Associate Director, Franchise Cost Engineering

Applied Digital; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Digital is seeking a highly analytical Associate Director, Cost Engineering & Franchise Analytics to own the enterprise‑wide should‑cost model for hyperscale data centers. You will benchmark cost drivers using internal data, market intel, and third‑party estimates to refine expectations across the platform.

You will lead cost models for building systems, site infrastructure, and tenant improvements, driving standardization and procurement strategies to reduce capital cost while

Qualifications

• Expert understanding of construction estimating, cost engineering, and cost benchmarking.
• Experience developing cost models for major data center projects.
• Ability to evaluate GMPs and contractor pricing against established models.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the enterprise should-cost model for the portfolio.
• Review designs for cost efficiency and drive standardization.
• Manage third-party estimating, quantity surveys and takeoffs.
• Prepare executive analyses for capital planning and escalation trends.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Development, Procurement, and Construction teams.

Skills

Cost engineering

Cost modeling

Data center knowledge

Excel proficiency

Executive reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Engineering

Architecture

Quantity Surveying

Construction Economics

Tools

CostX

Sage Estimating

Destini

Assemble

OST

ProEst

Job description

Reports to: Director of Integrated Platform and Execution

About Applied Digital:

At Applied Digital, we are the epicenter of AI innovation, crafting cutting‑edge data center solutions tailored for the demands of high‑performance computing. Designed from the ground up to support AI and machine learning workloads, our infrastructure is the backbone of tomorrow’s technological advancements, including AI‑driven video and generative platforms.

We are:

• Forward‑Thinkers: With a keen eye on current market trends and future innovations, we adapt swiftly and lead technological evolution.
• Resilient: We navigate complex challenges and emerge stronger, delivering robust and reliable solutions for industry pioneers.
• Innovative Designers: Leveraging the latest technologies, we create visionary solutions that redefine industry standards.

At Applied Digital, we are committed to solving intricate problems, advancing business initiatives, maximizing operational efficiency, and reducing our carbon footprint. We are a team of resilient, forward‑thinking innovators driving the AI revolution.

Position Summary:

Applied Digital is seeking a highly analytical and technically capable Associate Director, Cost Engineering & Franchise Analytics to own the development and maintenance of the company's enterprise‑wide "should-cost" model for hyperscale data center development This individual will serve as the organization's authority on cost drivers, benchmarking, and should-cost expectations for Applied Digital's data center platform. The role will leverage internal project data, market intelligence, third‑party estimating resources, quantity surveys, design reviews, subcontractor feedback, and commodity pricing trends to continuously refine cost expectations across the platform.

The successful candidate will build and maintain detailed cost models covering all major building systems and site infrastructure while identifying opportunities to reduce capital costs through design optimization, standardization, scope refinement, and procurement strategies.

This role serves as a key bridge between Development, Design, Procurement, Construction, Finance, Cost Controls, General Contractors, Trade Partners, and external estimating consultants.

The position ultimately ensures that project GMPs are transparent, defendable, and aligned with Applied Digital's internal cost expectations, while simultaneously creating feedback loops that improve future designs and reduce total cost across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities:

Enterprise Should‑Cost Model Ownership

• Own and maintain Applied Digital's franchise‑wide should‑cost model.
• Develop cost models for data center buildings, central utility plants, site infrastructure, and tenant improvements.
• Maintain cost assumptions, productivity factors, escalation assumptions, regional adjustments, and benchmarking data.
• Establish cost baselines that represent what Applied Digital projects should cost under prevailing market conditions.
• Develop and maintain standardized cost assemblies, benchmarks, and cost libraries that support repeatable franchise deployment.
• Track pricing evolution across successive projects and campuses.
• Continuously improve model accuracy through actual project outcomes and GMP feedback.
• Track market trends for major commodities and construction inputs, including:
• Structural steel
• Copper
• Electrical equipment
• Mechanical equipment
• Labor rates
• Monitor industry pricing shifts and evaluate impacts to future project budgets.
• Develop cost indices and benchmarking tools to identify cost movement across regions and project types.
• Create executive‑level reporting on market conditions, escalation risk, and cost trends.

Design Review, Optimization & Cost Reduction

• Partner with Engineering, Design Consultants, Development, and Construction teams to ensure designs remain aligned with cost objectives.
• Review evolving designs for cost efficiency and constructability.
• Identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary scope, reduce quantities, simplify systems, improve standardization, and lower overall project costs.
• Quantify financial impacts of design decisions and alternatives.
• Develop recommendations that reduce capital cost while maintaining performance, scalability, quality, and schedule objectives.
• Help establish franchise standards that drive repeatability and cost reduction.
• Capture and institutionalize lessons learned from completed projects to improve future campus designs.

Takeoffs, Quantity Surveys & Third‑Party Estimating

• Manage third‑party estimating, quantity survey, and takeoff consultants to support development of Applied Digital's should‑cost models.
• Validate third‑party estimates for completeness, assumptions, quantities, and scope alignment.
• Reconcile discrepancies between consultant estimates, contractor estimates, and internal benchmarks.
• Review General Contractor and major trade partner GMP submissions.
• Compare submitted pricing against internal should‑cost expectations.
• Identify scope gaps, quantity discrepancies, pricing anomalies, escalation concerns, and contingency differences.
• Challenge unsupported costs and assist project teams in validating commercial assumptions.
• Support negotiations through factual cost and quantity analysis.
• Develop reconciliation reports explaining variances between market pricing, consultant estimates, and submitted GMPs.
• Work with APLD Cost Control team to ensure changes post‑GMP are captured in the should‑cost modeling. This role is not responsible for change management post‑GMP, but should be a support function as‑needed.
• Analyze completed project data to identify cost trends and lessons learned.
• Building type
• Campus
• Trade
• System
• Market
• Delivery strategy
• Maintain enterprise cost metrics that support future budgeting efforts.
• Provide leadership with visibility into recurring cost drivers across the portfolio.
• Partner with the APLD Cost Control team to incorporate actual project cost outcomes, approved change order trends, and lessons learned into future benchmarking efforts and should‑cost models. This role does not own post‑GMP cost control, change order administration, project forecasting, pay application review, or cost reporting activities.

Executive Reporting & Strategic Decision Support

• Prepare executive‑ready analyses supporting capital planning and investment decisions.
• Develop forecasts of future construction costs and escalation impacts.
• Present cost‑saving opportunities and design optimization recommendations.
• Support leadership reviews related to budgets, GMP approvals, franchise design decisions, and capital allocation strategies.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Expert understanding of construction estimating, cost engineering, quantity‑based cost modeling, and cost benchmarking.
• Strong understanding of data center construction, commercial building systems, civil infrastructure, and utility systems.
• Proven ability to evaluate GMPs, estimates, quantity surveys, and contractor pricing against established cost models.
• Experience identifying cost drivers, scope gaps, pricing anomalies, and design optimization opportunities.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling capabilities with advanced proficiency in Excel and large data set analysis.
• Ability to develop executive‑level reporting and transform complex cost information into actionable business insights.
• Experience managing and influencing external consultants, contractors, and project stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills with a proactive ownership mindset.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Quantity Surveying, Construction Economics, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in estimating, cost engineering, preconstruction, quantity surveying, cost consulting, or owner‑side cost management.
• Experience developing estimates, validating GMPs, reviewing contractor pricing, and managing consultant deliverables on large capital projects.
• Experience supporting mission‑critical, industrial, infrastructure, manufacturing, or data center developments preferred.
• Demonstrated success building cost models, benchmark databases, and cost intelligence programs that influence project planning and design decisions.
• Experience with estimating and cost analysis platforms such as CostX, Sage Estimating, Destini, Assemble, OST, ProEst, or similar tools is preferred.

Physical Requirements:

Able to remain in a seated position for an extended period and to lift and carry up to 15 lbs. (office manuals, case notebooks, case files, case materials, standard boxes, report binders, etc.) as needed.

Travel

• Ability to travel up to 25%, as required, to active project sites and campuses
• Travel may include visits to multiple campuses and will include coordination with Campus Directors, Project Managers, and General Contractor scheduling teams

Please note that Applied Digital is currently unable to sponsor new applicants for employment authorization or provide immigration‑related support for this position. This includes, but is not limited to, visa categories such as H-1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1, O-1, and any Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) or other work authorizations that require employer sponsorship.