Project Controls Specialist: Utility-Scale Solar & BESS

Enervia LLC; Youngsville (NC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Enervia LLC is seeking an experienced Project Controls Specialist to support financial and operational performance on utility-scale solar and BESS projects in Youngsville, NC. This on-site role includes forecasting, cost control, reporting, and collaboration with project teams.

The ideal candidate will have strong Excel skills, experience in project controls, and the ability to translate field data into accurate forecasts for leadership. Travel to project sites will be required as needed.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in project controls, cost control, project accounting or related construction environments.
• Experience developing and maintaining project cost forecasts and Cost-to-Complete projections.
• Experience with production tracking and productivity analysis.
• Experience supporting change management and change-order tracking.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel with dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed project cost forecasts from turnover to closeout.
• Prepare and update monthly Cost-to-Complete forecasts with Project Managers.
• Track budgets, commitments, costs, accruals, and forecast-at-completion.
• Analyze cost trends for overruns, savings, risk and margin erosion.
• Support monthly WIP reporting and reconcile forecasts with accounting.
• Create financial summaries for leadership and stakeholders.
• Establish production tracking for major construction activities.
• Compare actual production to estimates and budgets; quantify productivity.
• Maintain change logs and support change-order pricing and documentation.
• Develop dashboards and reports covering cost, schedule and performance.

Skills

Cost forecasting

WIP reporting

Production tracking

Change management

Financial analysis

Excel proficiency

Communication to leadership

Travel to sites

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Procore

Microsoft Project

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Project Controls Specialist: Utility-Scale Solar & BESS

Location: Youngsville, NC
Position Type: Full-Time
Work Arrangement: On-site; hybrid flexibility may be considered
Travel: Travel to project sites as required

Position Summary

Enervia LLC is seeking an experienced Project Controls Specialist to support the financial and operational performance of our utility-scale solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects.

This position plays a key role in helping project teams understand where projects stand today, where they are headed, and where action may be needed. The Project Controls Specialist will be responsible for cost forecasting, production and productivity tracking, change management, financial analysis, and project performance reporting.

Working closely with Project Managers, Construction Managers, Accounting, Estimating, Procurement, and executive leadership, this role will translate field production, cost, schedule, and commercial data into accurate forecasts and actionable project insights.

Utility-scale solar experience is preferred but not required. Candidates with strong project controls experience in construction, EPC, heavy civil, electrical, infrastructure, or similar project-based environments are encouraged to apply.

What You'll Do

Project Forecasting & Cost Control

• Develop and maintain detailed project cost forecasts from project turnover through closeout.
• Prepare and update monthly Cost-to-Complete (CTC) forecasts in coordination with Project Managers.
• Track budgets, commitments, actual costs, accruals, pending costs, and forecast-at-completion.
• Analyze project cost trends to identify potential overruns, savings opportunities, margin erosion, and emerging financial risks.
• Support monthly Work-in-Progress (WIP) reporting and reconcile project forecasts with accounting records.
• Maintain and document forecast assumptions and changes between reporting periods.
• Analyze cash flow, billing status, earned revenue, and overall project financial performance.
• Prepare clear financial summaries for project and executive leadership.

Production & Productivity Analysis

• Establish and maintain quantity-based production tracking for major construction activities.
• Track planned, earned, and installed quantities by activity, area, crew, and reporting period.
• Compare actual production rates and labor hours against project estimates, budgets, and planned performance.
• Calculate labor productivity, earned hours, unit rates, percent complete, and remaining production requirements.
• Identify unfavorable production trends and quantify potential cost and schedule impacts.
• Partner with field leadership to validate quantities, manpower, equipment utilization, and reported progress.
• Capture historical production data to support future estimating and project planning.

Change Management

• Maintain project change logs for owner changes, subcontractor changes, design changes, field directives, backcharges, and potential claims.
• Track change events from initial identification through pricing, submission, negotiation, approval, billing, and collection
• Quantify cost, production, and schedule impacts associated with scope changes and changed conditions.
• Support Project Managers with change-order pricing, supporting documentation, labor and equipment analysis, and schedule-impact information.
• Ensure pending and approved changes are appropriately reflected in project forecasts.
• Monitor unresolved change exposure and maintain accurate documentation supporting project entitlement and financial recovery.

Project Reporting & Controls

• Develop and maintain project controls dashboards and reports covering key performance measures, including:
  • Budget vs. actual cost
  • Forecast vs. budget
  • Planned vs. installed quantities
  • Labor hours and productivity
  • Percent complete
  • Cost to complete
  • Change exposure
• Prepare weekly and monthly project performance reports.
• Reconcile field production reporting with financial progress and forecasting assumptions.
• Identify inconsistencies in project data and work with appropriate teams to resolve them.
• Support schedule and procurement tracking when those activities affect project cost, production, or forecast performance.
• Provide concise, data-driven information for executive and project performance reviews.

Cross-Functional Project Support

• Partner with Project Managers and Construction Managers to understand current field conditions and anticipated project performance.
• Coordinate with Accounting to reconcile job costs, commitments, accruals, billing, and WIP.
• Work with Estimating to compare actual project performance against original estimate assumptions.
• Coordinate with Procurement to understand committed costs, open purchase orders, material exposure, and long-lead impacts.
• Assist project teams with recovery planning when cost, production, or project performance falls below plan.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in project controls, cost control, project accounting, construction finance, or a related construction project environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining project cost forecasts and Cost-to-Complete projections.
• Experience with production tracking, productivity analysis, and quantity-based progress measurement.
• Experience supporting construction change management and change-order tracking.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, lookups, data analysis, and dashboard development.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends, inconsistencies, and emerging project risks.
• Ability to clearly communicate financial, production, and project performance information to both field and executive leadership.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate, timely reporting.
• Ability to travel to project sites as required.

Preferred Experience

Experience in one or more of the following is a plus:

• Utility-scale Solar EPC
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
• Utility substations or heavy electrical construction
• Self-performing construction
• EPC project delivery
• Foundation Software
• Procore
• Microsoft Project
• Power BI or similar reporting and visualization tools

What Success Looks Like

Success in this position means providing project teams with timely, accurate information that helps them make better decisions. Key areas of performance include forecast accuracy, Cost-to-Complete accuracy, production reporting, labor productivity visibility, change management, WIP reconciliation, timely reporting, and early identification of cost and production risks.

The successful candidate will be financially disciplined, highly analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable challenging assumptions when project data does not align. This individual should be proactive in identifying unfavorable trends and capable of communicating effectively with field teams, Project Managers, Accounting, and executive leadership.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Enervia LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Enervia LLC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities throughout the employment relationship, including recruitment, hiring, compensation, promotion, training, transfer, discipline, and termination.

Reasonable Accommodations

Enervia LLC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs or practices as required by applicable law. Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process may contact Enervia LLC for assistance.

Employment Eligibility

Employment is contingent upon verification of identity and authorization to work in the United States in accordance with applicable federal law. Where applicable, Enervia LLC uses E-Verify in accordance with federal and North Carolina requirements.

Enervia LLC does not discriminate based on citizenship or immigration status where prohibited by law.

North Carolina Employment

Employment with Enervia LLC in North Carolina is generally at-will, meaning either the employee or Enervia LLC may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this job posting creates or is intended to create a contract of employment or guarantee employment for any specific duration.

Additional Information

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, qualifications, or working conditions. Responsibilities may be modified or assigned based on business and project needs.