1. Contracts Job Profiles in EPC
Common Roles
- Contract Engineer
- Contracts Manager
- Commercial Manager
- Claims Engineer / Contracts & Claims Specialist
- Risk & Contracts Manager
Key Responsibilities
- Draft, review, and manage EPC contracts, subcontracts, and vendor agreements
- Interpret scope, BOQ (Bill of Quantities), specifications
- Handle:
- Variations / change orders
- Claims & disputes
- Extension of Time (EOT)
- Ensure contract compliance & risk mitigation
- Coordinate with legal, procurement, and project teams
- Manage client communication on contractual matters
Skills Required
- Contract law basics (FIDIC is common in EPC)
- Commercial awareness
- Negotiation & claim management
- Risk analysis
2. Planning Job Profiles in EPC
Common Roles
- Planning Engineer
- Senior Planning Engineer
- Project Controls Engineer
- Planning Manager / Project Controls Manager
Key Responsibilities
- Develop project schedules (Primavera P6 / MS Project)
- Prepare:
- Baseline schedules
- Look-ahead plans
- Recovery plans
- Track project progress & delays
- Perform:
- Critical Path Method (CPM) analysis
- Earned Value Management (EVM)
- Coordinate with engineering, procurement, and construction teams
- Prepare reports for management & clients
Skills Required
- Strong in scheduling tools (Primavera P6 is industry standard)
- Analytical thinking
- Understanding of EPC lifecycle & WBS
- Data interpretation & reporting
3. Combined Role: Contracts + Planning (Very Important in EPC)
In many EPC projects (especially large ones), these roles overlap under Project Controls / Commercial function.
Combined Responsibilities
- Link time (planning) with cost & contract (commercial)
Handle:
Delay analysis- claim justification
- Cost vs schedule impact
- Support:
- Arbitration / dispute resolution
- Change management
- Ensure project meets:
- Timeline
- Budget
- Contractual obligations
Example:
If a delay occurs Planning team analyzes schedule impact Contracts team uses it to file claims/EOT.
4. Career Path in EPC (Contracts & Planning)
Planning Path
Planning Engineer Senior Planning Engineer Planning Manager Project Controls Head
Contracts Path
Contract Engineer Contracts Manager Commercial Manager Commercial Head
Hybrid Growth
Many professionals move into:
- Project Manager
- Project Controls Manager
- Commercial Head / Business Head
5. Where These Roles Exist (Industries)
- Oil & Gas (Refineries, Pipelines)
- Power Plants (Thermal, Solar)
- Infrastructure (Metro, Roads, Airports)
- Industrial Plants (Steel, Cement)
6. Which Role is Better?
Depends on your strengths:
- Choose Planning if you like:
- Data, scheduling, tools, analytics
- Choose Contracts if you like:
- Legal/commercial aspects, negotiation, documentation
- Choose Project Controls (both) if you want:
- Faster growth + leadership roles
7. Reality of the Job (Important Insight)
In EPC, these roles are high-responsibility but less “technical design”.
They focus on:
- Coordination
- Decision-making
- Risk control
- Client handling
