Project Manager - Design

About the role

Smart Tech Contracting delivers turnkey BAS & EPMS solutions for mission-critical colocation and hyperscale data centers operating at national program scale. As a Master Systems Integrator (MSI), we unify controls construction (DDC, PLC, SCADA) with software engineering, optimized graphics / UI standards, and program-level governance. Complex integrations are delivered cleanly, consistently, and fast. Our teams thrive in high-stakes environments where quality control and uptime matters, schedules are compressed, and coordination is everything.

Position Location

Remote – work virtually from anywhere in the United States (Periodic travel for client meetings, design workshops, and project coordination required)

Primary Responsibilities

• Design Project Execution & Delivery (45%)
  • Own planning, execution, and delivery of assigned BAS and EPMS design projects from kickoff through construction administration
  • Lead project initiation activities including scope review, contract requirements, project setup, deliverable schedules, staffing needs, and execution planning
  • Manage design milestones across applicable phases including concept design, SD, DD, IFP/IFC, bid support, and construction administration
  • Coordinate Smart Tech engineers and MEP consultant partners to ensure timely completion of deliverables
  • Track and coordinate design documentation including basis of design, sequences of operation, points and alarm lists, system architecture / riser diagrams, specifications, schedules, and integration requirements
  • Coordinate design reviews, page turns, interdisciplinary reviews, and QA/QC activities
  • Manage RFIs, submittal reviews, design clarifications, and other construction-administration activities within project scope
  • Identify scope gaps, design conflicts, and coordination issues and drive them to resolution while ensuring deliverables meet client standards, applicable codes, contract requirements, and departmental quality expectations
  • Support development of BAS/EPMS-specific input to Owner Project Requirements (OPR) and early space-planning / schematic design efforts in coordination with the AE’s basis of design
  • Represent Smart Tech Contracting at site visits, including existing-condition surveys and BAS/EPMS-related punch-list walkthroughs
  • Coordinate BAS/EPMS scope interfaces with other MEP subconsultants, electrical and mechanical engineers, and controls subcontractors as Smart Tech’s design-side point of contact
  • Coordinate resource and material forecasting for assigned design scope
  • Coordinate or oversee start-up, cutover, pre-functional / functional testing, and BAS/EPMS project closeout activities during construction administration
• Financial & Change Management (20%)
  • Own project budgets, forecasts, profitability, and financial performance
  • Monitor labor utilization, consultant costs, project burn, and remaining effort against budget
  • Maintain accurate project forecasts and communicate financial risks to leadership
  • Identify changes in scope and prepare additional-service proposals and change-order documentation
  • Support client negotiations related to scope, schedule, fees, and contract adjustments while protecting design quality and client satisfaction
  • Develop and maintain schedules of value / cost schedules to support client progress billing
  • Evaluate controls-subcontractor and vendor proposals during procurement and construction administration and provide award recommendations where applicable
• Schedule & Risk Management (15%)
  • Develop and maintain project schedules aligned with client and overall MEP design milestones
  • Track design deliverables, dependencies, decisions, reviews, and approvals
  • Identify schedule, staffing, scope, technical, and commercial risks and develop appropriate mitigation plans
  • Coordinate resource needs with engineering and department leadership and escalate significant risks, client concerns, or delivery constraints as appropriate
• Client & Stakeholder Management (15%)
  • Serve as the primary day-to-day client contact for assigned projects
  • Lead project meetings with clients, architects, MEP consultants, Engineers of Record, internal engineering teams, and other project stakeholders
  • Communicate project status, financial performance, schedule, risks, technical decisions, and action items clearly and professionally
  • Maintain strong working relationships with client teams and consultant partners to support successful delivery and repeat business
  • Promote Smart Tech Contracting’s BAS/EPMS design capabilities to AE firms, owners, and industry partners; support marketing materials and firm positioning within the design community
  • Identify and develop new project opportunities with existing AE and client relationships to support account growth
  • Support proposal development, project expansions, and additional-service opportunities and represent Smart Tech Contracting professionally as an MEP design consultant
• Process Improvement & Administration (5%)
  • Maintain accurate project documentation, meeting minutes, action logs, schedules, forecasts, and status reports
  • Utilize Smartsheet and other project-management tools to provide transparency into project performance
  • Support departmental standards, templates, lessons learned, and best-practice libraries
  • Maintain project contract administration records; manage personal and project hours using company tools
  • Leverage AI and emerging technologies where appropriate to improve project planning, reporting, workflow efficiency, and consistency
• Technology, Digital Tools & AI-Enabled Efficiency
  • Identify opportunities to apply AI-enabled tools and workflow automation across design documentation, forecasting, and quality processes for BAS/EPMS projects
  • Support adoption of Smart Tech Contracting’s SmartTech.ai platform and related tools to strengthen design readiness, QA/QC, and project controls
  • Collaborate with the Special Projects & Innovation (SPI) team to pilot and roll out emerging technologies that align with departmental standards for data security, privacy, and operational integrity
  • Promote a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in the use of technology to optimize design delivery and scalability

Requirements

• Working knowledge of MEP consulting and design-project delivery
• Working knowledge of BAS/BMS and/or EPMS systems and their relationship to mechanical and electrical systems
• Understanding of MEP design phases and construction-document development
• Ability to coordinate technical design deliverables including sequences of operation, points / alarm lists, system diagrams, specifications, and integration requirements
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, standards, submittals, and equipment data
• Knowledge of mission-critical facility and data-center design requirements strongly preferred
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent design projects, competing deadlines, and project stakeholders
• Proven ability to manage project budgets, forecasts, profitability, scope changes, and change orders
• Strong project scheduling, risk-management, organizational, and decision-making skills
• Strong client-facing communication and relationship-management skills
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite and project-management / design-collaboration platforms such as Smartsheet, Bluebeam, Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud / BIM 360, or similar
• Familiarity with Revit / BIM design workflows preferred
• Ability to work effectively with engineers, architects, MEP consultants, clients, and construction teams
• Ability to work successfully in a remote environment through strong communication, organization, self-motivation, proactiveness, and accountability
• Ability to work under pressure and meet compressed design schedules
• Ability to leverage AI and emerging technologies to improve project workflows and operational efficiency
• Knowledge of MEP, fire alarm (FA), and fire protection (FP) trades and their interface with BAS/EPMS systems
• Knowledge of Method of Procedure (MOP) development and critical-facility work-notification processes
• Ability to follow company and site safety requirements

Physical Demands

• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working on a computer
• Ability to move through offices, project sites, and facility environments as needed
• Ability to occasionally lift or move items up to 25 pounds

Travel Requirements

• Up to approximately 10% travel for client meetings, design workshops, project coordination, and occasional site visits
• Domestic travel may be required; a valid REAL ID-compliant identification or passport is required for air travel
• Travel may include transportation by car or plane depending on business needs

Education / Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or related field preferred
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant industry experience may be considered
• 5+ years of project management, design management, or engineering-project delivery experience within MEP consulting, building automation, controls, or technically complex facilities
• Demonstrated experience owning projects through multiple design phases
• MEP consulting / design experience strongly preferred
• BAS/BMS and/or EPMS project experience strongly preferred
• Mission-critical or data-center design experience strongly preferred

Benefits

• Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option)
• Dental and vision plans
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26
• 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option
• PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year
• Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage
• Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance
• Paid parental leave after one year of employment