Senior Project Manager-Hydroelectric

IDC Executive Search / Energy Only; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

IDC Executive Search / Energy Only is seeking a Centerline Project Manager to lead hydroelectric construction and capital improvement projects. The role blends project engineering and field execution, coordinating with contractors, vendors, and stakeholders to ensure safe, on-schedule, and within-budget delivery of complex infrastructure.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in multi-disciplinary project delivery, with hydroelectric experience preferred, and a strong focus on safety, quality, and

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience managing and executing construction, infrastructure, energy, industrial, or power generation projects.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary projects involving civil, mechanical, electrical, and controls systems.
• Hydroelectric or power generation experience strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in civil, mechanical, electrical, construction engineering, project management, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned hydroelectric construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and capital improvement projects from initiation through completion.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within scope, and within approved budget.
• Work with Technical Authority to make day-to-day technical and commercial decisions during project execution.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and construction challenges.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders, contractors, consultants, equipment suppliers, and vendors to ensure successful project delivery.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, WBS, resource plans, and execution strategies.
• Prepare project forecasts and update cost estimates throughout project execution.
• Monitor project performance and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Provide regular status updates and project reports to management and stakeholders.
• Support project commissioning, turnover, and final closeout activities.
• Verify work is installed per drawings, specifications, permits, and quality requirements.
• Conduct field inspections and review contractor performance.
• Evaluate field conditions and develop practical engineering solutions for unforeseen conditions.
• Review construction methods and sequencing for safety, efficiency, and constructibility.
• Support engineering change management and documentation of field modifications.
• Participate in contractor meetings and construction planning sessions.

Skills

Project leadership

Risk management

Technical problem solving

Stakeholder relationship management

Communication & presentation

Schedule & budget management

Adaptability

Documentation & organization

Initiative

Education

Bachelor’s degree in civil, mechanical, electrical, construction, or PM

Tools

Microsoft Project

Primavera P6

Project controls systems

Construction management platforms

Job description

The Centerline Project Manager is responsible for planning, coordination, technical execution, and successful delivery of hydroelectric construction, rehabilitation, and capital improvement projects. This role combines traditional project engineering and project management responsibilities with field engineering, construction layout, quality assurance, contractor, engineering consultant, and OEM management, and multidisciplinary project execution.

The Centerline Project Manager serves as the primary project management liaison between engineering (Technical Authority), operations, contractors, vendors, and project stakeholders to ensure projects are safely executed on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with design specifications, regulatory requirements, and company standards.

This position supports the full project lifecycle, from preconstruction (conceptual planning and estimating) through construction, commissioning, and project closeout, while providing technical oversight for critical hydroelectric infrastructure including powerhouses, turbine-generator installations, and balance-of-plant facilities.

Ideal Candidate Summary

The ideal candidate is a technically strong project engineer with experience delivering complex infrastructure or energy projects who can seamlessly move between project management, field engineering, construction oversight, contractor coordination, and technical problem-solving. They possess the leadership, communication, and execution skills necessary to successfully deliver hydroelectric construction projects while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Typical Projects

• The Centerline Engineer may support:
• New hydroelectric power plant construction
• Turbine installation and rehabilitation projects
• Generator installation and rehabilitation projects
• Governor and control systems
• Bearings and shaft assembly and alignment
• Powerhouse expansions
• Major maintenance and capital improvement projects

Main Responsibilities

Project Management & Execution

• Lead assigned hydroelectric construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and capital improvement projects from initiation through completion.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within scope, and within approved budget.
• Work with assigned Technical Authority to make day-to-day technical and commercial decisions during project execution.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and construction challenges.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders, contractors, consultants, equipment suppliers, and vendors to ensure successful project delivery.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, work breakdown structures (WBS), resource plans, and execution strategies.
• Prepare project forecasts and update cost estimates throughout project execution.
• Monitor project performance and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Provide regular status updates and project reports to management and stakeholders.
• Support project commissioning, turnover, and final closeout activities.
• Verify work is installed in accordance with approved drawings, specifications, permits, and quality requirements.
• Conduct field inspections and review contractor performance.
• Evaluate field conditions and aid with development of practical engineering solutions when unforeseen conditions arise.
• Review construction methods and sequencing for safety, efficiency, and constructibility.
• Support engineering change management and documentation of field modifications.
• Participate in contractor meetings and construction planning sessions.

Hydroelectric Infrastructure Support

• Verify installation and alignment of penstocks, embedded components, gates, valves, and hydraulic structures.
• Coordinate turbine-generator installation activities and associated civil, mechanical, and electrical interfaces.
• Support equipment foundation verification, anchor bolt placement, and dimensional control activities.
• Participate in rehabilitation and modernization projects

Quality Assurance & Documentation

• Support project quality control and quality assurance programs.
• Review inspection reports, test results, and contractor documentation.
• Maintain organized project records throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure engineering drawings, specifications, RFIs, submittals, change orders, and as-built documents are properly managed and stored.
• Participate in quality audits, inspections, and project reviews.
• Assist in development and completion of punch lists and project turnover packages.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Participate in interdisciplinary engineering, operations, maintenance, and construction meetings.
• Foster strong working relationships with project stakeholders and business partners.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to project team members when appropriate.
• Support development of project management standards, procedures, tools, templates, and training programs.
• Collaborate with operations personnel to minimize outage impacts and maintain facility reliability.

Safety & Environmental Stewardship

• Promote and maintain a culture of safety excellence.
• Ensure compliance with company safety procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Apply electrical safety principles, lockout/tagout procedures, and hydroelectric facility safety standards.
• Participate in job hazard analyses, risk assessments, and safety reviews.
• Ensure construction activities comply with environmental permits and regulatory commitments.
• Support safe work practices around energized equipment, confined spaces, water conveyance systems, and elevated work areas.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience Requirements

Required:

• Minimum 8 years of experience managing and executing construction, infrastructure, energy, industrial, or power generation projects.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully delivering complex capital projects.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary projects involving civil, mechanical, electrical, and controls systems.
• Experience supporting field construction activities and contractor coordination.
• Hydroelectric, or power generation experience strongly preferred.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, construction engineering, project management, or a related technical discipline.

Preferred Certifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) License
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction Safety Certification

Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience may be considered where appropriate.

• Project leadership and execution
• Risk management and decision-making
• Technical problem-solving
• Stakeholder relationship management
• Communication and presentation skills
• Schedule and budget management
• Adaptability in rapidly changing environments
• Strong organizational and documentation skills
• Self-motivation and initiative

Technical Knowledge

• Construction project management principles.
• Cost estimating and budget management.
• Project scheduling and resource planning.
• Engineering drawing and specification interpretation.
• Hydroelectric facility systems and infrastructure.
• Quality assurance and quality control processes.
• Change management and risk management.
• Electrical safety principles and industry best practices.

Software Skills

• Microsoft Project and/or Primavera P6.
• Project controls and document management systems.
• Construction management platforms.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to climb ladders and work at heights.
• Ability to work on or near water.
• Ability to navigate active construction sites and industrial facilities.
• Ability to manipulate equipment ranging from valves and mechanical components to computers and instrumentation.
• Ability to work in both office and field environments.
• Ability to respond effectively during complex and rapidly changing construction or operational situations.

Travel Requirements

This position requires approximately 50% travel to project sites and operating hydroelectric facilities. Travel is dictated by the project schedules/deadlines.

Work Schedule Requirements

The typical work schedule for this position is Monday–Friday and the hours are dictated by project schedules. When not working out of clients office location, this position may require:

• Occasional extended hours during outages, commissioning activities, or critical project milestones.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities