Summary:
ThThe Junior–Mid Project Controls Specialist (Schedule & Cost) supports Black Box’s data center delivery programs by assisting with the development, maintenance, and analysis of project schedules, cost forecasts, labor plans, and project controls reporting for structured cabling, network infrastructure, and low-voltage scopes.
This position is designed for an individual who has a foundational understanding of construction planning, scheduling, cost controls, or field execution and is looking to further develop their Project Controls career within complex, fast-paced data center environments.
Working under the direction of the Director of Project Controls and/or Senior Project Controls Lead, the Junior–Mid Project Controls Specialist will work closely with Project Managers, Superintendents, Field Leads, Procurement, and other Project Controls team members to ensure schedule, labor, cost, and progress information accurately reflects current project conditions.
The position will receive guidance and mentorship from senior Project Controls personnel while progressively assuming greater responsibility for assigned project areas, buildings, work packages, or smaller projects as experience and proficiency develop.
Success in this role requires strong attention to detail, analytical capability, willingness to learn, and the ability to translate field execution information into accurate and meaningful Project Controls data.
What You Will Do:
Project Controls Execution – Data Center Delivery
Support assigned data center projects as the Project Controls Specialist (Schedule & Cost), focused on structured cabling, network installation, and technology infrastructure scopes.
Develop, maintain, and update detailed project schedules aligned with GC milestones (DEC-C Ready, ENS Ready, PR, SC) and Black Box installation sequencing.
Track and forecast direct labor hours, headcount, and installation productivity against the schedule.
Monitor project costs including labor, material (OFCI / OFOI), expenses, and change impacts.
Ensure schedules and cost data accurately reflect real-time field conditions, access constraints, and material readiness.
Cost & Schedule Monitoring
Perform weekly schedule updates and progress tracking based on field input and installation status.
Support cost tracking, forecasting, and variance analysis across active buildings and work packages.
Assist with Earned Value metrics (CPI, SPI), labor curves, and installation productivity trending.
Support change order reviews, bid leveling, and cost impact assessments related to scope changes or sequencing adjustments.
Maintain alignment between schedule, cost, and resource plans across Black Box reporting tools.
Risk Identification & Mitigation Support
Identify potential risks related to schedule logic, access handovers, material delays, and labor availability.
Escalate schedule and cost risks to senior Project Controls leadership with supporting data.
Assist in maintaining project risk registers and tracking mitigation actions.
Support schedule reviews to ensure critical path and phasing logic reflect data center execution realities.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Support
Work closely with Project Managers, Superintendents, and Field Leads to ensure alignment between planning and execution.
Coordinate with procurement teams to align material deliveries with installation sequencing.
Support communication between jobsite teams and Senior Project Controls Leads.
Participate in coordination meetings with GCs, trade partners, and internal Black Box leadership as required.
Provide clear, concise schedule and cost updates to support decision-making.
Needs for Success:
Strong working knowledge of project controls fundamentals within construction or data center environments.
Experience supporting data center, structured cabling, or low-voltage infrastructure projects preferred.
Proficiency in Primavera P6 and/or Microsoft Project for detailed schedule updates.
Experience tracking labor hours, headcount, and productivity against schedule.
Familiarity with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, or equivalent for cost tracking.
Foundational understanding of Earned Value Management (EVM) concepts.
Strong skills in Microsoft Excel; exposure to Power BI or Tableau is a plus.
Understanding of GC milestone structures, phased turnovers, and multi-building execution.
High attention to detail with strong documentation and reporting discipline.
Ability to manage multiple priorities across fast-moving job sites.
Clear verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with field teams, PMs, clients, and vendors.
Self-motivated, execution-focused, and eager to grow within Black Box’s Project Controls organization.
What You Bring to the Table:
High school diploma or equivalent.
Bachler degree in construction management, engineering or equivalent field experience.
Minimum 5+ years as a construction planner / scheduler for projects with contract values in excess of $15 million.
Preferred professional certifications:
Project Management Institute Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)
Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP)
Project Management Institute Project Management Professional (PMP)
Supervisory Responsibility:
N/A
Work Location and Travel:
At Site Location - Abilene, Texas
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Skills Required
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, or equivalent field experience
- Minimum 5 years of experience as a construction planner or scheduler
- Experience with projects exceeding $15 million in contract value
- Working knowledge of construction or data center project controls fundamentals
- Proficiency with Primavera P6 and/or Microsoft Project
- Experience tracking labor hours, headcount, and productivity against schedules
- Familiarity with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, or equivalent
- Foundational understanding of Earned Value Management concepts
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities across fast-moving job sites
- Clear verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to work effectively with field teams, project managers, clients, and vendors
- Experience supporting data center, structured cabling, or low-voltage infrastructure projects
- Experience with Power BI or Tableau
- PMI Scheduling Professional certification
- AACE Planning and Scheduling Professional certification
- PMP certification
Black Box Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Black Box and has not been reviewed or approved by Black Box.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical and prescription drug coverage plus dental and vision plan options. Life and disability protections are also included, along with EAP and emergency travel assistance.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are described as broad, including paid time off, company holidays, floating holidays, and multiple leave types such as jury duty and bereavement leave. Paid time off and benefits are also characterized as “good” in at least one recent account.
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Retirement Support — Retirement and tax-advantaged savings options include a 401(k), FSAs, and an HSA with company contributions. A company match is also cited in one instance, suggesting some employer support for retirement saving.
Black Box Insights
What We Do
Black Box is a global digital infrastructure integrator delivering network and system integration services and solutions, support services, and technology products to businesses in the United States, Europe, India, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America and has around 4,000 professionals globally. Black Box has strong service offerings in network integration, digital connectivity infrastructure, data center build-out, modern workplace, and cybersecurity for businesses across various industries including financial services, technology, healthcare, retail, public services like airports; manufacturing, and other sectors.
