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Construction Field Representative

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge, TN, USA
Posted on Feb 25, 2026

Requisition Id 16026

Overview:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Construction Field Representative to oversee the construction activities of the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) for the Second Target Station (STS)—a major Department of Energy project valued at approximately $2 billion. This role is part of the Conventional Facilities (CF) STS Project team.

The STS will expand capabilities at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), enabling cutting-edge neutron scattering research across a wide range of materials. The project includes construction of multiple new facilities: the Target & Instrument Building, Ring to Second Target Tunnel (RTST), and Central Services/Utilities Building (CSB). Design is led by an external Architectural/Engineering (A/E) firm, with construction being executed through a Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC).

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Be the on-site specialist overseeing construction operations of the CM/GC to ensure contractor maintains a safe working environment for all personnel.

  • Observe construction operations to ensure subcontractors follow safety programs, procedures, field construction activity hazard analysis, and field work control documents.

  • Observe work being placed to ensure contractor means, methods, and techniques produce in-place work that complies with drawings and specifications.

  • Confirm CM/GC progress and forecasts are reflective of in-place work, logical, and reflect the required construction pace to achieve the planned schedule durations and critical paths.

  • Be the primary interface between the CM/GC and the STS technical project leads / cost account managers, ORNL support organizations.

  • Provide guidance to technical project leads for planning and recovery of schedules, quality issues, and safety compliance.

  • Provide guidance to the ORNL technical project managers and ensure continuous improvement of field operations.

  • Confirm field progress aligns with CM/GC payment requests.

  • Coordinate scheduled construction activities with ORNL support and operational organizations, ensuring appropriate plans are in place for utility outages, facility interruptions, and impacts to ORNL stakeholders, employees, and visitors.

  • Process subcontractor construction submittals and Requests for Information (RFI’s) to ensure timely responses and response durations are upheld.

  • Inspect and coordinate engineering inspections of construction work for compliance with design.

  • Coordinate A/E field verifications and quality assurance reviews to ensure design requirements and quality standards are met.

  • Coordinate engineering, quality, and safety reviews of in-place construction to maintain the highest levels of quality.

  • Ensure all agreements between the facility and stakeholders are completed and the facility is ready for turnover to operations upon construction completion.

  • Represent the STS Project by participating in and presenting project information at project progress reviews, conferences, and workshops.

  • Maintain a strong commitment to the implementation and perpetuation of ORNL values and ethics throughout all construction activities.

Basic Qualifications:

  • An AS degree in engineering, or construction management or related field.

  • At least 15 years of construction experience with direct oversight of design and construction.

  • Comprehensive working knowledge of OSHA 29 CFR 1926 regulation and implementation.

  • Proficient in industry-standard design and construction software (e.g., Bluebeam, Prolog, ProCore, ProjectSight).

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Advanced degree in engineering, architecture, or related field

  • Construction Management Certification

  • PMP® or equivalent project management certification

  • Experience managing large-scale construction scope packages valued at > $50M under construction subcontracts.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:
For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.


To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.


For foreign national candidates:
If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

Benefits at ORNL:

We offer competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain hardworking people! The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, and Employee Discounts. Relocation Assistance is available.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

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This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.


ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.