Associate Project Engineer

If you're a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate who's analytical, Excel-savvy, and excited to work side-by-side with one of our owners as their trusted support in a fast-growing electrical contractor—this entry-level role gives you direct access to high-level decision-making. No experience required—just your technical foundation, precision with data, and drive to turn facts into strategic advantages for major client negotiations and business growth in low-voltage BMS projects.

As an Associate Project Engineer
, you'll serve as the direct administrative and analytical partner to one of Vanguard's owners, delivering data-driven insights and support for key negotiations, opportunity evaluations, and strategic initiatives. Your focus will be on compiling accurate facts, building sophisticated Excel models, preparing executive summaries and negotiation materials, and ensuring the owner has reliable, actionable data at every step. This high-visibility position lets you learn the business intimately from an owner-level perspective—gaining mentorship while contributing to winning deals and scaling our low-voltage temperature controls and Building Management Systems (BMS) operations.

Perfect for a proactive, detail-oriented young engineer ready to thrive in a close-knit, owner-led environment.

• Excel & Data Mastery:
  Build and refine advanced Excel models, databases, scenario analyses, forecasting tools, and dashboards (leveraging formulas, pivots, charts, data tables, conditional formatting, etc.) to provide clear, facts-driven insights directly to your assigned owner for decision-making.
• Negotiation & Opportunity Support:
  Prepare comprehensive data packages, fact sheets, risk/opportunity summaries, pricing scenarios, and supporting documentation to equip the owner for major client negotiations, vendor discussions, and strategic pursuits.
• Executive Documentation & Preparation:
  Create polished materials for owner use—meeting prep packets, negotiation briefs, viability assessments, pipeline trackers, and concise overviews—ensuring everything is accurate, organized, and presentation-ready.
• Research & Fact Compilation:
  Conduct targeted research, gather and verify data from internal/external sources, and synthesize key facts to support owner-led evaluations of large-scale opportunities and business decisions.
• Cross-Functional Coordination:
  Liaise with internal teams (estimating, project ops, vendors) to collect inputs, clarify details, and resolve questions—delivering consolidated, reliable information to the owner with clear recommendations.
• Process Optimization:
  Spot ways to improve data workflows, reporting accuracy, or preparation efficiency; proactively suggest enhancements as you gain deeper insight into our operations.
• Ad Hoc Owner Assistance:
  Handle emerging needs—such as quick analyses for Texas market expansions, basic economic modeling, competitor fact-checking, or special requests that help drive company strategy and growth.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related fields like Industrial Engineering or Construction Management). Recent graduates (0–2 years exp) strongly encouraged—coursework in systems analysis, data modeling, or quantification is a plus.
• Experience:
  
  Entry-level—no prior professional experience needed. Any academic projects, internships, or personal work with data analysis, spreadsheets, or research counts.
• Skills:
• Excel proficiency is essential—advanced level (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS, pivot tables, scenario manager, charts), confident in building custom models and turning data into executive-friendly insights.
• Exceptional attention to detail, numerical accuracy, and ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced setting.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to distill complex data into clear, factual summaries.
• Solid communication—able to prepare concise, professional materials for high-level audiences.
• Bonus:
  Familiarity with tools like Bluebeam, AutoCAD, or basic project software; understanding of mechanical/construction concepts from studies.
• Personal Traits:
  Proactive, coachable, and…