What are the responsibilities and job description for the Project Engineer position at United Controls International?
Job purpose
The Project Engineer is responsible for planning and coordinating technical engineering initiatives to make sure that the project can be completed within the allocated budget, according to schedule, and meeting customer, industry standards, regulatory, and quality requirements. The Project Engineer is also responsible for preparing accurate and competitive cost estimates for manufactured parts, engineered components, refurbishment services, and field services supporting nuclear power facilities.
Duties and responsibilities
Project Management
- Review customer contracts and go through order acceptance, document approvals, project date changes, order completion, shipment notification, communication plan (for large projects)
- Create a detailed work plan which identifies and sequences the activities needed to successfully complete the project
- Determine the resources (time, money, equipment, etc.) required to complete the project
- Develop a schedule for project completion that effectively allocates the resources to the activities
- Review the project schedule with management and customers (as required)
- Monitor progress of the project against project milestones and notify management if there is a deviance from the plan
- Ensure that the project deliverables are on time, within budget and at the required level of quality
- Prepare paperwork for completion/invoicing
- Provide client updates as requested; host monthly client project reviews
Cost Estimating & Proposal Development
- Prepare detailed cost estimates for:
- Mechanical parts, assemblies, and fabricated components
- Electrical components, control systems, and associated wiring or instrumentation
- New development, Refurbishment, retrofitting, and field service projects
- Review RFQs, technical drawings, electrical schematics, and specifications.
- Calculate labor, material, subcontractor costs, and overheads.
- Assess make-vs-buy decisions for both mechanical and electrical items.
- Prepare pricing summaries and input for formal proposals.
Technical Review
- Interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and specifications.
- Evaluate complexity, inspection, testing, and documentation requirements.
- Identify risks, technical challenges, and compliance requirements early in the bid process.
- Collaborate with engineering to clarify assumptions and scope.
Regulatory & Quality Compliance
- Ensure estimates reflect compliance with:
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rules and guidance
- ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (Section III, as applicable)
- Nuclear quality standards (e.g., NQA-1)
- Electrical codes and standards applicable to nuclear facilities (NEC, IEEE)
- Include costs for documentation, traceability, inspection, testing, and QA oversight.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Work with:
- Manufacturing and Operations to validate mechanical and electrical production cycles
- Supply Chain for vendor quotes and lead times for electrical and mechanical parts
- Quality Assurance for inspection scope and certification requirements
- Sales for pricing strategy and bid review
- Participate in technical and commercial bid reviews.
- Perform engineering functions related to the projects such as creating and reviewing design drawings/documents, creating test plans, reviewing test reports, dispositioning nonconformances, reviewing customer technical specifications and translating them to UCI documents, etc.
Risk & Commercial Analysis
- Identify technical and commercial risks for mechanical and electrical work.
- Develop contingency plans and pricing assumptions.
- Support contract negotiation as required.
Continuous Improvement
- Maintain and refine estimating databases and cost models for both mechanical and electrical components.
- Analyze historical performance versus estimates.
- Implement lessons learned to improve accuracy, competitiveness, and efficiency.
Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (required).
Qualifications include:
- Minimum 5 years of experience in project management, design, manufacturing, and estimating large projects
- Ability to interpret detailed engineering drawings and specifications.
- Knowledge of machining, fabrication, welding, NDE, heat treatment, and material traceability.
- Understanding of nuclear quality requirements (e.g., NQA-1).
- Proficiency in ERP systems and estimating software.
- Strong Excel skills.
- Experience in nuclear, power generation, or other highly regulated industries preferred.
- Exposure to both electrical and mechanical components in industrial or nuclear applications is highly desirable.
- Analytical and detail oriented.
- Effective written and verbal communication.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
- PMP certification is preferred
Work Environment
· Headquarters: Peachtree Corners, Georgia
· Onsite Requirement: Must be based at headquarters; not a remote role
· Travel: Conference season and customer/vendor site visits; typically 10–20% annually