Cost Engineer

You’re purpose driven. Growth minded. Ready to stretch your potential. That’s the spirit of the community you’ll find at Orbia: where the purpose to advance life around the world drives our global team of over 23,000 every single day. 

From creating solutions to deliver clean water, secure food supplies and reliable information to steering material advances that power the future of green and smart cities, transportation, and healthcare, we never settle for “good enough” when there’s an opportunity to make life better. Where purpose comes to life, it changes lives. This is what we live for.

Orbia is seeking an experienced Cost Engineer to join our Project Controls team supporting large-scale capital projects, including programs executed under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) guidelines. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise in cost control, forecasting, and project execution within highly regulated environments. This role requires a deep understanding of DOE project controls frameworks, capital project delivery processes, and comprehensive reporting requirements.

This is a hybrid role in the St. Gabriel, LA location.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Cost Management & Forecasting

• Develop, maintain, and validate project cost baselines in alignment with Capex requirements.
• Manage commitments, expenditures, accruals, and cash flow for multi-year capital projects.
• Prepare monthly cost performance reports, variance analysis, and earned value metrics.
• Track and analyze trends, potential changes, and early warning indicators impacting project budget.
• Collaborate with engineering, procurement, and construction teams to update quantities, labor rates, productivity, escalation, and contingency.

2. Change Control & Risk Management

• Administer the change management process: PCRs, Change Orders, and DOE critical guidelines.
• Evaluate cost impacts for design changes, procurement adjustments, and schedule shifts.
• Support risk analysis, quantification, and contingency drawdown pathways.

3. Project Reporting & Governance

• Develop monthly dashboards, executive summaries, and project cost presentations.
• Prepare cost summaries and briefing materials for DOE reviews, including:
  Independent Project Reviews and Audits
• Ensure all reporting aligns with DOE requirements, internal governance, and project control procedures.

4. Systems & Tools

• Utilize industry-standard cost systems such as SAP, Oracle, Autodesk or Ecosys.
• Integrate cost data with scheduling tools (Primavera P6).
• Maintain data accuracy and auditable traceability across all systems.

Skills and/or Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of cost engineering experience on Major Capital projects ($200M+).
• DOE project or federal project experience (EVMS & Audit reviews) is required.
• Strong understanding of AACE cost practices.
• Proficiency in Excel, cost management software, and analytic tools.

Preferred:

• Experience with EPC/EPCM execution environments.
• AACE certifications (CEP, CCP, EVP).

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities
• Detail-oriented, organized, and able to manage competing priorities
• Collaborative mindset across engineering, procurement, construction and project management teams

What do we offer?

• We offer 401k with a 6% company match (the company will automatically contribute an extra 3% of your plan-eligible pay to your 401k)
• Multi-tier benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision) that you can tailor for yourself and your dependents, which include Employer-paid Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, & Life Insurance
• Wellness Employee Assistance Program (EAP), paid parental leave, Fitness & Weight-loss Reimbursement
• Inclusion in our annual Short-Term Incentive plan 
• Additional benefits include tuition reimbursement, 11 paid company holidays, vacation and sick time, career development opportunities, and many other benefits in a collaborative culture that focuses on work life balance, innovation, and teamwork. Benefits start on day one!

 “The compensation for this position will typically range from $120,000 -$140,000/yr.  The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity.

 The compensation package may also include short and long-term incentive compensation. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes healthcare coverage, a 401(k)-retirement savings plan, paid company holidays, paid vacation time, paid sick time, parental leave, short- and long-term disability leave, and an employee assistance program. At Orbia, we are committed to taking care of our employees and believe in providing comprehensive support so you can thrive at work and home.”

We welcome purpose-driven dreamers, doers, and builders, recognizing that it takes difference to make a difference. If you’re ready to bring your skills, talents, and perspective to moving your career, the company, people, and the planet forward, we’d like to hear from you.

We believe that every voice matters; every community deserves respect; and every challenge is an opportunity and united by empathy, we are stronger for our different perspectives. We are dedicated to building a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace that supports the needs of all our employees regardless of their role, location, identity, and background.

Orbia is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age (40 and over), national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed service member status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

Dura-Line and Koura have developed and maintain a written Affirmative Action Program (AAP).  Orbia's Chief Executive Officer supports the AAP and urges each employee to commit to carrying out the intent of this policy.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.  We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please reach out to our People Team at Careers.KouraUS@orbia.com to receive the application form in a more accessible format, or to arrange an accommodation / adjustment to support your participation throughout the recruitment process.

Applicants and employees of this company are protected under Federal law from discrimination on protected grounds. Follow the link(s) above to find out more:

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