Job Description

Senior Construction Manager

At Salas O’Brien we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.

Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way.

We are seeking a Senior Construction Manager who can lead on-site field construction execution for complex, secure, high-hazard federal facility programs from mobilization through substantial completion. We are currently working on projects and have openings available to support the modernization of Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration facilities contributing to the mission of defending the United States and supporting the nation's nuclear security enterprise. If this type of patriotic work motivates you, please fill out an application and send in a resume.

Job Summary:

The Senior Construction Manager serves as the primary on-site field authority for schedule, cost, and subcontractor coordination on complex, secure, high-hazard facility construction programs, with particular emphasis on projects requiring dual compliance with security construction standards (e.g., ICD 705) and hazardous occupancy classification requirements (e.g., IBC H-2). The position's responsibilities primarily focus on directing day-to-day field execution — sequencing work by functional zone, coordinating subcontractor and specialty-trade activities, and managing the interface between design intent and field conditions — from mobilization through substantial completion.

This role requires close, structured coordination with dedicated safety and quality functions (Site Safety and Health Officer, Contract Quality Control Manager) that operate independently of the Construction Manager's schedule and cost responsibilities, and with continuous Engineering Services During Construction (ESDC) support across all design disciplines. Qualified candidates will meet with subcontractors, the project's safety and quality teams, design engineers, and client program stakeholders daily to resolve field issues, maintain schedule, and ensure the project is executed safely and in conformance with the construction-ready design. The project clientele includes Federal Government (DOE/NNSA), Department of Defense, national laboratory-adjacent programs, and other complex institutional and industrial facilities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Direct day-to-day field construction execution, sequencing work by functional zone to manage the risks of building secure, high-hazard spaces within an existing or newly constructed shell.
• Coordinate and manage subcontractor and specialty-trade activities, including scheduling, submittal review, and progress tracking.
• Manage the interface between building shell conditions and process/security buildout scope, confirming as-built conditions match the assumptions carried in the construction-ready design.
• Coordinate personnel security clearance timing for construction workforce requiring access to areas handling classified specifications or material, treating clearance timing as an explicit sequencing constraint.
• Work in close, structured coordination with the Site Safety and Health Officer and Contract Quality Control Manager, respecting their independent authority to stop work or hold inspection points without requiring Construction Manager concurrence.
• Coordinate with Engineering Services During Construction (ESDC) personnel across structural, mechanical/HVAC, electrical, fire protection, and security disciplines to resolve field questions and RFIs with minimal delay.
• Manage field budget performance, change order documentation, and cost reporting for the construction scope.
• Maintain and update the field construction schedule, identifying and mitigating schedule risks as they emerge.
• Lead field coordination meetings with subcontractors, design representatives, and client stakeholders.
• Support commissioning activities by coordinating field access and construction completion sequencing with the commissioning team.
• Provide monthly progress reporting to program leadership and client representatives.
• Support pre-construction planning, constructability review, and mobilization planning in coordination with the design and program management teams.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent professional experience).
• A minimum of 12 years of construction management experience, including significant experience on secure, high-hazard, or federal government facility construction programs.
• Direct field experience managing fixed-price design-build construction execution on complex industrial or institutional projects.
• Working knowledge of ICD 705 security construction requirements, IBC hazardous occupancy classifications (H-2 or comparable), and DOE/NNSA facility construction requirements, or a demonstrated ability to rapidly develop this expertise.
• Experience coordinating construction activities in security-controlled environments, including personnel clearance-driven workforce sequencing.
• Experience working alongside independent safety and quality control functions on high-hazard construction sites.
• Must be a US Citizen

Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent field leadership skills, with sound judgment under schedule and field-condition pressure.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively across subcontractors, safety/quality personnel, design engineers, and client stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent trade activities and shifting field priorities in a high-hazard, security-controlled environment
• Strong organizational and documentation skills, including field reporting, change order tracking, and schedule management.
• Proficiency with construction scheduling software (e.g., Primavera P6 or comparable) and MS Office; familiarity with BIM/model-based field coordination tools.
• Ability to obtain and maintain any security clearance required by assigned programs.
• Ability to work extended on-site hours and travel/relocate to project site for the duration of construction.

Location: Memphis, TN or Tupelo, MS

Type: Full-Time

Travel: 80%-100% (project site-based)

Compensation:

The expected base salary range for this role is $120,000-$140,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

This role is also eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Wellness programs and employee assistance resources
• Professional development support

For more information, visit our full benefits overview here.

About Us:

Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.