Project Engineer

Location: Chicago, IL
Travel: Periodic travel to project sites required

About Novak Construction
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Chicago, Novak Construction is a premier national general contractor and construction management firm. We specialize in delivering complex, high-profile projects across retail, healthcare, industrial, and cold storage sectors. Our focus on technical expertise, innovative management tools, and client satisfaction has made us a trusted partner in the construction industry.

Summary
As a Project Engineer at Novak Construction, you will play a key role in delivering complex, fast-paced commercial construction projects nationwide. You will serve as a central hub for project communication, coordinating between field operations, project management teams, subcontractors, and owners to keep work moving efficiently and accurately. Successful Project Engineers at Novak thrive in collaborative environments, take ownership of details, and contribute directly to high-quality, on-time project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a thorough understanding of contract documents, plans, specifications, and applicable codes.
• Ensure strict adherence to safety, ethics, and compliance requirements.
• Maintain clear communication among all project team members, design professionals, consultants, owners, and subcontractors.
• Support Preconstruction, Estimating, and Purchasing teams on budgets and Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) development.
• Conduct document reviews for constructability and QA/QC concerns, raising issues to design professionals as needed.
• Prepare materials, methods studies, cost estimates, and trade scope-of-work documents.
• Develop procurement schedules for subcontractors, materials, and equipment.
• Monitor financial status of the project, including accurate project reporting.
• Schedule, conduct, and document job meetings, owner-architect meetings, and coordination meetings.
• Manage subcontract change orders, including review, negotiation, and approvals.
• Oversee project close-out, including warranties, guarantees, final payments, and records retention.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2 years’ related experience in project engineering or construction management.
• Experience preparing and managing RFIs, submittals, and maintaining drawing logs and document control systems.
• Strong understanding of construction processes, accounting principles, cost control, scheduling, and purchasing.
• Ability to read, interpret, and coordinate drawings, specifications, contracts, materials, means, and methods.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and construction/project management software.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; serves as primary point of contact coordinating communication between owners, engineers, subcontractors, and internal project teams.
• Ability to build positive working relationships, navigate different perspectives, and communicate clearly and professionally in both written and verbal formats.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Comprehensive benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401(k) with company match, paid holidays, vacation, and sick time.
• Weekly allowances for auto, fuel, and mobile phone.
• Per diem when traveling, if applicable.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Novak Construction provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or genetic information.