Project Engineer - VDC

About the role

With offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, Pepper Construction is a national general contracting and construction management firm that primarily serves the private sector. Pepper Construction provides clients the experience and resources of a national company, combined with the hands‑on approach of a local company. The Virtual Construction department at Pepper Construction is on the leading edge of technology adoption and modeling capabilities, including coordination, detailing, visualization, data capture, and model‑based project planning. Our goal is to assist clients, design teams, and project teams in communicating expectations and addressing complex conditions. As a Project Engineer for Virtual Construction, you will support modeling and detailing tasks with a primary focus on structural modeling and rebar detailing using Tekla Structures, along with general VDC services across structural, architectural, and enclosure systems. This role is ideal for individuals early in their career who are eager to grow their technical skills, learn advanced modeling workflows, and contribute to project coordination efforts.

Responsibilities

• Develop accurate rebar models and shop‑level detailing using Tekla Structures.
• Support model creation for structural and enclosure systems, including geometry, embeds, connections, and general coordination elements.
• Assist in producing model‑based deliverables such as drawings, reports, and quantities.
• Maintain model organization, accuracy, and compliance with Pepper standards.
• Collaborate with project teams, field supervision, and design partners to identify and resolve missing or incomplete information and constructability concerns.
• Learn and apply Pepper’s VDC standards, workflows, and best practices.
• Support continuous improvement by providing feedback on modeling processes and tools.
• Stay aware of emerging technologies and participate in industry events and networking.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of assigned modeling tasks.
• Follow established protocols for file management, documentation, and model updates.
• Maintain high‑quality deliverables for internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Drafting, Detailing, or BIM.
• 1‑4 years of experience in structural modeling, rebar detailing, or general VDC workflows.
• Experience using Tekla Structures required; familiarity modeling concrete and rebar preferred.
• Exposure to Tekla Custom Components, Reports, & Templates beneficial.
• Familiarity with other modeling or coordination tools (Revit, Navisworks, etc.) is a plus.
• Experience with Microsoft tools; Power BI familiarity beneficial but not required.
• Strong communication skills—both written and verbal.
• Ability to learn quickly, follow technical workflows, and adapt to new tools.
• Work from Chicagoland offices; preferably Des Plaines.

Benefits

Pepper Construction is dedicated to offering our employees a comprehensive and best‑in‑class benefits package that prioritizes their physical, financial, and emotional well‑being. We offer medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance plans, a generous 401k match, and a student loan repayment benefit. In addition to paid time off for company holidays, vacation, and personal days, Pepper offers fully paid medical and parental leave, mental health services, and more.

Pay

The salary midpoint for this role is $94,000. We consider many factors when determining the actual hiring salary. These factors may include location, transferable skills, work experience, licensure and certification, business needs, internal equity, and market demands.