Life Sciences Cost Manager & Quantity Surveyor Lead

Sccsinternational; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management for life sciences projects, including lab, R&D, and office developments. The role involves acting as the day-to-day client interface, delivering value-driven cost control and reporting across complex programs.

Ideal candidates will have 5–7+ years of relevant construction cost management experience and strong communication with stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5–7 years of relevant experience in construction cost management.
• Experience in laboratory, pharmaceutical, or life sciences projects preferred.
• RICS accreditation preferred or working toward it.

Responsibilities

• Estimate and negotiate change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Provide cost planning, including final cost plans and reporting.
• Develop cost estimates with design teams and contractors for lab, R&D, and office fit-out projects.
• Reconcile changes and assist contractors to ensure cost data accuracy.
• Communicate with contractors and owner project managers to gather status updates for cost reporting.
• Prepare written comments on contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
• Coordinate all sources of cost information, including suppliers, subcontractors, and design teams.
• Inform and drive engineering and design decisions based on cost impact.
• Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling and cost issues.
• Manage cost checks and carry out valuations on medium to large-scale projects.
• Participate in post-contract cost variance and change control processes.
• Manage cost impact, contingency tracking, and commitment logs.
• Support funding data presentations and coordinate value engineering sessions.
• Develop cost plans through design phases, delivering updates at key milestones.
• Provide commercial input into design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead negotiations on behalf of the client.
• Perform quantity surveying, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure cost validation, auditing, and valuation processes are robust and maintained.
• Produce monthly cost reports for client presentation.
• Ensure timely negotiation and agreement of final accounts.
• Compile as-built cost data for benchmarking across similar laboratory and life sciences developments.
• Support delivery across projects involving laboratory build-outs, R&D facility expansions, and campus-style developments.
• Identify, coach, and mentor team members to realize their potential and celebrate success.
• Demonstrate strong leadership and high-quality service delivery aligned with project objectives.
• Manage financial tracking, fee forecasts, and resource planning using internal systems.
• Implement and maintain consistent use of internal processes and best practices.
• Act as a role model contributing to a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Mentoring and coaching

Client-facing experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in construction management or related field

RICS accreditation (preferred)

Job description

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management for life sciences projects, including lab, R&D, and office developments. The role involves acting as the day-to-day client interface, delivering value-driven cost control and reporting across complex programs.

Ideal candidates will have 5–7+ years of relevant construction cost management experience and strong communication with stakeholders.