Materials Science Engineer Jobs in Puerto Rico (NOW HIRING)

Project Engineer

Location: Puerto Rico (various job sites, with potential local and national travel)
Reports to: Project Manager
Compensation Range: $75,000 – $95,000 annually (depending on location, experience, skills, and qualifications)
About Ceres Caribe

Ceres Caribe was founded in Puerto Rico in 1998 after Hurricane Georges. It has since grown to be one of the largest employers by providing careers on the island. Ceres Caribe is recognized for its rapid disaster recovery including debris removal, demolition, and blue roofs. We perform resiliency services, including vegetation management and utility line clearing for the Puerto Rican power grid. Ceres Caribe is also nationally recognized for creating natural parks and an aviary center on the island. The company is expanding its efforts to assist in securing the power grid for the Island.

Driven by Purpose, Powered by People

At Ceres Caribe, we believe you're more than just an employee; you're part of a team with a purpose and a meaningful mission. Whether in management, field operations, or behind the scenes, every team member plays a vital role in restoring hope, helping communities recover and rebuild.

We value initiative, respect diversity, and give our people the freedom to lead. We offer competitive pay, travel opportunities, and a culture built on resilience and teamwork. If you show up with compassion, share the commitment, react with urgency, and deliver solutions, you'll fit right in. We don't just respond to challenges; we rise to them.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking a highly skilled Project Engineer with a proven background in civil construction and project management to oversee day-to-day activities on one or more construction sites. This role ensures projects progress on schedule while adhering to contract specifications, contributing directly to the reliability and sustainability of Puerto Rico’s power generation and resiliency infrastructure.

The Project Engineer fits within the operations team, reporting to the Project Manager, and may provide work direction to junior engineering staff or contractors as needed, though it does not involve full people management.

Success in the first 12 months looks like effectively managing site activities to meet budgets and timelines, building strong partnerships with clients and teams, resolving on-site issues proactively, and delivering high-quality results on at least one major project phase, while demonstrating compliance with safety and quality standards.

What You Will Do

• Monitor a variety of construction project activities, including concrete pouring for channels, culverts, and storm drainage structures; CMP/RCP installation; levees, embankments, dikes, and weirs construction; excavation, placement, and hauling of materials; removal and disposal of CMP/RCP pipes, sheet piles, waterlines, asphalt, concrete rubble, and other materials; and construction and maintenance of haul/concrete roads.
• Develop and maintain strong business partnerships with external clients, project teams, and workforce.
• Analyze daily project progress and activities, comparing against established budgets and objectives.
• Conduct daily inspections of job sites to ensure adequate workforce resources (employees and contractors) and perform SWPPP inspections and reports.
• Prepare and report Pay Application estimates according to the progress of activities.
• Update As-Built blueprints.
• Conduct feasibility studies, economic analyses, environmental impact studies, or other investigations.
• Establish and maintain proper construction work schedules and reporting.
• Identify and resolve problems in a timely manner, developing alternative solutions as appropriate.
• Install and implement needed technologies, interpreting requirements to meet project needs.
• Perform other tasks as required by the Project Manager to support project execution and organizational goals.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, specifically civil or architectural engineering, from an accredited university.
• Minimum of five (3) years of experience as a project engineer in heavy civil construction projects.
• Experience with heavy construction management software such as HeavyJob-HCSS.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Project).
• Knowledge of project budgeting, scheduling, planning, and execution.
• Ability to read, understand, and review construction plans/drawings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in estimating and management software (HeavyBid-HCSS, Primavera P6).
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively with a variety of audiences.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret scientific/technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability, statistical inference, plane/solid geometry, and trigonometry.

What to Expect

As a Project Engineer at Ceres Caribe, expect a dynamic, hands-on role where you’ll oversee daily operations on civil construction sites focused on power generation and resiliency infrastructure across Puerto Rico. You’ll start your day with site inspections, coordinating with teams and contractors to ensure smooth progress on tasks like concrete pouring, pipe installations, and earthworks. Mornings may involve analyzing progress against budgets using tools like HeavyJob-HCSS and MS Project, followed by updating blueprints and preparing pay estimates.

Afternoons often shift to problem-solving—resolving resource shortages, conducting feasibility studies, or implementing technology solutions—while maintaining safety protocols and quality controls, such as density tests and SWPPP reports.

The work environment is primarily outdoors on job sites, exposed to weather, dust, noise, and mechanical parts, requiring long hours (including weekends) and occasional overnight travel locally or nationally. Schedules are project-driven, often 10–12 hour days to meet deadlines, with a focus on urgency and teamwork. You’ll collaborate closely with clients, junior staff (whom you may train), and external partners, building relationships that drive project success.

Challenges include adapting to variable site conditions and tight timelines, but success means delivering on-time, on-budget projects that enhance Puerto Rico’s energy resilience and community recovery.

Physical Requirements and Environment

Ceres Caribe provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and to applicants with sincerely held religious beliefs, as required by law. The physical requirements listed below reflect the essential functions of this role.

• Ability to lift and move up to 25 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Specific vision abilities including close, distance, color, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Willingness to wear PPE (hard hat, protective eyewear, steel-toed boots, etc.) in jobs that require PPE.
• Ability to work in adverse weather/field conditions, elevated spaces, confined spaces, extreme temperatures, exposure to mechanical parts, wet/humid conditions, high precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, risk of electrical shock and vibration, and loud noise levels.
• Commitment to following safety standards and protocols.

Why Join Ceres Caribe?

At Ceres Caribe, you won’t just have a job—you’ll have a mission. Your work will directly impact the speed and strength of community recovery and the resilience of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure.

We offer:

• A collaborative, mission-driven culture.
• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
• The chance to make a lasting difference for communities.

Ceres Caribe is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

E-Verify: We comply with Federal law by verifying employment eligibility.