Senior Structural Project Manager

Mission Critical Buildings | Austin, Texas

A growing structural engineering consultancy is looking for a Senior Structural Project Manager to lead major mission critical projects and help shape the continued development of its Austin team.

Data centers are the firm's primary growth market, creating a strong pipeline of technically demanding work across the United States. The wider buildings practice also delivers projects across advanced manufacturing, aviation, healthcare, education, commercial, and institutional markets.

The firm offers the scale and technical depth to deliver major national projects, but Project Managers remain close to the engineering, clients, and decisions. The Austin team is collaborative and growing, giving the successful candidate visibility, direct access to leadership, and the opportunity to influence how projects and people are developed.

This role would suit a licensed structural engineer who wants greater ownership of project delivery, client relationships, financial performance, and team development without becoming disconnected from the technical work.

The Opportunity

Data center projects will form the central focus of the position.

These facilities create structural challenges involving heavy equipment loads, vibration and serviceability criteria, enhanced reliability requirements, accelerated schedules, and extensive coordination across multiple disciplines.

You will lead projects from early planning and structural system selection through design, documentation, and construction. Alongside technical leadership, you will take responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, staffing, quality, and client communication.

Project management within this team does not mean stepping away from engineering. You will remain involved in structural strategy, technical reviews, multidisciplinary coordination, and construction-phase problem-solving while leading the wider delivery process.

Alongside mission critical work, you may also support projects across other complex building sectors. This provides access to the growth of the digital infrastructure market within a broader and more diversified structural practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead structural projects through planning, design, documentation, and construction
• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, and financial performance
• Establish delivery plans and coordinate internal project teams
• Guide structural system selection and overall technical strategy
• Oversee structural analysis, calculations, models, drawings, and specifications
• Maintain technical quality, constructability, and compliance with applicable codes
• Coordinate with architectural, MEP, civil, and specialist disciplines
• Act as a primary contact for clients and project partners
• Present technical recommendations and lead the resolution of project challenges
• Identify risks early and develop practical solutions with the wider team
• Support construction administration, including RFIs, submittals, shop drawings, and site observations
• Direct, mentor, and develop structural engineers
• Support proposals, fee development, project interviews, and future pursuits
• Build trusted relationships that contribute to repeat work and long-term client growth
• Contribute to quality assurance, internal training, and project delivery improvements

Project Exposure

The position will provide experience across:

• Data centers and mission critical facilities
• Advanced manufacturing and industrial buildings
• Aviation and transportation-related facilities
• Healthcare and institutional developments
• Education projects
• Commercial buildings and mixed-use developments

Data centers will remain the priority, but the wider portfolio provides opportunities to develop across several complex and highly coordinated building environments.

Projects may involve demanding timelines, significant equipment loads, specialist structural requirements, complex interfaces, and close collaboration between design and construction teams.

What You Bring

You will already be comfortable leading structural projects and balancing technical, commercial, client, and team responsibilities.

Direct data center experience would be valuable, but it is not the only relevant background. Engineers from healthcare, aviation, advanced manufacturing, industrial, or other highly coordinated building sectors may also be considered.

You will ideally bring:

• A degree in Civil, Architectural, or Structural Engineering
• A master's degree in Structural Engineering preferred
• An active Professional Engineer license
• Typically six or more years of structural building design experience
• Meaningful experience leading projects, teams, or defined workstreams
• Strong design experience across common structural materials and systems
• Advanced knowledge of structural behaviour, codes, and design standards
• Experience managing project budgets, schedules, resources, and technical quality
• Confidence working directly with clients, architects, contractors, and consultants
• Experience reviewing calculations, drawings, specifications, and technical documentation
• Familiarity with modern structural analysis and BIM-based project delivery tools
• Strong construction administration experience
• Clear written, verbal, and presentation skills
• A genuine interest in mentoring engineers and improving project delivery

The firm is open to high-performing engineers progressing into broader project management responsibility, as well as established Project Managers looking for greater ownership and leadership potential.

The Person They Are Looking For

The successful candidate will combine sound engineering judgement with practical project leadership.

You should be:

• Technically credible and comfortable making decisions
• Commercially aware around scope, fees, schedules, and project risk
• Confident communicating with clients and project partners
• Collaborative when working with architects, contractors, and other disciplines
• Organised without becoming unnecessarily process-heavy
• Comfortable holding teams accountable while continuing to support their development
• Interested in building long-term client relationships
• Willing to remain closely involved in technical delivery
• Motivated by the opportunity to help develop a growing Austin team

This opportunity will particularly suit someone who wants greater influence over projects, clients, and people without giving up technically challenging engineering work.

Why Consider It?

• Lead major data center and mission critical projects
• Remain closely involved in technical and project decisions
• Work directly with major owners, architects, contractors, and delivery partners
• Join a growing Austin team where your contribution will be visible
• Access a strong national pipeline without being restricted to one project sector
• Take ownership of project scope, financial performance, clients, and teams
• Work in a collaborative environment with direct access to leadership
• Mentor engineers and influence project delivery standards
• Contribute to the continued development of the local team
• Progress toward broader client, team, and office leadership
• Receive competitive compensation and performance-related bonus potential

The Opportunity in Summary

This opportunity will suit an experienced structural engineer who wants more ownership of projects, clients, and people while building a career in one of the strongest growth markets within the buildings industry.

You will have access to technically demanding projects and a substantial national pipeline, while remaining visible within a growing Austin team. The role offers genuine responsibility across engineering, delivery, client relationships, financial performance, and team development.

Apply for a confidential, pressure-free conversation about the role, project pipeline, working environment, and long-term leadership potential.