Underground Construction Specialist

Location: New Jersey, various project sites

Job Type: Full-time, project-based assignment

Schedule: Field-based; travel to project sites required

Anticipated Assignment Duration: Initial one-year assignment, with potential extension based on underground transmission project workload

Compensation: $40-$50/hr

CARIAN is a purpose-driven, woman-owned consulting and advisory firm dedicated exclusively to the power sector. We partner with leading electric and gas utilities to provide strategic advisory and disciplined execution across program management, business intelligence, and field execution oversight. Guided by integrity, trust, excellence, and accountability, our team helps deliver complex capital programs and build the resilient energy infrastructure that communities depend on.

CARIAN is seeking an Underground Construction Specialist to support underground transmission project work for one of our major utility clients in New Jersey.

This role will support underground transmission construction activities across the client’s service territory. The position will help coordinate day-to-day field construction work, monitor progress, safety, quality, and schedule, and support the successful execution of underground transmission projects in accordance with company standards, procedures, safe work practices, and applicable regulations.

The ideal candidate has utility construction, engineering, operations, or project management experience, strong field judgment, and the ability to work effectively with contractors, client representatives, project teams, and field stakeholders. Experience with underground transmission work, including pipe-type cable, HPFF, XLPE, civil construction, or electrical construction, is preferred but not required.

This is a field-based, project-based assignment requiring travel to project sites throughout New Jersey. The initial assignment is expected to be one year, with potential extension based on underground transmission project workload.

• Support day-to-day field construction activities for underground transmission projects.
• Coordinate with contractors, client representatives, project managers, engineering, safety, operations, and other project stakeholders.
• Monitor contractor performance, work progress, safety compliance, quality, and schedule adherence.
• Help ensure field work is performed in accordance with project requirements, company standards, safe work practices, procedures, and applicable regulations.
• Review work quality and quantity to support project execution and identify required follow-up.
• Track field conditions, construction progress, issues, risks, and schedule impacts.
• Support the resolution of construction-related issues and elevate concerns to project leadership as needed.
• Provide regular updates on field status, milestones, risks, and required actions.
• Support constructability input, work sequencing, access planning, field readiness, and construction coordination activities as needed.
• Maintain project documentation, reporting, tracking logs, and other field records, including use of Microsoft Excel.
• Promote a strong safety culture and help ensure work is executed in a professional, disciplined, and utility‑compliant manner.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in utility engineering, construction, operations, project management, or a related field.
• Experience supporting utility, infrastructure, civil, electrical, or construction field work.
• Strong understanding of field construction coordination, safety expectations, quality control, and project execution.
• Ability to coordinate day-to-day field construction activities and work effectively with multiple stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong communication, documentation, coordination, and issue‑resolution skills.
• Ability to work independently in the field and represent CARIAN professionally with clients, contractors, and project stakeholders.
• Ability to travel to project sites throughout New Jersey.
• Availability to support field‑based project needs, including off‑hours or outage‑driven work as required.
• Underground transmission construction experience.