or cost management.

Ideal Candidate: An analytical, detail-oriented early-career professional who understands the fundamentals of project cost management, is comfortable working with financial data and project teams, and is motivated to develop their career in project controls.