Project Engineer

Actalent; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 124,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Project / Field Engineer to support owner-side construction management on major rail and transit projects in the Los Angeles area. The role focuses on field engineering, inspections, documentation, and coordination with contractors and agencies.

The candidate will work in active construction environments, advancing from construction through testing, commissioning, and closeout. A strong communication, documentation, and field-quality mindset is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
• 3–8+ years of experience in transportation, rail, transit, public works, or heavy civil construction.

Responsibilities

• Perform field inspections and monitor construction activities for compliance with plans and specs.
• Prepare daily inspection reports, progress documentation, and field observations.
• Support contractor coordination and construction oversight on active job sites.
• Review, log, and track RFIs, submittals, field clarifications, and design coordination items.
• Participate in project meetings and document key decisions and action items.
• Support quantity verification and contractor pay application review processes.
• Monitor project issues, risks, schedules, and construction constraints.
• Coordinate with utility companies, agencies, and third-party stakeholders.
• Assist in managing field changes, change orders, and construction documentation.
• Track project progress against schedules and support recovery planning when necessary.
• Support testing, commissioning, turnover, and closeout activities.
• Maintain accurate project records and ensure documentation compliance.

Skills

Communication

Travel readiness

Field coordination

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering/Construction Management

3–8+ years’ transportation/rail/public works experience

Tools

Bluebeam

Procore

Unifier

Job description

Project / Field Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

Build the Future of Transportation Infrastructure

A nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in rail, transit, and transportation infrastructure is seeking a Project / Field Engineer to support owner-side construction management activities on major capital improvement projects throughout the Los Angeles region.

This position offers the opportunity to work directly on complex transit and infrastructure programs serving millions of passengers each year. The successful candidate will play a critical role in supporting construction oversight, contractor coordination, documentation, quality assurance, and stakeholder management on active rail and transit projects.

This is a field-focused engineering and construction management position supporting project delivery from construction through testing, commissioning, and closeout. This is not a design engineering role.

About the Company

Our client is a respected infrastructure consulting firm dedicated exclusively to rail, transit, transportation, and public infrastructure projects across North America. The organization partners with public agencies, transit authorities, and project owners to provide project management, construction management, engineering support, and program delivery services for some of the nation's most complex transportation initiatives.

Known for its collaborative culture and technical excellence, the firm offers employees the opportunity to contribute to meaningful infrastructure projects that improve mobility, strengthen communities, and create lasting public value.

Position Overview

The Project / Field Engineer will support owner-side construction management teams on active rail, transit, transportation, and heavy civil projects. This role serves as a key liaison between contractors, designers, agency representatives, utility partners, and project stakeholders to help ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and in accordance with contract requirements.

The ideal candidate has experience supporting field engineering, construction administration, inspection, or project engineering activities and is comfortable working in active construction environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform field inspections and monitor construction activities to ensure compliance with project requirements, plans, and specifications.
• Prepare daily inspection reports, progress documentation, and field observations.
• Support contractor coordination and construction oversight activities on active job sites.
• Review, log, and track RFIs, submittals, field clarifications, and design coordination items.
• Participate in project meetings and provide documentation of key decisions, action items, and project updates.
• Support quantity verification and contractor pay application review processes.
• Monitor project issues, risks, schedule impacts, and construction constraints.
• Coordinate with utility companies, public agencies, adjacent property owners, and third-party stakeholders.
• Assist in managing field changes, change orders, contract modifications, and construction documentation.
• Track project progress against established schedules and support recovery planning when necessary.
• Support testing, commissioning, system turnover, punch list development, and project closeout activities.
• Maintain accurate project records and ensure documentation compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Promote site safety and adherence to project quality standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• 3 to 8+ years of experience supporting transportation, rail, transit, public works, or heavy civil construction projects.
• Experience in a Field Engineer, Project Engineer, Construction Inspector, Construction Administrator, Owner's Representative, or similar role.
• Strong understanding of construction plans, specifications, contract documents, and construction administration processes.
• Experience managing RFIs, submittals, change management, field documentation, and project records.
• Knowledge of construction means and methods, project controls, and contract compliance requirements.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with contractors, consultants, public agencies, utility companies, and project stakeholders.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel between active project sites within the Los Angeles area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus.
• Experience supporting LA Metro, Metrolink, Caltrans, or other public agency capital projects.
• Prior experience serving as an owner representative or supporting construction management teams.
• Experience with Procore, Unifier, or other construction management software platforms.
• Background in rail corridor, transit, transportation, or large-scale infrastructure construction.
• Familiarity with testing, commissioning, turnover, and project closeout activities.

Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate is a proactive and detail-oriented construction professional who enjoys spending time in the field, solving problems, building relationships, and supporting the successful delivery of complex infrastructure projects. They possess strong organizational skills, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and thrive in fast-paced construction environments.

Why Join Us?

• Work on high-profile rail and transit infrastructure projects.
• Gain direct exposure to major public transportation capital programs.
• Collaborate with industry-leading construction and engineering professionals.
• Enjoy a dynamic mix of field and office responsibilities.
• Contribute to projects that improve mobility and transportation throughout Southern California.
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and professional growth opportunities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Orange, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $124000.00 - $156000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Compensation and Benefits: Base Salary - $60.00-$75.00/hour DOE. Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance - 100% employer-paid for employees; 50% for dependents. Retirement - 401K with employer match Paid Vacation Paid Holidays Paid Sick Time

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Orange, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 13, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Orange,CA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.