Commercial Construction Project Engineer

The Project Engineer is the execution engine behind every Phase 3 project at Citadel Development Services, LLC (CDS). This role owns the paper, the process, and the follow-up that allow Project Managers and Superintendents to build fast and build right. Submittals, subcontracts, purchase orders, permits, actuals, and closeout documentation move because the Project Engineer moves them — daily, with urgency, without being asked twice.

CDS builds ground-up QSR, retail, and multi-family projects across Texas on aggressive schedules. Every day a submittal sits unreviewed or a subcontract sits unsigned is a day of schedule and margin exposure. This position exists to eliminate those days. This is not a paper-pushing job. It is the training ground for a CDS Project Manager. The Project Engineer who owns their scope relentlessly will be running their own projects.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Submittal Process — Owner

● Own the full submittal workflow in Procore from log creation through approved-for-construction distribution.

● Build and maintain the submittal log for each assigned project at buyout, tied to the project schedule and long-lead procurement dates.

● Review incoming subcontractor and vendor submittals for completeness and conformance to the construction documents and specifications before routing. Reject incomplete packages — do not pass problems upstream.

● Route to the design team and client, track review durations, and drive resolution on anything sitting past its due date.

● Escalate deficiencies, substitutions, and conflicts to the PM immediately. Bad news first, no surprises.

● Distribute approved submittals to Superintendents and affected trades and confirm the field is building off the current, approved information.

2. Subcontracts & Purchase Orders — Expeditious Execution

● Drive all major-trade subcontracts and POs to full execution prior to mobilization. This is a non-negotiable CDS standard.

● Assemble subcontract and PO packages from the awarded scope, buyout documents, and CDS contract templates for PM review.

● Own the follow-up. Track every unexecuted agreement and pursue it daily by email, call, and text until it is signed and returned. We do not expect, we inspect.

● Maintain a live subcontract status log — issued, out for signature, executed, fully compliant — visible to the PM and Sr. PM at all times.

● Collect and verify all onboarding compliance before mobilization: signed agreement, certificates of insurance meeting CDS requirements, W-9, safety documentation, and required endorsements.

● Manage lien waiver collection and conditional/unconditional waiver tracking in coordination with Finance.

3. Vendor & Subcontractor Sourcing

● Identify, prequalify, and onboard new subcontractors and vendors in new and existing Texas markets as directed by the PM, Sr. PM, or Estimating.

● Cold-call and qualify trade coverage in markets where CDS lacks depth. Confirm licensing, bonding capacity, insurance limits, references, and relevant project history.

● Keep the CDS subcontractor database current and clean. Add every new qualified contact with market, trade, and contact detail.

● Support Estimating with bid coverage on major trades when local relationships are thin.

4. Schedule & Budget Support

● At the direction of the Project Manager, update project schedules in Smartsheet with actual start and completion dates, progress, and revised durations.

● Post actual costs, committed costs, and invoices against the project budget on a weekly minimum cadence so project financials are accurate at all times.

● Flag variances, budget overruns, and schedule slippage to the PM the day they are identified — with the supporting numbers.

● Assist in preparing change order documentation, backup pricing, and cost tracking for PM review and client submission. No late or surprise change orders.

● Maintain two-week look-ahead and long-lead material tracking logs in support of the Superintendent and PM.

5. Permitting & Agency Follow-Up

● Track permit status across all assigned projects — building, MEP, health, fire, site, and utility — and report status weekly.

● Follow up directly with municipalities, plan reviewers, and third-party consultants to advance reviews, resolve comments, and secure issuance.

● Coordinate with the PH1/PH2 Due Diligence and Permitting team on handoff, open items, and outstanding conditions of approval.

● Schedule and confirm inspections; log results and coordinate corrections with the Superintendent.

● Track utility applications, service releases, meter sets, and franchise utility milestones — these are recurring schedule killers and require relentless follow-up.

6. Field Support — Superintendents & Sr. Superintendent

● Serve as the office-side resource for Superintendents and the Sr. Superintendent on whatever the job requires: material orders, equipment rentals, vendor coordination, document requests, and problem resolution.

● Expedite material and equipment procurement and delivery to keep crews working.

● Get on the ground as needed. Walk the job, understand what is actually being built, and bring solutions rather than questions.

● Support daily reporting, photo documentation, and safety documentation compliance.

7. General Project Administration

● Manage the RFI process in Procore — draft, log, route, track, and close out; distribute responses to the field and affected trades.

● Maintain project document control: current drawings, revisions, ASIs, bulletins, and specifications, with the field always working from the current set.

● Run meeting minutes for OAC and internal project meetings; publish action items with owners and dates within 24 hours.

● Drive project closeout: punch list tracking, O&M manuals, as-builts, warranties, attic stock, final lien waivers, and client turnover packages. CDS standard is all punch items complete within 7 days of CO.

● Support subcontractor pay application review and progress billing backup in coordination with Finance.

● Maintain accurate time and effort tracking in Harvest.

● Assist the PM in onboarding new projects handed off from Estimating and Preconstruction.