Project Scheduler

Vaco Recruiter Services; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco Recruiter Services seeks a Planner & Scheduler to integrate field planning and office scheduling for industrial capital projects. You will develop Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), validate contractor progress, and deliver actionable reporting to ensure predictable outcomes.

This role requires 5–10 years in planning for industrial projects, proficiency in Primavera P6, MS Project, Excel, and Power BI, and knowledge of EVMS, risk management, and governance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field.
• 5–10 years in planning/scheduling for industrial projects.
• Proficiency with Primavera P6, MS Project, Excel; Power BI for dashboards.
• Preferred PMI-SP, PMP, or AACE PSP.

Responsibilities

• Front-End Planning & Governance: develop WBS, preliminary schedules, logic networks, and milestones for FEL stages.
• Integrated Scheduling & Updates: build baselines in Primavera P6/MS Project; establish logic, calendars, resource loading, and publish variance analyses.
• Contractor Performance & Field Validation: verify progress, QC of reports, reconcile reported progress with physical completion.
• Execution Planning & Coordination: plan permits, outages, startup milestones; integrate with facility operations.
• Progress Measurement & Earned Value: implement EVMS-lite or full EVMS; track SPI/CPI and forecasts.
• Reporting & Communication: produce dashboards and communicate schedule status to stakeholders.

Skills

Field-Driven Planning

Integrated Scheduling

Earned Value Management

Reporting & Visualization

Safety & Compliance

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Schedule Risk Analysis

Contractor Progress Validation

Education

Bachelor’s in Construction Management or Engineering

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Position Summary:

This combined role integrates field-driven planning and office-based scheduling for industrial capital projects. The Planner & Scheduler ensures alignment of scope, schedule, cost, resources, and risk across all phases—from FEL through execution—while maintaining compliance with governance standards and safety protocols. Responsibilities include developing and maintaining Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), validating contractor progress, performing schedule risk analysis, and delivering actionable reporting for predictable project outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Front-End Planning & Governance: Develop WBS, preliminary schedules, logic networks, and key milestones for FEL stages. Align scope, cost, schedule, and risk for AFE readiness; ensure compliance with governance thresholds.
• Integrated Scheduling & Updates: Build and maintain baseline schedules in Primavera P6/MS Project at multiple levels (Master, discipline, look-ahead). Establish logic, calendars, resource loading, and maintain schedule basis documentation. Drive weekly updates and publish variance analysis.
• Contractor Performance & Field Validation: Verify progress, QC of reports, and quantity takeoff. Validate productivity rates and crew plans; reconcile reported progress with physical completion.
• Execution Planning & Coordination: Develop execution plans with method statements, work sequencing, permits, and pre-requisites. Integrate outages, shutdowns, and startup milestones with facility operations.
• Progress Measurement & Earned Value: Implement EVMS-lite or full EVMS; track SPI/CPI, variances, forecasts, and recovery actions.
• Reporting & Communication: Produce reports including S-curves, look-aheads, variance analyses, dashboards (Power BI), and stage-gate readiness. Communicate schedule status and critical path to stakeholders.

Safety Responsibilities

• Champion a Safety-First culture and exercise Stop Work Authority when conditions are unsafe.
• Ensure compliance with site safety programs, OSHA regulations, and industry standards.
• Integrate safety into plans: permits (hot work, confined space), LOTO/energy isolation, and access/egress.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Experience: 5–10 years in planning/scheduling for industrial projects (field and office).
• Tools: Primavera P6, MS Project, advanced Excel; Power BI for dashboards.
• Certifications: Preferred PMI-SP, PMP, or AACE PSP.
• Knowledge: FEL/AFE governance, EVMS, risk/change control, workface planning, and construction means/methods.

Core Competencies

• Field-Driven Planning: Converts real-world constraints into executable schedules.
• Analytical Thinking: Forecasts outcomes using qualitative and quantitative tools.
• Communication: Clear reporting for craft and management.
• Collaboration: Works effectively across disciplines and levels.
• Safety & Compliance: Integrates safety and quality into all planning decisions.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Schedule accuracy and milestone adherence.
• Timeliness and quality of updates.
• Progress integrity and productivity variance closure.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and governance compliance.