Project Controls Specialist

Project Controls Specialist 
Atlanta, GA; Chantily, VA; or Chicago, IL 
 
Exp Federal is an established, collaborative, and growing full-service architectural, engineering and construction firm that provides a full range of design solutions and construction to the federal government. Our team of professionals operates in some of the most challenging environments to provide services to a variety of governmental agencies globally.

The Challenge

We are seeking a mid-level Project Controls Specialist to join our Construction & Mission Support Group. The ideal candidate is analytical, detail-oriented, and self-motivated, with the ability to independently manage project cost information while collaborating closely with project managers, accounting, and operational teams. This individual communicates proactively, takes ownership of their work, and thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment with a flexible, non-corporate structure.

Principal Areas of Responsibility

• Develop, maintain, and update project budgets, cost plans, forecasts, and financial tracking tools in coordination with project managers.
• Monitor project commitments, actual costs, labor charges, expenses, and remaining budgets to maintain accurate and timely project cost information.
• Prepare recurring cost reports, budget summaries, forecasts, and variance analyses for project and operational leadership.
• Analyze budget variances, cost trends, and potential overruns; communicate findings and recommend corrective actions in coordination with project teams.
• Develop and maintain Estimate-to-Complete (ETC) and Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) forecasts by collecting, validating, and reconciling project cost data.
• Review project financial information for accuracy, identify discrepancies, and coordinate with accounting and project teams to resolve issues.
• Support invoice review, billing, purchase order and subcontract tracking, and documentation of project commitments.
• Maintain cost-control records, logs, supporting documentation, and audit-ready project files in Kahua and other business systems.
• Manage project setup and cost coding structures and support budget revisions, change tracking, and financial closeout activities.
• Prepare the financial and cost-control portions of project progress reports and provide accurate cost information for internal and client-facing deliverables.
• Collaborate with project managers to improve cost visibility, forecasting accuracy, and overall project financial performance.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business, construction management, project management, or related field. Equivalent relevant experience without a bachelor’s degree may be considered.
• 3–5 years of relevant experience in project controls, project accounting, cost management, construction management, or related discipline.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft 365 applications used for financial analysis, reporting, and project coordination.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with project management, construction management, or project controls software, such as Kahua.
• Experience supporting federal government contracts, construction management programs, or architecture and engineering projects.
• Working knowledge of project cost structures, labor and expense tracking, commitments, change management, billing, forecasting, and project closeout.
• Experience supporting multiple projects or programs simultaneously.
• Familiarity with project lifecycle financial management, including project setup, budgeting, forecasting, change management, and closeout.

Salary Base:

This full-time position as a Project Controls Specialist has an annual range of $76,000-$116,000. The actual range is based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor. 

More About Us:

Exp Federal brings together Architecture & Engineering (A&E) and mission-support professionals to deliver solutions for federal government clients. Our teams collaborate across disciplines to tackle complex projects and create meaningful results.

We believe in recognizing individual strengths and providing opportunities to grow. Whether your expertise is in design, engineering, construction, project delivery, or technical support, you’ll have the opportunity to make an impact while building your career.

Our Values:

Respect: We respect people, honor diversity, and treat each other fairly. These are the cornerstones of our culture and the key to our culture and the key to our ability to work successfully as a global team.