Construction Manager

Location: Toronto, Canada

Compensation: Competitive base salary + package + stock options

Environment: Greenfield Infrastructure | Rocket Propulsion | High-Pressure Systems

Build the infrastructure that gets rocket engines firing.

Most Construction Manager roles start with a building.

This one starts with a rocket.

A heavily backed Canadian space company is developing the country's first medium-lift launch vehicle and before that vehicle can ever reach orbit, the infrastructure needed to develop, test and qualify its propulsion systems has to be built.

That means test facilities. High-pressure systems. Cryogenic infrastructure. Process piping. Utilities. Roads. Heavy civil works. Buildings. And ultimately, the facilities where a 725 kN rocket engine will be put through its paces.

We are looking for the Construction Manager who will turn those plans into reality.

This isn't a role where you'll inherit a finished facility and manage contractors carrying out minor upgrades.

You'll help build it from the ground up.

The mission

The company has assembled engineers and leaders from some of the world's most successful launch, aerospace and technology organisations, bringing experience from SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, ArianeGroup, Pangea Propulsion, Tesla, MDA and others.

The engineering philosophy is deliberately pragmatic: use proven technology, move quickly, test early and often, and discover problems on the test stand rather than on the launch pad.

That philosophy extends to the infrastructure programme.

Engineering will define what needs to be built.

Your job is to make sure it actually gets built — safely, correctly and on schedule.

You'll take engineered designs and turn them into operational facilities, owning construction execution from site mobilisation through to inspection, commissioning and final handover.

On a programme like this, construction isn't supporting the company schedule.

Construction is the company schedule.

What you'll own

You'll be the person responsible for execution in the field.

You'll select, onboard and manage general contractors and specialist trades across civil, structural, mechanical and electrical workstreams.

You'll own sequencing and daily site coordination, run contractor meetings, monitor progress and make sure commitments actually turn into completed work.

You'll have the authority to challenge contractors on schedule, cost, quality and safety — and the judgement to know the difference between a genuine constructability problem and an unnecessary change order.

You'll also:

• Own construction execution from mobilisation through closeout.
• Establish and enforce the site safety programme.
• Manage general contractors and specialist trade contractors.
• Coordinate multiple concurrent civil, structural, mechanical and electrical workstreams.
• Provide constructability, cost and schedule input during design reviews.
• Raise RFIs and field changes before problems become expensive.
• Coordinate inspections and interactions with authorities having jurisdiction.
• Maintain the QA/QC and inspection records required for system acceptance.
• Verify contractor progress and support payment certification.
• Track construction cost and schedule against the programme baseline.
• Drive punch lists and deficiency closeout.
• Manage the handover of as-builts, O&M manuals, warranties and training.
• Take completed infrastructure through commissioning and into Facilities.

The infrastructure is different

You don't need to have built a rocket test stand before.

But you do need to be comfortable around serious industrial infrastructure.

The programme will involve environments where pressure systems, process piping, hazardous fluids and potentially cryogenic systems mean construction quality isn't simply about whether something looks right.

It has to work.

And it has to work safely.

Experience with propulsion facilities, test stands, high-pressure systems or cryogenic installations would therefore be extremely valuable, but we're equally interested in people coming from adjacent industries such as aerospace, energy, oil & gas, chemical processing, heavy industrial, advanced manufacturing or major infrastructure.

If you've built complicated facilities where mechanical systems matter as much as concrete and steel, we want to hear from you.

You'll work as part of a deliberately lean team

This isn't a large corporate infrastructure department with layers of people between engineering and construction.

The model is simple:

Engineering defines it.

Procurement buys it.

Construction builds it.

Facilities runs it.

You'll work directly with the Infrastructure Engineering Program Manager, who owns the technical baseline, and the Facilities Manager, who will ultimately inherit what you build.

Accountability will be clear, but in a startup environment nobody operates inside a narrow box.

If something needs solving, you'll be expected to get involved.

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who has spent meaningful time on construction sites, not someone whose experience has primarily been managing projects from an office.

You'll ideally bring:

• 8+ years delivering industrial, heavy civil or complex institutional construction projects.
• Direct responsibility for general contractors and trade contractors.
• Experience coordinating civil, structural, mechanical and electrical disciplines simultaneously.
• Strong practical knowledge of construction safety legislation and site responsibilities.
• The ability to confidently interpret engineering drawings and specifications.
• Experience managing construction schedules, costs, changes and project closeout.
• Strong contractor management and commercial judgement.
• The confidence to challenge problems early rather than allow them to become delays later.
• Comfort working in a fast-moving environment where some of the processes are still being created.

A degree or diploma in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline would be useful, although a strong building-trade background combined with substantial supervisory and project leadership experience can be equally relevant.

Gold Seal Certification, CET, P.Eng or equivalent credentials would also be advantageous.

Particularly interesting experience

We'd be especially interested in speaking with people who have worked with:

• Greenfield industrial site development
• Earthworks, utilities and roads
• Process piping
• Pressure systems
• Cryogenic installations
• Propulsion or engine test facilities
• Hazardous fluid systems
• ASME B31.3 / CSA B51 environments
• Welding inspection and pressure testing
• Ontario building and fire codes
• OHSA constructor responsibilities
• Complex mechanical infrastructure

Why join?

Because very few Construction Managers get the opportunity to point at a functioning rocket test facility several years from now and say:

“I built that.”

The company has already secured more than $20 million in funding during its first four months, including significant backing from Canada's Department of National Defence.

Now comes the difficult part.

Turning funding, engineering and ambition into physical infrastructure.

If you enjoy greenfield projects, like being close to the work and want genuine ownership rather than simply administering somebody else's construction programme, this is an opportunity to build something that doesn't currently exist.

And what gets built here will ultimately help put a Canadian launch vehicle into orbit.

On top of all of this you will receive a highly competitive package which includes six weeks holiday and lucrative stock options.