Senior Associate

Exponent • Oakland, CA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Exponent is seeking a Senior Associate specializing in Project Controls for its Construction Consulting Practice in Oakland, California. The role supports utility construction projects through cost and schedule control, project performance monitoring, data analysis, and risk management. The Senior Associate prepares and manages project forecasts, variance analyses, and reports, providing project status and strategic insights to project teams, stakeholders, and leadership.

The position leads advanced project controls across utility construction projects and programs, including scope, cost, schedule, contracts, and risk management. It collaborates with project managers and multidisciplinary teams to monitor and control project performance; develops and maintains schedules, forecasts, and reports; analyzes trends and variances; tracks project status, KPIs, risks, and issues; and recommends corrective or preventive actions. The role also manages project documentation and data, participates in meetings and site visits, and helps foster effective communication, accountability, and sound schedule-management practices.

Exponent describes its office environment as supportive, collaborative, dynamic, and multidisciplinary. Consultants generally work in person in the office unless traveling for client work or other business activities. The firm offers flexible, agile working hours, with consultants able to balance work and personal schedules while meeting client and business needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Structural Engineering, or a related discipline.
• At least 5 years of experience in the construction industry, project management, or construction consulting, including at least 2 years focused on scheduling, cost control, forecasting, and project performance analysis.
• Demonstrated knowledge and implementation of project controls best practices.
• Demonstrated expertise in baseline management, budget and cost management and control, progress tracking and reporting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Strong technical skills in schedule development, maintenance, management, analysis, and quality assurance.
• Excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills, with commitment to data integrity, quality assurance, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and team leadership abilities, including experience collaborating across cross-functional teams and stakeholder groups.
• Self-motivated, highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced work environment.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree, professional registration, or certifications.
• Experience with scheduling software such as Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project and supporting tools such as Power BI.
• Project controls experience on utility projects; transferable skills may also qualify.

Responsibilities

• Lead and perform advanced project controls for utility construction projects and programs, including management of scope, cost, schedule, contracts, and risk.
• Collaborate with project managers and multidisciplinary teams to plan, manage, monitor, and control project cost and schedule performance using Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Power BI, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Develop, maintain, and assure the quality of project schedules, schedule and cost forecasts, and schedule and cost reports.
• Perform variance and trend analyses to assess alignment with baseline plans, schedule and budget compliance, and project objectives.
• Monitor and report project progress; manage and track KPIs; identify risks and issues early; and recommend corrective or preventive actions.
• Prepare, maintain, and distribute project documentation, including schedule baselines, progress metrics, change logs, RFIs, progress reports, risk registers, action trackers, issue logs, RACI charts, communication plans, and meeting minutes.
• Conduct data management and analytics to support decision-making, risk analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Participate in project meetings, work with project team members and stakeholders, and conduct project site visits to gain direct knowledge of projects.
• Promote effective communication, accountability, and schedule-management best practices within a proactive, collaborative project team.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits and compensation and recognition programs.
• Base salary, bi-weekly bonuses for high-intensity efforts, annual bonus, and a 401(k) employer contribution of 7% of base salary.
• Programs and resources to support health and well-being.
• Flexible, agile working hours.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior