Senior Cost Engineer/Cost Controls Lead (On-site) - Corsicana, Texas

Decima International•Corsicana, TX

34d•Onsite

About The Position

Decima International is seeking a highly experienced, hands-on Senior Cost Engineer / Cost Controls Lead to support practical construction cost management across large-scale data center and mission-critical projects, with transferable experience from infrastructure, EPC, industrial, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor, or other large capital project environments. This role is intentionally positioned between a narrow reporting-focused cost engineer and a high-level cost manager: the successful candidate must be able to do the detailed cost work, test assumptions, challenge contractor submissions, validate forecasts, and communicate cost exposure clearly to project teams, clients, and leadership. The Senior Cost Engineer / Cost Controls Lead will be responsible for reviewing contractor pay applications, invoices, Schedule of Values, change orders, PCOs, cost forecasts, contingency, commitments, actuals, accruals, and project cost logs. This role requires strong cost controls, discipline, commercial awareness, construction cost judgment, and the ability to translate cost data into clear risk insights and recommendations.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in cost engineering , cost controls , project controls , construction cost management , or related roles.
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Engineering Management, or a related technical field.
Hands-on cost engineering execution experience, not only high-level management oversight.
Practical construction or EPC cost management experience, preferably on large, complex, fast-paced programs.
Strong knowledge of cost management principles, including budgeting, forecasting, EAC development, variance analysis, change management, contingency management, cash flow, accruals, and financial controls.
Strong hands-on experience reviewing pay applications, invoices, Schedule of Values, contractor cost submissions, change orders, and cost backup documentation.
Commercial judgment and ability to challenge cost data, test assumptions, identify front-loading, weak backup, unsupported costs, commercial risk, forecast exposure, and cost exposure.
Clear ability to communicate cost risk, contingency position, pending change exposure, EAC movement, variances, and recommendations to project managers, contractors, clients, finance teams, and leadership.
Strong analytical discipline with practical construction cost awareness.
Experience maintaining cost reports, change logs, trend logs, contingency logs, exposure registers, commitment logs, and forecast models.
Collaborative interface with project management, construction management, contractors, clients, finance, and leadership.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office Suite, with the ability to build, validate, and maintain cost models and reporting workbooks.
Experience working with cost management, ERP, or project controls systems such as SAP, Oracle, Power BI, Primavera P6, or similar tools.
Strong attention to detail, organization, ownership, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven project environment.
Current US work permit required.
This position does not offer sponsorship for employment, including H-1B visa sponsorship or transfer.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting data centers, mission-critical, infrastructure, EPC, industrial, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor, or other large capital projects.
Experience with hyperscale data center construction or MEP-heavy construction programs.
Experience with Earned Value Management, integrated cost-schedule-risk analysis, cash flow forecasting, and risk-adjusted forecasting.
Professional certification such as Certified Cost Professional, Certified Cost Technician, PMP, PMI-SP, RICS, AACE, or equivalent.
Advanced experience with SAP, Power BI, Primavera P6, Oracle, or other project controls, ERP, dashboarding, or reporting platforms.
Experience supporting claims analysis, closeout, retention release, allowance reconciliation, and unresolved change resolution.

Responsibilities

Review contractors' pay applications, invoices, cost submissions, and support documentation for accuracy, completeness, contract compliance, and cost reasonableness.
Review Schedule of Values submissions and identify front-loading, misalignment with scope, incomplete cost breakdowns, or payment risk exposure.
Evaluate potential change orders, change orders, and contractor cost proposals for entitlement, pricing reasonableness, schedule impact, contract alignment, and supporting backup.
Maintain accurate cost reports, change logs, trend logs, contingency logs, exposure registers, commitments, actuals, accruals, pending changes, and approved changes.
Build, review, and validate Estimate at Completion forecasts, including forecast assumptions, remaining cost exposure, risk allowances, and contingency drawdown.
Prepare and update cash flow forecasts and reconcile forecasted spending against actual costs, commitments, and project progress.
Track budget movement, transfers, commitments, expenditures, accruals, approved changes, pending changes, allowances, contingency, and unresolved claims.
Identify cost variances, forecast risks, commercial issues, change trends, and potential overrun exposure, then communicate the implications clearly to project teams and client stakeholders.
Support monthly and periodic reporting by preparing clear cost narratives, risk summaries, forecast bridges, variance analysis, and executive-level cost updates.
Coordinate with project managers, construction managers, contractors, commercial teams, finance teams, schedulers, and client stakeholders to validate cost data and resolve discrepancies.
Support closeout activities, including final pay applications, retention release, allowance reconciliation, open change resolution, claims tracking, and final cost reporting.
Maintain complete, auditable cost records, backup documentation, logs, and reporting files in alignment with client standards, contract requirements, and project controls procedures.
Support continuous improvement of cost control templates, dashboards, reporting routines, and cost management processes.
Mentor junior cost controls or project controls personnel when required while remaining actively involved in the detailed cost work.