Refinery Project Manager

RigUp; Sweeny (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

RigUp is seeking a Senior Project Manager to own end-to-end capital projects in refinery, petrochemical, oil and gas settings. You will lead the full lifecycle from FEL through commissioning and handover, working on-site with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Procurement, and leadership.

This role requires managing safety, budgets, and schedules, developing project execution plans, and coordinating multi-disciplinary teams and vendors to ensure on-time, within-budget delivery and rigorous

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution.
• 10+ years of project management experience in refining/petrochemical/oil & gas environments.
• 5+ years as a Project Manager with end-to-end accountability for delivery.
• Experience leading Front-End Loading (FEL) frameworks and execution plans.
• On-site refinery experience with regulatory knowledge and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Full lifecycle leadership: plan, design, execute, commission, startup and closeout with accountability for delivery.
• Lead FEL processes, stage-gate reviews, and approvals from executives.
• Develop contracting strategy, evaluate bids, award contracts, and manage changes.
• Drive cost estimation, baselines, budgets, and cash flow to meet targets.
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering for alignment.
• Direct multi-disciplinary teams and oversee vendors and contractors.
• Establish safety expectations and ensure QA/QC compliance and regulatory adherence.
• Formulate risk plans, KPIs, and present performance to leadership.

Skills

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk management

Regulatory compliance

Front-End Loading (FEL)

Budget & schedule control

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Job description

We are seeking an accomplished Senior Project Manager to assume end-to-end accountability for complex capital projects within refining, petrochemical, oil, and gas facilities. The successful candidate will drive the complete project lifecycle—from initial conceptual planning and Front-End Loading (FEL) through design, execution, commissioning, and operational handover. Working on-site within refinery environments, this leader will collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Procurement, and Executive Leadership to deliver high-value projects safely, on schedule, and within budget.

Core Responsibilities

• Full Lifecycle Leadership: Direct capital project planning, design, execution, commissioning, startup, and closeout, maintaining sole accountability for project performance and delivery.
• Front-End Loading & Execution Planning: Oversee the preparation and implementation of comprehensive Project Execution Plans, lead FEL processes, complete stage-gate reviews, and secure executive management approvals.
• Contracting Strategy & Management: Develop contracting strategies, direct contractor evaluations, lead bid reviews, execute contract awards, and manage ongoing contract administration, change management, and claims avoidance.
• Financial & Schedule Control: Drive cost estimation, baseline schedule development, budget management, monthly cash flow forecasting, and progress monitoring to ensure target performance metrics are met.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Engage refinery stakeholders across Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering to ensure strategic alignment during project planning, development, risk evaluation, and execution.
• Team & Vendor Oversight: Assemble and direct multi-disciplinary project teams; establish facilities at site and contractor offices; and manage vendors, fabricators, and specialty contractors.
• Safety & QA/QC Governance: Establish rigorous safety expectations to foster an incident-free work environment, ensuring strict compliance with QA/QC standards, industry best practices, and regulatory mandates.
• Risk & Metric Management: Formulate and execute risk management plans, establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), track performance metrics, and prepare formal analytical presentations for executive leadership and key stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution.
• Industry Experience: 10+ years of proven project management success within refining, petrochemical, oil, or gas environments.
• Accountability: 5+ years of direct experience serving as a Project Manager with sole, end-to-end accountability for project delivery.
• Technical Mastery: Demonstrated experience leading Front-End Loading (FEL) frameworks, stage-gate review processes, and formal Project Execution Plans.
• Operational Expertise: On-site refinery experience with a strong working knowledge of design methodologies, regulatory requirements (federal, state, and local), and industry-recommended practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Credentials: Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and/or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Advanced Leadership: 10+ years of experience acting as the primary Project Manager with sole accountability for high-capital refining and petrochemical initiatives.
• Refinery Operations: In-depth familiarity with refinery unit operations, turnaround integration, and complex brownfield execution strategies.