Freelance Epc Project Management Jobs (NOW HIRING)

ZAP Engineering and Construction Services, Inc.
EPC PROJECT MANAGER
Large Projects Oil & Gas Midstream Lakewood, CO
WHO WE ARE
ZAP Engineering and Construction Services, Inc. is a specialized engineering and construction firm delivering complex, large-scale industrial projects across the oil & gas, petrochemical, power generation, and heavy industrial sectors. Our projects span North America and range from $30M to $250M in total installed cost. We are technical, safety-focused, and we hold ourselves to a high standard.
We are looking for a senior project leader who has been here before - someone who has delivered a major EPC project, managed a real construction team, negotiated hard subcontracts, and carried the full commercial weight of a large project from start to finish. If that is your track record, we want to talk.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This is ZAP's most senior project delivery role. The EPC Project Manager owns the complete project: the client, the budget, the subcontracts, the procurement, the integrated engineering-to-construction schedule, and a team that includes both an Engineering Project Manager and a Construction Project Manager reporting in.
You will manage complex projects with multiple simultaneous stakeholders - client, ZAP engineering, ZAP construction, major equipment vendors, multiple construction subcontractors, and regulatory authorities. You are the point of accountability for all of them. This role requires executive presence, commercial toughness, and organizational mastery at scale.
Reports To:
EPC Project Director
Direct Reports:
Engineering Project Manager(s); Construction Project Manager(s)
Project Scale:
$30M-$250M TIC; 6-18 month duration
Location:
Lakewood, Colorado (office-based + regular field presence)
Travel:
Up to 25% depending on project phase
FLSA Status:
Exempt
Work Hours:
Company Hours
This position works 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Hours vary and are dependent on business needs.
40 Hour Work Week
Monday through Friday, Hours may vary with the workload.
Evenings/Weekends/OT
As needed to satisfy the requirements of the position.
Benefits:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Accrued PTO
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Basic Life / AD&D
• Voluntary Life / AD&D
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Aflac

WHAT YOU WILL OWN
Integrated EPC Execution

• Lead the full EPC team across engineering, procurement, and construction. Direct your Engineering PM and Construction PM; hold both accountable to integrated targets.
• Maintain the integrated master schedule. Drive weekly/monthly progress reviews. Ensure engineering-to-construction handoff is planned and executed without gaps.

Client & Commercial Management

• Own the client relationship at the senior level. Lead executive briefings, project reviews, and all major formal communications.
• Negotiate and administer contract modifications and change orders. Protect project margin. Manage claims and commercial disputes proactively.
• Oversee billing, collections, and financial close.

Procurement & Subcontracts

• Build and execute the procurement strategy: vendor qualification, long-lead equipment management, bulk materials planning.
• Lead subcontractor pre-qualification, competitive bid, negotiation, and contract award for all construction subcontracts.
• Administer subcontracts: manage performance, back-charges, schedule compliance, and commercial close.

Integrated Schedule & Cost Control

• Own the project cost and schedule baseline. Review and approve EVM reporting. Manage contingency.
• Identify cost and schedule risks early. Drive recovery plans. Forecast-to-complete with precision.
• Produce and present monthly EPC dashboards for ZAP leadership and client executives.

Risk Management & Multi-Stakeholder Coordination

• Maintain the project risk register. Lead monthly risk reviews. Escalate high-impact risks with recommended actions.
• Coordinate across all stakeholders (client, engineering, construction, vendors, subcontractors, regulators). Keep all parties aligned and accountable.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an accredited institution.
• 10+ years of project management experience in oil & gas or petrochemical sectors.
• 5+ years managing full EPC projects with total installed cost of $30M or greater.
• Demonstrated experience managing Engineering PMs and Construction PMs as direct reports.
• Deep experience in construction subcontract negotiation, administration, and performance management.
• Strong procurement background: vendor qualification, major equipment management, bulk materials.
• Proficiency in EVM reporting.
• Working knowledge of major EPC contract types (lump sum, reimbursable, hybrid) and commercial risk management.

Preferred

• PE license.
• PMP certification desired.
• Experience on projects with multi-discipline engineering scopes and self-perform construction.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS
These are the ten competencies that define an A-player EPC PM at ZAP. They are not aspirational - they are the bar.
01
Integrated EPC Execution Leadership
Commands the full project team across engineering, procurement, and construction simultaneously. Keeps all three phases aligned, sequenced, and accountable. No gaps at the handoff seams.
02
Commercial & Contract Management
Protects project margin with commercial precision. Negotiates change orders from a position of strength. Reads contract language fluently. Does not let scope creep go undocumented.
03
Procurement & Subcontract Mastery
Builds and executes procurement strategy. Negotiates hard on subcontracts. Manages vendors to delivery commitments. Runs back-charge processes without flinching.
04
Integrated Schedule & Cost Control
Owns the integrated cost and schedule baseline. Tracks EVM across engineering and construction. Identifies variance early. Drives recovery before it becomes a crisis.
05
Senior Client Relationship & Executive Presence
Manages relationships at the VP/Director level. Delivers bad news with credibility and a plan. Is the face of ZAP when it matters most. Clients trust this person with their project.
06
Multi-Stakeholder Coordination
Keeps engineering, construction, procurement, vendors, subcontractors, and the client moving in the same direction at the same time. No single point of confusion reports to this person.
07
Risk Management & Decision-Making
Maintains a living risk register. Quantifies risk, owns mitigation. Makes hard calls under uncertainty. Escalates with a recommendation, not just a problem.
08
Team Leadership (Managing Managers)
Develops Engineering PMs and Construction PMs. Sets expectations. Gives feedback. Builds a team culture of ownership and high performance.
09
Safety Culture Ownership
Safety starts at the top. This person owns it as a personal value - visible on-site, embedded in every plan, enforced without exception.
10
Organizational Mastery Under Scale
Manages multi-discipline, complex projects over the entire duration of the project without losing track of anything. Uses systems and follows ZAP project procedures. Delegates appropriately. Never lets critical details fall through on a large project.
WHY ZAP
Projects That Matter at Scale
$30M-$250M EPC projects in oil & gas and industrial. The complexity is real, the stakes are real, and so is the satisfaction of delivering them.
Full P&L Ownership
You own the project - the client relationship, the budget, the subcontracts, and the outcome. No committee decisions, no diffused accountability.
A Team of Professionals
You will lead Engineering PMs and Construction PMs who are technically strong. Your job is to align and develop them - not to carry them.
ZAP's Most Senior Delivery Role
This is the top of ZAP's project delivery track. If you have been waiting for the role that matches your capability, this is it.