1. What is a Project Manager at Burns & McDonnell?

The Project Manager (PM) role at Burns & McDonnell is distinct from typical project management positions in the industry due to the company's unique "Seller-Doer" model and employee-owned culture. In this position, you are not simply an administrator of tasks; you are a business leader responsible for the full lifecycle of a project—from identifying the opportunity and writing the proposal to executing the work and closing out the contract. You operate at the intersection of engineering technicality, business strategy, and client relationship management.

You will be joining a specific Global Practice—such as Transmission & Distribution, Aviation & Federal, Water, or Mission Critical. Regardless of the specific sector, your primary objective is to lead multi-disciplinary teams (engineers, architects, construction professionals) to deliver complex infrastructure and construction projects. You are the face of the company to the client, responsible for maintaining high levels of satisfaction that lead to repeat business. At Burns & McDonnell, a Project Manager drives profitability, ensures strict adherence to safety standards, and acts as a steward of the company's 100% employee-owned legacy.

2. Common Interview Questions

3. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for a role at Burns & McDonnell requires a shift in mindset. You must demonstrate that you are capable of handling the autonomy and financial responsibility of the "Seller-Doer" model.

The "Seller-Doer" Mindset This is the most critical evaluation criterion. Interviewers need to see that you can execute technical work while simultaneously nurturing client relationships and identifying new business opportunities. You must demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to own the financial health of your projects.

Technical and Industry Fluency Because Burns & McDonnell is an engineering and construction firm, you are expected to have a deep understanding of the specific industry you are applying for (e.g., electrical substations, water treatment plants, or data centers). You will be evaluated on your ability to speak the language of the engineers and contractors you will lead.

Financial and Schedule Acumen You must demonstrate proficiency in project controls. Interviewers will look for concrete examples of how you manage budgets, forecast revenue, handle change orders, and utilize scheduling software (such as Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project) to keep complex initiatives on track.

Safety and Culture Fit Safety is paramount at Burns & McDonnell. You will be evaluated on your commitment to safety protocols and your ability to foster a safety-conscious environment. Additionally, as an employee-owned firm, they look for candidates who are collaborative, invested in the team's success, and ready to act like an owner.

4. Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Burns & McDonnell is thorough and structured designed to assess both your technical capability and your cultural alignment with an employee-owned firm. The process typically begins with a screening interaction, which may be a phone call with HR or a video screening via a platform like HireVue where you record answers to prompt questions. This stage focuses on your background, interest in the company, and high-level qualifications.

Following a successful screen, you will move to the core interview rounds. This usually involves meeting with the hiring team, which includes Department Managers, Section Managers, and peer Project Managers. These interviews are often a mix of behavioral and technical discussions. A distinctive element of the Burns & McDonnell process for Project Managers is the frequent requirement to prepare and deliver a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation about yourself, your career history, and a featured project. This presentation is a test of your communication skills and your ability to synthesize complex information—key traits for a client-facing PM.

The atmosphere is generally described as professional yet welcoming. The HR team is highly regarded for being responsive and organized. While the process can be rigorous, particularly regarding technical questions in your specific field (e.g., T&D, Renewables), the goal is to ensure you can thrive in their collaborative, high-performance environment.

The timeline above illustrates the typical progression from initial contact to offer. Note that the "Presentation" stage is a critical differentiator; use the time between the screen and the panel interview to refine your slide deck, as it serves as the anchor for your in-person or video panel discussion.

5. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Candidates for Project Manager roles are evaluated on their ability to balance technical oversight with commercial management. Based on candidate experiences, you should prepare for deep dives into the following areas:

Project Management Fundamentals

You must demonstrate mastery of the core mechanics of project management. Interviewers want to know how you set up a project for success and how you recover when things go wrong.

Be ready to go over:

• Project Controls: How you establish Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), manage critical paths, and track earned value.
• Financial Management: Your experience with forecasting, accruals, cash flow analysis, and managing profit and loss (P&L) for individual projects.
• Risk Management: How you identify risks early (e.g., permitting delays, supply chain issues) and what mitigation strategies you deploy.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you had to manage a project with a shrinking budget and tight deadline."
• "How do you handle a situation where a project is falling behind schedule due to a contractor's performance?"
• "Walk us through your process for approving invoices and managing change orders."

The "Seller-Doer" & Client Relations

Since you are expected to generate work as well as execute it, you will be tested on your business acumen and interpersonal skills.

Be ready to go over:

• Proposal Development: Your experience writing scopes of work, estimating fees, and participating in go/no-go decisions.
• Client Management: How you handle difficult client conversations, manage expectations, and turn a single project into a long-term relationship.
• Strategic Growth: Your ability to spot opportunities for cross-selling services (e.g., bringing in the environmental team on a construction project).

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How would you handle a client who is unhappy with a deliverable?"
• "Tell me about a time you identified a new business opportunity with an existing client."
• "How do you balance business development activities with active project execution?"

Technical & Safety Leadership

You do not need to be the deepest technical expert in the room, but you must be credible enough to lead experts. Safety is non-negotiable.

Be ready to go over:

• Discipline Coordination: How you manage interdisciplinary teams (civil, electrical, structural) to ensure design integration.
• Safety Protocols: Familiarity with OSHA standards, site safety plans, and your personal philosophy on safety leadership.
• Quality Control: Your approach to QA/QC reviews and ensuring deliverables meet client standards before submission.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you had to stop work due to a safety concern. How did you handle it?"
• "How do you resolve technical disagreements between different engineering disciplines on your team?"