Project Controls Engineer

Project Controls Engineer
Location: Chorley, Lancashire
Sector: Nuclear
Employment Type: Permanent or Contract
Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, compressed into four days, Monday to Thursday (no Friday working)

Role Purpose
Seeking a Project Controls Engineer to support the delivery of projects for a nuclear client based in Chorley.

The successful candidate will provide integrated project controls support across planning, scheduling, cost control, risk, change management and performance reporting. Working closely with project managers, planners, cost engineers and wider delivery teams, the role will help maintain accurate project baselines, monitor performance against agreed targets, identify emerging issues and provide reliable management information to support effective project delivery.

Operating within a high-integrity nuclear environment, the Project Controls Engineer will ensure project controls activities are carried out in accordance with client procedures, governance requirements and quality standards, maintaining a strong focus on data integrity, traceability and compliance.

Key Responsibilities
Planning and Scheduling
Support the development, maintenance and monitoring of integrated project schedules.
Assist with the preparation and updating of project plans, milestones, dependencies and critical path analysis.
Monitor progress against baseline schedules and identify slippage, emerging delays and potential impacts.
Work with project delivery teams to validate progress, challenge assumptions and support recovery planning.
Ensure schedule information is accurate, consistent and aligned with project reporting requirements.
Cost Control and Forecasting
Support project budget management, cost tracking and expenditure reporting.
Monitor actual costs, commitments, forecast expenditure and estimates at completion.
Assist with variance analysis and identify potential cost pressures or emerging trends.
Contribute to periodic forecasting and performance reviews.
Work collaboratively with finance and commercial teams to reconcile project cost information.
Risk and Change Management
Support the maintenance of project risk and opportunity registers.
Monitor risk mitigation actions and help assess potential impacts on project cost, schedule and delivery.
Assist with the administration and assessment of project changes.
Ensure approved changes are reflected in relevant project controls documentation and baselines.
Maintain appropriate records and audit trails in accordance with client procedures.
Performance Reporting and Governance
Prepare regular project controls reports, dashboards and key performance indicators.
Consolidate project data to provide clear visibility of progress, cost performance, forecast outcomes and delivery risks.
Support project reviews, governance meetings, assurance activities and audit requirements.
Investigate data discrepancies and ensure reporting is accurate, timely and consistent.
Escalate material variances and emerging issues to the relevant project controls lead or project manager.
Nuclear Quality and Compliance
Work in accordance with applicable nuclear site requirements, client procedures and project governance arrangements.
Maintain accurate records, document control and traceability of project information.
Support compliance with relevant quality assurance and assurance processes.
Demonstrate a disciplined approach to change control, data management and procedural compliance.
Contribute to a strong nuclear safety and quality culture.
Collaboration and Continuous Improvement
Work closely with project managers, planners, cost engineers, risk specialists and wider engineering teams.
Support the consistent application of project controls standards and processes.
Identify opportunities to improve reporting, data quality and working practices.
Share lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement across the project controls function.
Essential Experience and Skills
Experience in a project controls, project planning, cost control or project performance role.
Understanding of project schedules, budgets, forecasting and performance reporting.
Experience analysing project data, identifying variances and supporting corrective actions.
Strong Excel and data analysis skills.
Good organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities.
Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
Understanding of formal change control, document management and project governance processes.
A proactive and analytical approach to problem-solving.
Desirable Experience
Experience working within nuclear, defence, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure or another highly regulated engineering environment.
Familiarity with Primavera P6, Microsoft Project or other planning and scheduling tools.
Exposure to earned value management, cost forecasting and integrated project controls reporting.
Knowledge of project risk management and change control processes.
Relevant qualification in engineering, project management, project controls or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
Experience supporting projects subject to formal quality assurance and audit requirements.
Working Arrangements
The role is based in Chorley, supporting a nuclear client, with a 37-hour working week compressed into four days, Monday to Thursday, with no scheduled Friday working.

The opportunity is available on either a permanent or contract basis, subject to the agreed employment or engagement terms.

Key Success Measures
Accurate and timely project controls reporting.
Reliable schedule, cost and progress data.
Early identification and escalation of variances and delivery risks.
Effective maintenance of project controls records and baselines.
Compliance with client procedures, governance and quality requirements.
Positive collaboration with project delivery teams and the wider project controls function.