Senior Project Controls Engineer

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Project Overview:

Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States and the next large-scale lithium mine.  The project has commenced construction.  Engineering and Procurement is well underway.  Construction concrete pours started in May 2025.

This project falls under the Lithium Americas umbrella of Lithium Nevada Corporation (LNC).  Project site is located ~3 hours northeast of Reno at the southern end of the McDermitt Caldera in Humboldt County, NV, and ~25 miles from the Nevada-Oregon border (or ~1 hour northwest of Winnemucca, NV). 

The Project will be developed as an open-pit mining operation using conventional, continuous mining equipment. Given the soft, clay nature of the deposit, minimal blasting and crushing is anticipated. The ore will then be processed in a leaching circuit using sulfuric acid to liberate the lithium from the claystone. Following the leaching process, the lithium bearing solution will be purified using crystallizers and reagents to produce battery-quality Li2CO3.

The Thacker Pass site has a flat and expansive terrain which allows for a very compact footprint and for future potential expansions.

Bechtel will have responsibility for the full EPC/EPCM scope.

Job Summary:

This role will perform cost estimating, support change management, perform analysis, and support cost control activities.  Duties may include but are not limited to:  understanding the project scope and objectives, maintaining budgets, tracking cost performance and changes (trends), assisting with staffing plans and weekly/bi-weekly labor reporting, supporting input of budgets, coordinating for cost and commitments upload into Ecosys and DSCS (Digital Supply Chain), performing cash flow assessments and data files each month, cost coding, and maintaining spreadsheets required to support overall cost requirements.  Our expectation is for this position to also help ensure staffing plans are routinely updated and that reporting is completed on time.  This person should also be prepared to support PowerBI (which is already set up) for the project’s use, including internal and external customers.  Additional duties may be required to perform other Project Controls/Estimating development, maintenance, and monitoring activities, as well as interface with our staff in the India office #LI-SM2 

"This position is designated as part-time telework per our global telework policy and may require at least three days of in-person attendance per week at the assigned office or project. Weekly in-person schedules will be determined by the individual and their supervisor, in consultation with functional or project leadership” 

Major Responsibilities:

Level 1

• Coordinates cost engineering/planning and scheduling needs to projects
• Coordinates with all departments to ensure understanding of total project schedule needs
• Identifies schedule considerations and problems resulting from inter-discipline or functional restraints and interfaces
• Monitors and reports critical path and schedule performance of the total project
• Conducts project schedule analysis and studies of problem areas to determine criticality of schedule activities. 
• Collects and analyzes alternatives for schedule improvement. 
• Coordinates cost recording, monitoring, & reporting practices for compliance with applicable standards
• Coordinates the development and accuracy of cost reports
• Prepares specific budgets in accordance with prescribed standards and procedures
• Oversees the maintenance and upkeep of detailed project risk register through ongoing reviews to ensure data quality, accuracy, and timeliness including facilitation support during the risk workshops, risk identification sessions and other risk related activities
• Delivers training sessions and facilitates workshops

Level 2

• Assists, when requested, in the development and review of schedule recovery plans, including evaluation of additional resources/costs required to affect such plans
• Leads risk workshops, interviews and information gathering as it relates to risk identification, review, and update
• Carries out risk quantification activities as required

Education and Experience Requirements:

Level 1

• Requires bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) and 5-8 years of relevant experience or 9-12 years of relevant work experience

Level 2

• Requires bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) and 8-10  years of relevant experience or 12-14 years of relevant work experience

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• B.S. degree required; preferred in Engineering or Construction Management (but not required). 
• EPC/EPCM experience in Project Controls in a home/project office.
• Skilled in oral and written communication, including direct interface with Bechtel project team members.
• Analytical approach to problem solving.
• Proficiency with MS Office applications (PowerBI is strongly desired but not required). 
• Demonstrates a strong level of understanding of Project Controls general technical skills.
• Demonstrates a strong level of knowledge of engineering, procurement, contracts, construction, and startup work processes, as performed by Bechtel.
• Ability to effectively interface with multiple personnel and produce deliverables on time and with high quality.
• Able to work independently to meet project deadlines.

Total Rewards/Benefits:

For decades, Bechtel has worked to inspire the next generation of employees and beyond! Because our teams face some of the world's toughest challenges, we offer robust benefits to ensure our people thrive.  Whether it is advancing careers, delivering programs to enhance our culture, or providing time to recharge, Bechtel has the benefits to build a legacy of sustainable growth. Learn more at Bechtel Total Rewards

Diverse teams build the extraordinary:

As a global company, Bechtel has long been home to a vibrant multitude of nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, and life experiences. This diversity has made us a more trusted partner, more effective problem solvers and innovators, and a more attractive destination for leading talent.

We are committed to being a company where every colleague feels that they belong-where colleagues feel part of "One Team," respected and rewarded for what they bring, supported in pursuing their goals, invested in our values and purpose, and treated equitably. Click here to learn more about the people who power our legacy.