Our People
Meet Kosta Mallakis
Irvine, California, U.S.
-
Save to favoritesShare with your friends
-
With a deep-rooted passion for math and science, Kosta Mallakis followed in his brothers’ footsteps to become a civil engineer.
His love for field construction and managing large projects, sparked during his time as a student engineer, has driven his lifelong journey in the industry.
Currently, Kosta is a senior construction manager for rail & transit at Jacobs, where he’s not just building railways but also bridges—of the metaphorical kind – among his teams and colleagues. Right now, he’s knee-deep in an exciting project that will improve an on-dock rail network for a port in southern California that will support the movement of cargo by on-dock rail and reduce the carbon footprint of the supply chain in the area and looks forward to a long, exciting, and rewarding career with Jacobs.
His career began as student engineer with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, where they developed a waterline database and performed construction inspections. Kosta then managed large civil and rail projects at the Port of Los Angeles, co-founded a software company, and returned to railroad construction management in the private sector. Kosta’s extensive experience includes managing significant pier projects at the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles.
When not working, he’s spending quality time with his family, volunteering for the Boy Scouts as an Assistant Scoutmaster for his local troop, coaching girls’ basketball at his church, enjoying an informative book or playing golf.
“At Jacobs, the sense of camaraderie and integrity among team members is unparalleled. It’s inspiring to be part of a group where everyone is committed to helping each other succeed and delivering exceptional results for our clients.”
Kosta Mallakis
Get to know Kosta
What is your current role and what is one exciting thing you are working on right now?
I’m a Senior Construction Manager for Rail & Transit at Jacobs. I’m working with the team on an exciting opportunity to improve the movement of cargo by on-dock rail in southern California.
What’s your favorite part of your role?
My favorite part of my role is leading teams to deliver solutions for our clients and seeing large complex projects evolve from inception to completion. It’s extremely gratifying to work as part of a team in delivering high quality projects on time and within budget.
What excites you about the future of this industry?
The role of a construction manager and program manager is so critical to the success of project and service delivery and is recognized as essential, which excites me for our growing industry. There’s so much excitement for the increased need for professional consulting services in the rail and ports & maritime industry, which continues to grow. This is exciting for me and gives me confidence in the future of our industry.
Can you share one piece of advice?
Have confidence in your abilities and challenge yourself to pursue your dreams always with a smile, high integrity and in service to others.
What is the biggest challenge in your market?
I think the biggest challenge today in the rail industry is the ability for tenants and owners to build construction improvements to existing facilities with limited to no disruptions or delays to rail service. This challenge is mitigated through early and extensive planning and coordination with all stakeholders and with the support of highly qualified and experienced support from qualified team leaders, including program management and construction managers.
What do you enjoy most about being part of #OurJacobs?
I enjoy the professionalism of everyone at Jacobs and how you feel part of a team knowing that everyone genuinely wants to help you be successful and each of us operates with the highest level of integrity. I also appreciate the broad areas of expertise and service provided by the team at Jacobs. I look forward to a long and successful career at Jacobs knowing I can write my future.