Planning Cost Esitmator (Remote + Travel)

On-Board Companies; Atlanta (GA); Remote; USD 104,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K

Dental insurance

Life Insurance

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Job summary

ON-Board Services, Incorporated is seeking an experienced Planning Cost Estimator to support facility planning and capital investment projects across the United States. You will develop planning-level cost estimates using benchmarking, parametric methods, and DoD-aligned processes, collaborating with engineers, economists, and client stakeholders.

The role requires 20–40 hours per week with 10–40% travel. Remote work is allowed with nationwide site visits, and a strong background in AACE Class

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Economics, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in cost estimating, facility planning, architecture, or construction management.
• Experience developing conceptual and planning-level cost estimates.
• Proven experience with AACE Class 4 and Class 5 estimates.
• Proficiency with MII and PACES estimation tools.
• Experience with federal/civil government or DoD planning projects.
• Ability to develop defensible estimates with limited information.
• Willingness to travel 10–40% nationwide.

Responsibilities

• Develop and document AACE Class 4 and 5 cost estimates for varied project scopes.
• Prepare estimates for new construction, modernization, renovation, and pre-engineered structures.
• Prepare comparative estimates for multiple development scenarios and alternatives.
• Evaluate renovation versus replacement, modernization, and new construction options.
• Support planning and programming deliverables including MILCON and DD Form 1391 documents.
• Conduct benchmarking and parametric cost analyses for planning-level studies.
• Document estimating assumptions, methodologies, risks, and escalation factors.
• Communicate cost information and methodologies to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Travel to military installations and federal facilities for workshops and charrettes.

Skills

Cost estimating

AACE class estimates

Planning & programming

DoD planning knowledge

Stakeholder comms

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree (Engineering / CM / Arch / related)

Tools

MII

PACES

Job description

ON-Board Services is hiring a Planning Cost Esitmator!

About Us:

ON-Board Services, Incorporated is a human capital firm specializing in talent acquisition for temporary, contract, long-term, RPO, Employer of Record, and direct placement services for engineering, technical, scientific, administrative, and technical positions.

Position Details:

Position Type: Full Time / Contract

Job Location: Remote / Travel based; open to US-based candidates

Benefits: 401K, Dental insurance, Life Insurance, Medical Insurance, Vision Insurance

Compensation: $50 - $60/hr, depending on experience & qualifications

Our Client is a global professional services firm that provides engineering, design, construction, and consulting solutions across infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, energy, water, and government sectors.

Overview / Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Planning Cost Estimator to serve as a technical subject matter expert supporting facility planning, programming, and capital investment projects throughout the United States. This role will work alongside facility planners, architects, engineers, economists, military planners, and client stakeholders to develop reliable and defensible planning-level cost estimates. The ideal candidate will have experience developing estimates throughout the project lifecycle, from early conceptual planning and programming studies through progressively defined project scopes. This position requires the ability to develop estimates with limited information using benchmarking, parametric tools, professional judgment, and stakeholder input. The role is expected to require approximately 20-40 hours per week, depending on project demands, with 10-40% travel. Candidates may be located anywhere within the continental United States and will work remotely when not traveling.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and document AACE Class 4 and Class 5 cost estimates, as well as other order-of-magnitude estimates based on conceptual scopes and limited project information.
• Develop cost estimates for new construction, modernization, renovation, adaptive reuse, and alternative delivery approaches, including modular, tensile, and pre-engineered structures.
• Prepare comparative estimates for multiple development scenarios and project alternatives.
• Evaluate renovation versus replacement, recapitalization, modernization, and new construction alternatives using planning-level cost methodologies.
• Support mission beddown and mission relocation studies.
• Support planning and programming deliverables, including DD Form 1391 documentation, Planning Charrette Reports (PCRs), economic analyses, MILCON estimates, and other federal project documentation.
• Conduct benchmarking and parametric cost analyses to support facility planning and capital investment recommendations.
• Develop estimates using MII and PACES methodologies and databases consistent with Department of Defense and federal planning/programming requirements.
• Develop planning-level quantities, unit costs, allowances, contingencies, and escalation assumptions when project scope is limited or evolving.
• Document estimating assumptions, methodologies, risks, exclusions, escalation considerations, and confidence levels.
• Participate in client workshops, planning charrettes, stakeholder meetings, facility assessments, and project work sessions as the cost estimating subject matter expert.
• Communicate cost information, assumptions, risks, and estimating methodologies effectively to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Review, revise, and refine estimates as additional project information becomes available.
• Travel to military installations, federal facilities, and client locations nationwide in support of planning workshops, assessments, charrettes, and stakeholder meetings.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Quantity Surveying, Facilities Planning, Economics, Business, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in cost estimating, facility planning, architecture, engineering, construction management, capital planning, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing conceptual and planning-level facility and infrastructure cost estimates.
• Proven experience preparing AACE Class 4 and Class 5 estimates.
• Demonstrated proficiency with MII (Micro-Computer Aided Cost Estimating System) and PACES (Parametric Cost Engineering System).
• Experience developing planning, programming, DD Form 1391, MILCON, and conceptual capital investment estimates.
• Experience supporting federal, defense, institutional, or large public-sector capital projects.
• Experience supporting renovation, replacement, recapitalization, modernization, and new construction projects and analyses.
• Ability to independently develop defensible conceptual estimates with limited project information.
• Ability to transition between highly conceptual estimates and estimates based on increasingly refined project information.
• Strong analytical, written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 10-40%, including nationwide travel on relatively short notice. Trips will typically range from 2–5 days, with occasional assignments lasting one to two consecutive weeks.
• United States Citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience supporting Department of Defense (DoD), military installation, or other federal facility planning and programming projects.
• Experience participating in planning charrettes, client workshops, facility assessments, and stakeholder engagement sessions.
• Strong knowledge of federal planning and programming processes and documentation requirements.
• Experience performing benchmarking, parametric estimating, economic analyses, and comparative cost analyses.
• Experience serving as the cost estimating subject matter expert within multidisciplinary planning or engineering teams.
• Experience developing estimates for alternative construction approaches, including modular, tensile, and pre-engineered structures.
• Familiarity with mission beddown, mission relocation, and military facility planning studies.
• Ability to effectively communicate estimating assumptions, risks, methodologies, and recommendations in collaborative client-facing environments.
• Candidates located nearAtlanta, GA, Arlington, TX, or St. Louis, MO, are preferred; however, relocation is not required.

ON-Board was founded in 1976 by Robert L. Wilson to provide Engineering and Design services to the chemical manufacturing industry. Today, ON-Board is a thriving privately held family of companies with services including: Consulting, Professional Engineering, RPOA, Industrial Maintenance and Facility Management, Contracted Manufacturing and Production Services, as well as Temporary Staffing and Recruiting throughout North America.

The ON-Board Family of Companies conducts operations through its Corporate Headquarters located in East Windsor, NJ along with Regional Offices in New Castle, DE, Baton Rouge, LA and Wake Forest, NC. ON-Board’s Mission is to provide “Flexible Service by applying the talents of our people, work processes and technology to meet our clients’ expectations in a Safe, Responsible and Dependable manner.”

ON-Board Companies provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

26-01502 INDE