| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Engineering |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Project Manager |
| Direct reports | Site Supervisor, Junior Engineer |
| Experience | 3 to 6 years in project or site execution |
Project Engineer job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Project Engineer
Department: Engineering
Reports to: Project Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Project Engineer runs the execution of a project on the ground. They plan work, coordinate contractors and vendors, track progress against schedule and cost, and solve site problems so the job gets built to drawing and spec. The role reports to the project manager. A good Project Engineer keeps the site moving, catches quality and safety issues early, and closes each milestone with the paperwork and measurements in order.
Key responsibilities
- Plan daily and weekly site work and issue clear instructions to contractors.
- Read drawings and set out work correctly to line, level and spec.
- Track progress against the schedule and flag slippage early.
- Check quality of work and raise and close non conformances.
- Manage material requirement, delivery, storage and reconciliation at the site.
- Coordinate contractors, vendors and other agencies working on the site.
- Enforce site safety rules and stop any unsafe work immediately.
- Measure completed work and support billing and progress claims.
- Maintain site records, daily reports and as built information for handover.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or diploma in civil or mechanical engineering
- Site execution experience
- Knowledge of quality and safety practice
- 3 to 6 years in project or site execution
KRAs and KPIs for a Project Engineer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Assigned activities completed on the weekly plan 90 percent of the time |
| Quality | Non conformances closed within the agreed time, no repeat defects |
| Material control | Material wastage held within the allowed limit |
| Safety | Zero reportable incidents on the assigned work front |
| Billing support | Progress measurements submitted accurately every cycle |
| Records | Daily progress and as built records kept up to date |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: MS Project or Primavera, AutoCAD, Total station or level, MS Excel, Site measurement tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Project Engineer, Project Manager, Construction Manager
Interview questions for a Project Engineer
- How do you plan and control work on a busy site?
- A contractor is behind schedule. How do you recover?
- How do you handle a quality non conformance at site?
- How do you reconcile material issued against work done?
- How do you enforce safety when contractors resist?
- How do you set out work from drawings on the ground?
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What does a Project Engineer do?
A Project Engineer runs project execution on the ground. They plan site work, coordinate contractors and vendors, set out work from drawings, track progress and cost, control material, enforce safety and quality, and support billing. Their job is to get the job built to drawing and spec, on schedule and safely.
What is the difference between a Project Engineer and a Site Engineer?
The titles overlap. A Site Engineer usually focuses on a specific work front: setting out, supervising and checking quality. A Project Engineer often carries wider responsibility across the project: planning, material, coordination and billing. In many companies the roles are used interchangeably depending on team size.
What qualifications does a Project Engineer need?
A degree or diploma in civil or mechanical engineering plus site execution experience. Employers value drawing reading, planning, quality and safety knowledge, and the ability to coordinate contractors. A record of completing work fronts on schedule and to spec matters most.