Otis Construction | Portland, Oregon
Otis Construction builds highly detailed, architect-designed custom homes and major residential renovations. We are seeking an Assistant Project Manager with strong construction-scheduling skills to join the team managing a large, complex custom residence currently under construction.
The immediate priority will be strengthening project controls on a multi-year residential project involving hundreds of interconnected design, submittal, procurement and construction activities. The successful candidate must have hands-on experience building, maintaining and analyzing detailed critical-path schedules—not simply updating dates or coordinating subcontractors against a schedule created by someone else.
Scheduling expertise is the essential starting qualification. The broader responsibilities of the position—including estimating, cost management, contract administration and owner-architect-contractor communication—will be learned and developed with the support of Otis’s experienced project team. Our intention is for this role to evolve over time into a full Project Manager position.
Primary ResponsibilitiesScheduling and Project Controls
- Assume substantial responsibility for the project’s detailed master schedule.
- Build and maintain activity logic, durations, predecessors, successors, constraints, milestones and critical-path relationships.
- Integrate field activities with RFIs, submittals, design decisions, owner selections, procurement, fabrication and delivery requirements.
- Work with the Senior Project Manager, Site Superintendent, design team, consultants, subcontractors and suppliers to validate sequencing and durations.
- Establish required-by dates for design information, approvals and owner decisions.
- Identify critical and near-critical activities, available float and emerging schedule risks.
- Analyze the downstream effects of delayed decisions, design changes, procurement issues and changed conditions.
- Evaluate resequencing, acceleration and other mitigation options.
- Maintain an accurate baseline and contemporaneous schedule updates.
- Prepare clear, well-supported schedule-impact information for the owner and design team.
- Translate the master schedule into practical short-term look-aheads and action lists.
Project Management
- Manage RFIs, submittals, procurement logs, change documentation and project records in Procore.
- Coordinate closely with the Senior Project Manager and Site Superintendent.
- Review drawings and specifications for constructability, coordination and sequencing issues.
- Participate in owner-architect-contractor meetings and provide concise, accurate status information.
- Follow open issues through resolution and maintain a clear record of responsibility, required dates and consequences.
- Assist with subcontractor buyout, contract administration, pay applications and project closeout.
- Develop increasing responsibility for the full administrative, financial and communication requirements of project management.
Estimating and Cost Management
Estimating will be a smaller part of the initial role and an area for continued development.
- Assist with quantity takeoffs, subcontractor solicitation and bid leveling.
- Help identify scope gaps, overlaps, exclusions and incomplete design information.
- Support project budgeting, cost reporting and change-order preparation.
- Learn to evaluate the cost implications of changes, delays and schedule-mitigation options.
- Develop familiarity with Otis’s estimating, forecasting and cost-plus project-management practices.
Required Experience
- Hands-on experience developing and maintaining detailed construction schedules using CPM logic.
- Demonstrated ability to create activity relationships rather than merely update an existing schedule.
- Working knowledge of critical path, float, constraints, baselines and schedule updates.
- Ability to connect design deliverables, submittals, procurement and field activities within a construction schedule.
- Ability to read and understand architectural, structural and consultant drawings and specifications.
- Strong written communication, organization and documentation skills.
- Ability to explain complex schedule issues clearly and precisely.
- Experience with construction-management and scheduling software. Otis currently uses Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Procore, Bluebeam and Google Workspace.
- Interest in developing the broader skills required to become a successful construction Project Manager.
Preferred Experience
- Three or more years in construction scheduling, project controls, project engineering, assistant project management or construction management.
- Experience with large or technically complex residential, commercial, healthcare, institutional or infrastructure projects.
- Experience integrating design deliverables, submittals and procurement activities into a construction schedule.
- Familiarity with estimating, project budgets, change management or cost-plus construction is helpful but not required.
- Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture or a related degree is helpful but not required. Demonstrated capability is more important.
The Right Candidate
You may currently be a Project Engineer, Assistant Project Manager, Project Controls Coordinator or Construction Scheduler who has developed strong scheduling skills and is ready for broader responsibility.
You should enjoy understanding how an entire project fits together: what information is needed, who must provide it, which activities depend on it, when it is required and what happens if it arrives late.
You do not need to arrive with expertise in every aspect of project management. You do need to bring genuine schedule-building ability, intellectual curiosity, precision and follow-through. Otis will provide the opportunity to learn estimating, cost management, contract administration, client communication and the other skills necessary to grow into a full Project Manager role.
When information is incomplete, we expect you to identify what is known, what remains uncertain, what assumptions are being made and what evidence supports the conclusion.
About Otis
Founded in Portland in 1996, Otis Construction specializes in architect-designed custom homes and major residential renovations. Our work is highly collaborative and detail-intensive. We value craftsmanship, professionalism, dedication, integrity and respect.
To Apply
Please submit a résumé and a brief response addressing the following:
- What is the most complex construction schedule you personally built?
- What scheduling software did you use, and approximately how many activities did the schedule contain?
- Did you personally establish the activity logic and critical path?
- Describe one instance in which you analyzed the downstream effect of a change, delayed decision or other disruption.
- Briefly describe any experience you have with estimating or project cost management.
- Why are you interested in developing from a scheduling and project-controls role into broader Project Manager responsibilities?
Applications that do not address these questions may not be considered.
Compensation is dependent on experience and demonstrated scheduling expertise.
Pay: $78,000.00 - $92,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Profit sharing
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person