How to hire a project controls engineer

How to hire a project controls engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step project controls engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a project controls engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new project controls engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a project controls engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your project controls engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a project controls engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A project controls engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, project controls engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents project controls engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Project Controls Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Project Controls Engineer	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$30-57
   Engineering Trainee	An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research... Show more	$20-39
   Customer Engineer	A customer engineer provides technical support to organizations having issues with their products or services. Duties and responsibilities may vary depending on the sector, but generally include diagnosing and troubleshooting technical problems with products, performing tests, upgrades and diagnostics to prevent delay or downtime caused by-product issues, and keeping updated reports outlining the problems and measures taken to resolve them... Show more	$37-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Controls
   • Project Management
   • Construction Management
   • Primavera P6
   • Control Systems
   • Project Cost
   • Cost Control
   • Construction Projects
   • Management System
   • PLC
   • Project Scope
   • Corrective Action
   • Work Breakdown Structure
   • Cpm

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accruals, cash flows, and invoices for $25MM total install cost EPC project.
   • Manage multiple projects involving both internal and vendor resources affecting national production infrastructure.
   • Create and maintain CPM schedules for engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning phases on various projects.
   • Develop and improve PMO process methodologies.
   • Optimize plant maintenance and manpower scheduling using spreadsheet forecasting models.
   • Prepare summary level CPM schedules and present progress to owner company executive management on a monthly basis.

   More project controls engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your project controls engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A project controls engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a project controls engineer in West Virginia may be lower than in California, and an entry-level project controls engineer usually earns less than a senior-level project controls engineer. Additionally, a project controls engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average project controls engineer salary

   $86,685yearly

   $41.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level project controls engineer salary

   $63,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average project controls engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$115,434	$56
   2	Washington	$105,946	$51
   3	District of Columbia	$97,424	$47
   4	Arizona	$93,270	$45
   5	Florida	$93,005	$45
   6	Texas	$92,593	$45
   7	Missouri	$91,740	$44
   8	New Jersey	$89,730	$43
   9	Michigan	$88,785	$43
   10	Colorado	$88,686	$43
   11	Maryland	$88,496	$43
   12	Massachusetts	$86,696	$42
   13	North Carolina	$81,985	$39
   14	Georgia	$79,657	$38
   15	Utah	$77,345	$37
   16	New York	$75,649	$36
   17	Illinois	$74,701	$36
   18	Ohio	$72,462	$35

   Average project controls engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BP America Inc	$135,734	$65.26	1
   2	Marathon Petroleum	$114,225	$54.92	11
   3	Sandia National Labs	$110,193	$52.98
   4	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$103,461	$49.74	11
   5	General Motors	$102,484	$49.27	35
   6	Texas Instruments	$102,193	$49.13	9
   7	Populus Group	$100,819	$48.47
   8	CertainTeed	$99,262	$47.72
   9	Technip USA Corporation	$98,003	$47.12
   10	Vanderlande	$95,379	$45.86	4
   11	Exxon Mobil	$94,952	$45.65
   12	Praxair	$94,739	$45.55
   13	Amazon	$94,721	$45.54	50
   14	Woods Services	$94,249	$45.31
   15	Parsons	$94,014	$45.20	44
   16	Ch2M Hill	$93,534	$44.97	2
   17	Baxter International	$93,347	$44.88	1
   18	Pro2Serve	$93,213	$44.81
   19	Corning Incorporated	$92,451	$44.45	15
   20	Kiewit	$92,438	$44.44	132

4. Writing a project controls engineer job description

   A project controls engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a project controls engineer job description:

   Project controls engineer job description example

   At Jacobs, our PM/CM team works seamlessly with clients by delivering projects and programs to achieve our clients' goals. Whether it's managing construction or designing buildings, solutions are continuously being implemented. What we do is more than construction; we play a part in moving a vision from concept to reality. If you're interested in a rewarding career working on ENR's #1 Construction Management-for-Fee firm, then Jacobs is where you belong.
   We are looking for an experienced Project Engineer/Document Controls professional in Manhattan, NY , to support our Program Management Team.As a key member of our collaborative team, you'll have an opportunity to work on active projects coordinating the progression of trades and design-field staff. You will participate in Owner/Architect/Contractor meetings follow projects from commencing of construction to occupancy by end users. You'll use your knowledge of defined document controls procedures to provide support and oversight in the definition and implementation of Document Management and quality/compliance of Program document management plans and process, as well as alignment with Program and Corporate requirements.
   
   Based at a client site, you will provide support to the Project Manager by developing and maintaining project cost/change controls, project budget, and change order estimates/negotiations, document control, scheduling, and RFI's. You'll be tasked with ensuring the project moves ahead to completion according to client standards.
   
   You'll be a part of a diverse team allowing you to both share what you know and learn so you can evolve, grow, and succeed. Your role keeps our company connected and we'll support you with what you need to be successful.
   
   Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, Construction, or Engineering 2+ years of experience with project/program document and records management solutions 2+ years of experience working on large building construction or civil projects Knowledge of pre-design and pre-construction, delivery systems, and components Working experience with Microsoft Office Suite Experience with Project Document filing, Document Management solutions using Prolog, Aconex, SharePoint and ProjectWise or similar systems
   Ideally, You'll Also Have:
   Working experience with Adobe Acrobat or Bluebeam Revu Experience in developing, implementing and managing Document Management solutions using Procore, Aconex, SharePoint and ProjectWise or similar systems
   At Jacobs, we're partnering across the globe to create the best project outcomes by maximizing the design, digital technology, and support capabilities of our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teammates. By joining Jacobs, you'll commit to supporting and engaging with these teams, as we work to build a company like no other.
   
   #BIA#NorthPMCM

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right project controls engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with project controls engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit project controls engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your project controls engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit project controls engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with project controls engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new project controls engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the project controls engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new project controls engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a project controls engineer?