Costain Group PLC
Trainee Cost Engineer
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Trainee Cost Engineer
As a Trainee Cost Engineer, you will provide cost management support to the work portfolio, monitoring, controlling and forecasting elements of costs throughout the Project lifecycle.
Click here for the full job description, responsibilities, and qualifications - PRJI03 - Trainee Cost Engineer.pdf
Responsibilities
- Work with Project Managers to ensure contracts and forecasts are effectively managed through monitoring and analysing cost report information.
- Implement the appropriate cost management tools for the project.
- Assist in developing and using Project Control Structures (Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS)), Organisational Breakdown Strategy (OBS), and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), amongst others.
- Ensure necessary cost management interactions with Finance while maintaining regular communication.
- Actively monitor the project change process, understanding the factors influencing variances and managing impacts on the project’s cost baseline.
- Continuously monitor Project Risk and Change Status to maintain an accurate forecast, effectively communicating changes to line management.
- Liaise with project team members, supply chain, and clients regarding progress and financial forecasting.
- Update the cost tool to align with Project Reporting Cycles as required by the Contract and Internal reporting standards.
- Investigate, review, and challenge cost variances against the baseline plan.
- Coordinate with the Project Planning Engineer to ensure financial updates stay aligned with the forecasted project plan.
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Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Experience
- High level of numeracy and strong analytical skills.
- Excellent attention to detail, paired with strong time management skills.
- Proficient in MS Office, particularly the preparation of reports and internal communication using tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI.
Qualifications
- A minimum of an HNC/HND (ideally in a cost-related discipline), or relevant experience (not essential but recommended).
About Us
Costain delivers smart infrastructure solutions across UK energy, water, transportation, and defence sectors. We empower our clients to improve business performance by enhancing capacity, customer service, security, resilience, and decarbonisation while increasing efficiency. Our vision: to become the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company.
We achieve this by collaborating with blue-chip clients whose strategic projects align with national needs, regulatory commitments, or essential mission-critical requirements. Our services cover innovative solutions optimised through digital technology:
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Our core culture and values guide everything we do.
Recruitment Policy
Costain appreciates the effort applicants invest when applying but, due to high response volumes, individual feedback cannot be provided at the application stage. However, we will communicate interview feedback following the interview itself.
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Costain is a Disability Confident employer. We commit to offering interviews to applicants who disclose a disability and meet required job criteria. During high-volume, seasonal, or critical recruitment periods, the number of interviews may be prioritised equally among applicants, including those with and without disabilities.
For further information, visit the Disability Confident campaign website.
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