How to hire a project controls specialist

How to hire a project controls specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step project controls specialist 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 specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new project controls specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a project controls specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your project controls specialist 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 specialist 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a project controls specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a project controls specialist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of project controls specialists.

   Type of Project Controls Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Project Controls Specialist	Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.	$28-57
   Field Manager	A field manager is a professional who manages a staff of field representatives that travel to customers' sites to promote their products or services. Field managers must hire new employees and arrange in-house and vendor training programs to ensure they have a full understanding of their responsibilities... Show more	$20-52
   Site Manager	The tasks of a Site Manager may vary, but the responsibility will always revolve around supervising the construction project and its employees, making sure that the project is completed within the allotted time, budget, and quality. Site Managers are required to have great communication and leadership skills as they are often the ones to engage with the clients and coordinate with the employees... Show more	$15-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Controls
   • Project Management
   • Work Breakdown Structure
   • Primavera P6
   • Construction Management
   • Cost Control
   • Project Cost
   • Status Reports
   • WBS
   • Management System
   • Earned Value Management
   • Cost Management
   • Project Performance
   • PowerPoint

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the alliance partners, wearing the GE hat, in the development and integration of the EPC schedule.
   • Manage retrofit projects for progressive stamping equipment.
   • Review MRP report, verify the demand and place orders.
   • Certify FSO responsible for facility security and personnel DOD clearance and security maintenance through JPAS.
   • Generate forecast for first period option for project and assist in tracking accruals to produce monthly cost report.
   • Reconcile and analyze actual expenditures, perform budget transfers, monitor trend status and maintain continuity of WBS structure.

   More project controls specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the project controls specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A project controls specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a project controls specialist in Minnesota may be lower than in Idaho, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level project controls specialist. Additionally, a project controls specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average project controls specialist salary

   $85,159yearly

   $40.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level project controls specialist salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average project controls specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$110,509	$53
   2	Alaska	$93,097	$45
   3	Massachusetts	$88,775	$43
   4	Texas	$88,510	$43
   5	North Carolina	$88,139	$42
   6	New Jersey	$86,552	$42
   7	Virginia	$86,321	$42
   8	Nevada	$85,281	$41
   9	Washington	$82,245	$40
   10	Maryland	$81,267	$39
   11	New York	$81,056	$39
   12	South Carolina	$80,530	$39
   13	Pennsylvania	$79,652	$38
   14	Michigan	$79,544	$38
   15	Tennessee	$76,123	$37
   16	Illinois	$75,380	$36
   17	Georgia	$74,143	$36
   18	Alabama	$73,243	$35
   19	Colorado	$72,226	$35
   20	Missouri	$70,148	$34

   Average project controls specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$137,187	$65.96	4
   2	Marathon Petroleum	$110,064	$52.92	2
   3	Bayer	$106,401	$51.15	4
   4	Pacifi	$102,519	$49.29	2
   5	Tucson Electric Power	$99,388	$47.78
   6	Tesla	$95,904	$46.11	7
   7	Burns & McDonnell	$95,727	$46.02	39
   8	ICONMA	$94,429	$45.40
   9	ANSER	$93,636	$45.02
   10	By Light Professional IT Services	$92,705	$44.57
   11	Bowman Consulting Group	$92,344	$44.40	2
   12	Ambitech Engineering	$92,290	$44.37
   13	Port of Portland	$92,175	$44.31
   14	GAS Unlimited	$92,092	$44.27
   15	ESPO	$91,880	$44.17
   16	HDR	$91,803	$44.14	5
   17	McDermott International	$91,718	$44.10
   18	Hargrove Engineers + Constructors	$91,631	$44.05	8
   19	Babcock & Wilcox	$91,531	$44.01
   20	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$91,476	$43.98	9

4. Writing a project controls specialist job description

   A project controls specialist 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a project controls specialist job description:

   Project controls specialist job description example

   • 5+ years' experience in project management/program management, project controls, accounting, and budget preparation in the railroad / transit industry or equivalent area.
   • Proficient with the Microsoft Office suite, intermediate proficiency in MS Excel.
   • Ability to stay current with personal computer technology and software.
   • Working knowledge of accounting systems and procedures. Preferred experience with Generally
   • Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) rules.
   • Experience and knowledge with Primavera P6 and / or Microsoft Project, scheduling techniques, and
   • resource forecasting and reporting preferred.
   • Strong oral and written communication skills.
   • Ability to create and maintain effective working relationships.

   ADDITIONAL NOTES

   Generally, office work environment. Other duties may be assigned by management. Travel to work sites for an extended period of time may be required. Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods of time. Must be able to independently travel and be physically present in the office or at a client site.

   At Gannett Fleming, we believe in improving the lives of the people we serve. We believe in innovation and social responsibility. We believe in the diversity of our team and the creative solutions they provide. We believe in embracing change and emerging technologies while maintaining an unmatched standard of quality. We believe in creating an environment where employees can thrive at home and at work. We believe in engaging our employees, building lasting relationships with our clients, and, in turn, making a difference in the world.

   We offer a comprehensive benefits program, which includes medical, dental, vision and life insurance, our tax-deferred 401 (K) savings plan, and the opportunity to incentive compensation for eligible positions. We are committed to your personal growth and professional development, so we offer tuition reimbursement, access to internal and external training programs and support active participation in professional organizations.

   Gannett Fleming is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans' status or other characteristics protected by law.

   NO AGENCIES PLEASE : Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will not be accepted.

   Location: Fairfax ; Washington DC

   Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find project controls specialists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting project controls specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 specialist

   Once you've found the project controls specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 specialist?