Senior Cost Engineer – Construction Project Accounting
Location: Ballston, VA | Hybrid (4 days onsite, 1 remote)
A privately held and nationally recognized real estate and construction group is seeking a Senior Cost Engineer to join its growing project accounting team. This role plays a critical part in maintaining financial integrity across complex construction projects, with strong exposure to project executives, budgeting processes, and internal controls.
Why This Role:
Stable team, exceptional leadership, and long-term visibility
Generous 401(k) match – 5% after one year, 8% after three years
Free parking, catered team lunch every Tuesday
Modern, high-impact environment with strong financial backing
Role Overview:
The Senior Cost Engineer will be responsible for internal auditing, financial review, and analysis of ongoing construction project budgets. This individual will act as a strategic partner to project managers, ensuring accuracy in cost projections, supporting compliance, and driving accountability across project financials.
Key Responsibilities:
Review and maintain monthly project budgets and job status reports for active construction sites
Conduct internal audits of project cost data and projections to ensure alignment with budgets
Educate and advise project teams on cost tracking and financial reporting best practices
Perform budget-to-actual variance analysis and recommend necessary adjustments
Assist with journal entries and financial reporting adjustments related to job cost accounting
Lead job status meetings with project teams and executives
Provide monthly profit projections and cost dashboards to executive management
Mentor junior cost engineers and contribute to company-wide cost control training
Support proposal and bid development with cost and financial input
Reconcile performance metrics using systems like Procore and Timberline (preferred)
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Construction Management
5–7 years of construction or real estate industry experience with a focus on cost control
Strong skills in Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, and data analysis
Experience with project accounting software – Procore experience is a major plus
Excellent communication and presentation skills for working with both finance and project teams
Strong analytical thinking and a solutions-oriented mindset
High attention to detail and comfort in a fast-paced, collaborative environment