Senior Cost Engineer: On-Site Cost Control & Reporting

Decima International; Sweetwater (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life and health insurance

Job summary

Decima International is seeking a Senior Cost Engineer for on-site cost control and reporting at Corsicana or Sweetwater, Texas. You will manage detailed cost data, forecast costs, and communicate risk to project teams.

The role requires hands-on cost control, strong analytical skills, and experience with EPC or large capital projects. On-site work in Texas with opportunities to mentor junior staff.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in cost engineering, cost control, project controls, construction cost management, or related roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Engineering Management, or a related technical field.
• Hands-on cost engineering execution experience, not only high-level management oversight.
• Practical construction or EPC cost management experience on large, complex programs.
• Strong knowledge of cost management principles including budgeting, forecasting, EAC, variance analysis, change management, contingency, cash flow, accruals, and controls.
• Strong experience reviewing pay applications, invoices, Schedule of Values, contractor cost submissions, change orders, and cost backup documentation.
• Commercial judgment to challenge data, identify front-loading, forecast exposure, and communicate cost risk clearly.

Responsibilities

• Review contractors' pay applications, invoices, cost submissions, and supporting documentation for accuracy and compliance.
• Review Schedule of Values submissions and identify front-loading or risk exposure.
• Evaluate change orders and contractor cost proposals for entitlement, pricing reasonableness, and schedule impact.
• Maintain cost reports, change logs, trend logs, contingency logs, exposure registers, and forecast models.
• Build and validate Estimate at Completion forecasts with assumptions and risk allowances.
• Prepare cash flow forecasts and reconcile against actual costs and progress.
• Track budget movements, commitments, expenditures, accruals, changes, and allowances.
• Identify variances and risks; communicate implications to teams and leadership.
• Support monthly reporting with cost narratives, risk summaries, and variance analysis.
• Coordinate with PMs, construction managers, contractors, finance, schedulers, and client stakeholders to validate cost data.
• Support closeout activities including final pay apps, retention, and unresolved changes.
• Maintain auditable cost records and backups aligned with client standards.
• Improve cost control templates, dashboards, and reporting processes.
• Mentor junior cost controls personnel when required.

Skills

Cost engineering

Cost control

Project controls

Construction cost mgmt

Data center experience

Education

Bachelors in Construction Management / Civil Engineering

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Power BI

Primavera P6

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Decima International is seeking a Senior Cost Engineer for on-site cost control and reporting at Corsicana or Sweetwater, Texas. You will manage detailed cost data, forecast costs, and communicate risk to project teams.

The role requires hands-on cost control, strong analytical skills, and experience with EPC or large capital projects. On-site work in Texas with opportunities to mentor junior staff.