Contracts and Claims Specialist

About the Positions

We're seeking Contracts and Claims Specialists of various skill levels to support large, complex heavy civil infrastructure programs, including highways, roads, bridges, transit (bus and rail), aviation (international airports), and water/wastewater projects delivered through both traditional and alternative delivery methods. In this role, you will administer construction contracts from award through closeout, review change order requests and contractor claims for merit and cost, keep project records complete and organized, and help settle disagreements before they turn into formal disputes.

This post is for future roles and not for a specific opportunity that is available right now. We accept applications and conduct interviews in advance of upcoming hiring needs. When a candidate is selected, their profile is activated in our talent pool for this specialty area.
We notify our talent pool candidates first whenever we have a project need.

may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Administer construction contracts from notice to proceed through final closeout, verifying compliance with contract terms, general and special provisions, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Prepare, log, and route contractual correspondence, notices, and determinations, and maintain the official contract record within the program document management system.
• Review, evaluate, and negotiate contractor change order requests, force account and time-and-materials work, and requests for equitable adjustment for entitlement, merit, and cost reasonableness.
• Analyze contractor claims and notices of potential claim, including delay, disruption, differing site conditions, acceleration, suspension, and loss of productivity.
• Coordinate with scheduling staff to evaluate time impact analyses and time extension requests against the accepted baseline and contemporaneous progress schedules.
• Prepare independent cost estimates and quantity takeoffs to support negotiation and settlement of change orders and claims.
• Track contractor payment applications, progress payments, retention, and contingency drawdown, and reconcile committed and expended amounts against the contract value.
• Prepare claim position papers, findings of fact, and recommendations for owner decision-makers, dispute review boards, and dispute resolution panels.
• Support procurement and contract formation activities, including review of solicitation documents, contract language, insurance and bonding requirements, and flow-down provisions for alternative delivery contracts.
• Advise project teams on notice requirements, contract interpretation, and risk allocation, and elevate matters to legal counsel when appropriate.
• Support partnering programs, issue escalation ladders, and dispute review board processes to resolve disagreements early and preserve working relationships.
• Assist with contract closeout, including final quantities, retention release, lien and claim waivers, and turnover of record documentation.

• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain a complex contractual position clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Meticulous attention to detail and the discipline to maintain a complete, defensible project record.
• Sound analytical judgment and the objectivity to evaluate entitlement on the facts, even under cost and schedule pressure.
• Excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills.
• Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships with owners, contractors, and design teams.
• Composure and diplomacy in negotiations and in adversarial situations.
• Natural curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, business administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years' experience in contract administration, change order management, and claims analysis on large (>$500M), complex, heavy-civil infrastructure projects.
• Working knowledge of standard construction contract…