Project Controls Lead, Delivery

Harbor Compute; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Unlimited PTO

Equity

Job summary

Harbor Compute is building large-scale AI data center campuses and seeks a Project Controls Lead to deliver reliable cost, schedule and risk pictures from planning through turnover. You will report to the EVP, Delivery and collaborate with development, design, construction, procurement, commissioning and finance teams to align scope, budget and milestones.

In your first year you will establish controls and governance for project teams, ensuring leadership always has a clear view of status and

Qualifications

• Experience on complex data center or mission-critical construction projects with depth in cost and schedule.
• Working knowledge of construction sequencing, equipment procurement, commissioning dependencies and phased turnover requirements.
• Experience collaborating with owner, developer, JV, contractor and tenant teams.
• Proficiency with Primavera P6, MS Project and Smartsheet; strong Excel and reporting skills.
• Ability to reconcile information across different systems into consistent reporting without forcing all parties to use the same platform.
• Detail-oriented approach and ability to build governance in a growing organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead project controls across cost, schedule, reporting and governance on each project.
• Own project budgets, cost forecasts, cash flow projections, and contingency tracking with clear reporting.
• Build and oversee integrated schedules covering design, permitting, long-lead equipment, construction, commissioning and turnover.
• Review and challenge contractor and partner schedules for sequencing, dependencies, critical path and float; identify recovery opportunities.
• Consolidate inputs from all parties into one reliable project view, including areas Harbor may not directly control contracts or schedules.
• Run change control and governance: cost/schedule impacts, baseline updates, cadence, logs and escalation paths.
• Validate progress against measurable deliverables and support pay applications and forecast reconciliations.

Skills

Cost & schedule oversight

Reporting

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel & analytics

Contract & schedule governance

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Excel

Procore

Autodesk Construction Cloud

CxAlloy

Job description

About Harbor Compute

Harbor Compute builds, owns, and operates the data centers that power frontier AI, turning land, energy, and engineering into usable AI infrastructure. We do so responsibly and in partnership with the communities where we build, with energy strategies that strengthen power resilience, economics that allow host communities to share in the upside, a focus on local suppliers whenever possible, and siting and design shaped by local input.

Harbor Compute builds, owns, and operates the data centers that power frontier AI, turning land, energy, and engineering into usable AI infrastructure. We do so responsibly and in partnership with the communities where we build, with energy strategies that strengthen power resilience, economics that allow host communities to share in the upside, a focus on local suppliers whenever possible, and siting and design shaped by local input.

About The Role

Harbor is developing large-scale AI data center campuses, often alongside partners, where Harbor may be the owner, a JV partner or the tenant. Each of those roles calls for a different kind of oversight. As Project Controls Lead, you'll give every project one reliable picture of cost, schedule and risk, from early planning through construction, commissioning and turnover, so the team can make good decisions early.

You'll report to the EVP, Delivery, and work closely with development, design, construction, procurement, commissioning, finance and partner teams to keep everyone aligned on scope, budget, milestones and risks. In your first year, you'll set up the controls, reporting and governance our projects run on, and make sure leadership always knows where each project stands and what needs a decision.

What you'll do

• Lead project controls across cost, schedule, reporting and governance, and set clear responsibilities, reporting expectations and decision processes with the other parties on each project.
• Own project budgets, cost forecasts, cash flow projections and contingency tracking, with clear reporting on commitments and actual spend.
• Build and oversee integrated schedules covering design, permitting, long-lead equipment, construction, commissioning and phased capacity turnover.
• Review and challenge contractor and partner schedules for realistic sequencing, dependencies, critical path and float, and identify opportunities for recovery or acceleration.
• Bring inputs from every party into one reliable project view, including where Harbor doesn't directly control the underlying contracts or schedules.
• Run change control and practical governance: cost and schedule impacts, approvals, baseline updates, reporting cadence, decision logs, risk registers, action tracking and escalation paths.
• Validate progress against measurable deliverables, support pay application reviews and forecast reconciliation, and flag emerging issues early with clear options and a recommendation.

What you'll bring

• Strong project controls experience on complex data center or other mission-critical construction projects, with hands-on depth in both cost and schedule.
• Working knowledge of construction sequencing, equipment procurement, commissioning dependencies and phased turnover requirements.
• Experience working across owner, developer, JV, contractor and tenant teams, and holding parties accountable through collaboration.
• Proficiency with Primavera P6, Microsoft Project and Smartsheet, plus strong Excel and reporting skills.
• A track record of reconciling information across different systems into consistent reporting, without requiring every party to use the same platform.
• A practical, detail-oriented approach: you're comfortable building processes in a growing organization and keeping governance proportionate to the project.

Nice to have

• Experience with construction platforms such as Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC).
• Experience with commissioning platforms such as CxAlloy, including turning commissioning status, deficiencies and completion requirements into schedule and readiness reporting.

Compensation

The base salary range for this role is expected to be $170,000–$210,000. The starting salary will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and market location, with consideration for market alignment and internal equity. In addition to base salary, our total rewards package includes equity and a comprehensive benefits program, based on eligibility.

Benefits

• Health insurance, fully covered: Harbor pays 100% of premiums for you and your family.
• Your choice of carrier: Choose from national carriers such as Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare, with plans that vary by deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, network and coverage level. Availability varies by state.
• Big-company plan options: We offer insurance through a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), which gives our growing team access to the range of plans usually found at much larger employers.
• Unlimited PTO: We trust you to know when you need to rest and recharge. Plan time off with your manager around the needs of your team.

Harbor Compute is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected status. If you need an accommodation at any point in the hiring process, let us know.