Rotational Project Engineer Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Job Description: POSITION SUMMARY This is a Chicago-based opening. The Project Engineer is a developmental role designed to build the next generation of ONeill Project Managers. The Project Engineer supports the Project Manager in the day-to-day administration of federal construction projects and supports the Estimating team in the preparation of competitive proposals—gaining direct, hands-on exposure to the complete project lifecycle from pursuit through closeout. The role is intentionally structured around a two-phase rotation. In the Estimating and Preconstruction phase, the Project Engineer learns how ONeill pursues, prices, and wins work. In the Operations phase, the Project Engineer supports a Project Manager in delivering awarded projects in the field. This deliberate progression ensures that by the time a Project Engineer is ready to manage projects independently, they understand both how a project is won and how it is built—and how decisions made in one phase shape outcomes in the other. The Project Engineer is not the point of accountability for project outcomes; that responsibility rests with the Project Manager and the Preconstruction leadership the Project Engineer supports. Instead, the Project Engineer is measured by the quality, accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of the support they provide, and by their steady growth toward the competencies required of a Project Manager. The mission of this role is twofold: to relieve the Project Manager and the Estimating team of administrative burden so they can focus on leadership and decision-making, and to develop the Project Engineer into a capable, confident Project Manager who carries forward ONeill's 'BUILT TO SERVE' commitment on every project. THE TWO-PHASE DEVELOPMENT MODEL ONeill develops Project Engineers through a purposeful, two-phase rotation across the Estimating and Operations departments. The intent is to produce Project Managers who understand the entire project lifecycle. Phase One — Estimating & Preconstruction The Project Engineer works within the Estimating/Preconstruction department, learning how opportunities are pursued, scoped, and priced. Here the Project Engineer builds the estimating discipline, subcontractor relationships, and cost fluency that make a strong Project Manager—and comes to understand exactly what a project team inherits at award. Phase Two — Operations & Project Delivery The Project Engineer transitions to Operations to support a Project Manager in executing awarded work. Here the Project Engineer takes ownership of many of the recurring administrative and documentation functions that keep a federal project compliant, organized, and on schedule, learning project delivery from the inside. The TRANSFER Bridge Because the Project Engineer experiences both the Preconstruction side that hands a project off at TRANSFER and the Operations side that receives it, the role builds a rare, end-to-end perspective: how bid assumptions become field realities, and how field lessons should sharpen future bids. This connective understanding is the core value of the two-phase model. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Phase One — Estimating & Preconstruction Support During the Preconstruction phase, the Project Engineer supports the Estimating team in pursuing and pricing federal construction opportunities, learning how ONeill converts solicitations into winning, well-priced proposals. • Quantity Takeoffs & Surveys. Perform material and quantity takeoffs from drawings and specifications using ONeill's estimating and takeoff platforms, developing the ability to translate design documents into measurable scopes of work. • Bid Package Assembly. Assist in assembling Invitation-to-Bid (ITB) packages, scopes of work, and bid documents for distribution to subcontractors and suppliers. • Subcontractor & Supplier Solicitation. Solicit, log, and track subcontractor and supplier quotes; follow up to ensure adequate coverage on every bid item; and maintain an organized record of pricing received. • Estimate Assembly. Support the Estimator in building detailed estimates—labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, and indirect cost components—and in performing bid-day scope leveling and quote comparison. • Historical Cost Data. Help build and maintain ONeill's historical cost and production-rate database so future estimates grow more accurate and competitive over time. • Proposal Coordination. Coordinate with capture, marketing, and preconstruction staff on the assembly and quality review of technical and price proposals, ensuring solicitation requirements are met before submission. • TRANSFER Preparation. Support the Preconstruction team in preparing the bid assumptions, scope, and documentation handed off to Operations at TRANSFER, gaining firsthand understanding of what a project team inherits at award. Phase Two — Operations & Project Delivery Support During the Operations phase, the Project Engineer supports the Project Manager in administering awarded projects, taking ownership of many of the recurring administrative and documentation functions the Project Manager is ultimately responsible for. • Submittals. Maintain the project submittal register; log, review for completeness, route, and track submittals, shop drawings, and product data against the baseline schedule, escalating delays to the Project Manager. • Requests for Information. Draft, log, and track RFIs; coordinate timely responses among the design team, government representatives, subcontractors, and suppliers; and keep the RFI log current for every project meeting. • Project Documentation & Controls. Maintain complete, organized project records—drawings, specifications, contract modifications, correspondence, and daily reports—per ONeill's document control conventions, and audit daily Contractor Quality Control and production reports for completeness. • Schedule Support. Assist the Project Manager in developing and updating the CPM schedule and the three-week look-ahead, gathering progress data from the field and flagging variances from baseline. • Cost & Financial Support. Support the Project Manager with cost tracking, quantity verification, change-order pricing backup, subcontractor invoice review, and preparation of monthly pay applications and supporting documentation. • Change Order Support. Help identify and document changed and differing site conditions, assemble pricing backup, and maintain the change order log under the Project Manager's direction. • Subcontractor Coordination. Support subcontractor and supplier coordination, including tracking insurance, bonds, certified payrolls, lien waivers, and required submittals, and assisting with subcontractor closeout. • Quality & Safety Support. Support implementation of the Quality Control Plan and the USACE/NAVFAC Three Phases of Control, and support the Accident Prevention Plan and Activity Hazard Analyses in coordination with the Superintendent, Quality Control Manager, and Site Safety & Health Officer. • Meetings & Minutes. Prepare agendas, capture and issue meeting minutes within one business day, and track action items to closure for project coordination and progress meetings. • Government Systems & Compliance. Support submissions through federal systems (WAWF/PIEE, SAM.gov) and help maintain records required for FAR/DFARS, Davis-Bacon certified payroll, Buy American, and small business subcontracting compliance. • Closeout Support. Assist in assembling closeout deliverables—as-built drawings, O&M manuals, warranties, and final documentation—and help drive punch list items to completion. Professional Development & Progression The defining purpose of the Project Engineer role is disciplined growth toward the Project Manager position. • Center for Professional Excellence. Complete the assigned learning tracks in the ONeill Center for Professional Excellence, progressing through the competencies required for advancement. • Certification Pathway. Obtain foundational certifications early and work steadily toward the full certification profile required of a Project Manager. • Mentorship. Work under the direct mentorship of an assigned Project Manager and Estimator—seeking feedback, observing decision-making, and progressively taking on greater responsibility. • Lifecycle Fluency. Use the two-phase rotation to build genuine fluency across pursuit, pricing, execution, and closeout, and contribute field-to-preconstruction feedback that improves future bids. AUTHORITY & ACCOUNTABILITY The Project Engineer operates in a support and development capacity and does not hold independent contract, financial, or client-facing authority. The Project Engineer prepares, drafts, tracks, and recommends; the Project Manager and Preconstruction leadership review, approve, and decide. • Delegated Support. Maintain logs, registers, and documentation; draft correspondence, RFIs, submittals, and pricing backup for review; and perform takeoffs and administrative tasks assigned by the Project Manager or Estimator. • Requires Approval. All external communication with the government client, subcontractors, and suppliers; submittal and RFI dispositions; pricing submissions; pay application submissions; and any commitment of ONeill resources must be reviewed and approved by the Project Manager or Preconstruction leadership. • Escalation. Promptly surface schedule slips, cost variances, compliance concerns, and quality or safety issues to the Project Manager or Estimator, with the relevant facts and, where possible, a recommended course of action. RELATIONSHIP TO THE PROJECT MANAGER The Project Engineer works in direct support of the Project Manager and, during the Preconstruction phase, in support of the Estimating team. The Project Manager owns the project and its outcomes; the Project Engineer strengthens the team by owning the administrative and documentation systems that keep the project compliant, organized, and on schedule. Project Manager (Owns / Decides) Project Engineer (Supports / Executes) Single point of accountability for project delivery Supports delivery through administration and documentation Owns budget, schedule, and financial performance Tracks costs, updates schedules, and prepares reports for review Manages change orders and contract modifications Assembles pricing backup and maintains the change order log Communicates with the Contracting Officer and COR Prepares correspondence and logs for the PM's review and issuance Owns submittals, RFIs, and design coordination Maintains submittal and RFI logs and routes items for response Manages subcontractor contracts, buyouts, and billing Tracks subcontractor compliance documents and invoices Owns the Quality Control Plan Supports Three Phases of Control documentation Owns the Accident Prevention Plan Supports AHA and safety documentation Leads project closeout Assembles closeout deliverables and tracks the punch list Reports to the Director of Operations Reports to the PM (Operations) and Preconstruction Manager (Estimating) The Project Engineer reports to the Project Manager during the Operations phase and to the Preconstruction Manager during the Estimating phase, with overall career development guided by the Director of Operations. The role carries no independent authority over project commitments; its value lies in reliable execution, disciplined documentation, and steady growth toward the Project Manager role. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE • Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related field—or an equivalent combination of education and construction experience. • Zero to three (0–3) years of construction experience; internship or co-op experience in construction or estimating is a plus. • Exposure to federal construction (USACE, NAVFAC, GSA, VA, USCG, or DHS) is strongly preferred. • Strong organization, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities under deadline; clear written and verbal communication; and a collaborative, accountable, service-minded approach consistent with the ONeill Way. • Must be a U.S. person able to pass a federal background investigation and obtain base/facility access as required by project assignments. • Valid driver's license and ability to travel to and work at project sites, including exposure to active construction site conditions and use of required personal protective equipment (PPE). MINIMUM CERTIFICATIONS & TRAINING REQUIREMENTS The Project Engineer is expected to obtain foundational certifications upon hire and to progress steadily toward the full certification profile required of a Project Manager: • OSHA 30-Hour Construction Safety Certification (required or obtainable upon hire) • EM 385-1-1 Safety Training for federal construction projects • USACE/NAVFAC Construction Quality Management for Contractors (CQM-C) Certification, to be obtained within the first year of employment • Current First Aid, CPR, and AED Certification • Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project scheduling training or demonstrated proficiency (developing) • Progression toward the full Project Manager certification profile—including Project Management Professional (PMP)—encouraged and supported through the ONeill Center for Professional Excellence TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY The Project Engineer develops proficiency in the same tools used across ONeill's preconstruction and project delivery functions: • Microsoft Office Suite for documentation, reporting, and communication • Estimating and takeoff platforms for quantity surveys and bid assembly • Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project for CPM scheduling • Construction management platforms (Procore, Blue Beam, or similar) for submittals, RFIs, daily reports, and drawings • Smartsheet for project tracking, dashboards, and operational coordination • Government submission systems, including WAWF/iRAPT, SAM.gov, PIEE, and the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) • Cost and financial reporting tools sufficient to support cost tracking and change order pricing As the Project Engineer advances toward the Project Manager role, proficiency is expected to deepen across all of these platforms. Company Description: ONeill Contractors is a Construction Manager and Design-Build GC focused exclusively on providing construction services to the U.S. Federal Government. We work for the DOD and all branches of the United States Military, the Dept. of Homeland Security, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NAVFAC, the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the General Services Administration, as well as the FBI, ICE, and the FAA. We have successfully completed projects from coast to coast at sites ranging from U.S. District Federal Courthouses, FBI Training Facilities, Military Bases, Hospitals, and National Historic Buildings. Our work has occurred at research facilities, secure munitions storage, within active air traffic control towers, atop the building that houses