Senior Cost Engineer for Data Center Projects

Currie & Brown; Berwick (Columbia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job description

Currie & Brown is currently seeking a Cost Engineer / Quantity Surveyor to support large-scale mission critical and data center construction projects for leading technology clients. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive cost management, quantity surveying, commercial management, estimating, procurement and contract administration services throughout the project lifecycle, from preconstruction through final closeout.

The successful candidate will support project leaders in delivering exceptional client service, achieving successful project outcomes, sharing knowledge across projects, driving innovation, and reinforcing Currie & Brown's reputation as a trusted advisor within the data center and high-tech construction sectors.

Responsibilities for a Successful Candidate

• Prepare conceptual, schematic, design development and construction document cost estimates.
• Develop and maintain detailed Bills of Quantities (BOQs).
• Produce trade-specific estimates for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural systems.
• Perform quantity take-offs and cost reconciliations between design stages.
• Conduct value engineering and cost optimization studies.
• Assess labor, material and market escalation risks.
• Develop and maintain estimating databases and benchmarking tools using Power Bi and Excel.

Procurement & Bid Management

• Review contractor RFQ and tender documents.
• Analyze contractor bids and prepare comparative bid analyses.
• Benchmark submissions against independent estimates and market data.
• Support procurement strategies and subcontractor buyout reviews.
• Evaluate commercial risks, exclusions, assumptions and qualifications.
• Assist with GMP validation and contract value negotiations.

Cost & Commercial Management

• Manage project budgets, commitments, forecasts and cash flow projections.
• Monitor cost performance and identify commercial risks and opportunities.
• Develop weekly and monthly cost reports and dashboards.
• Track contingency utilization and commitment exposure.
• Support portfolio-level reporting and performance analysis.

Payment Application Review

• Audit contractor payment applications and schedules of values.
• Validate quantities installed and progress claimed.
• Review supporting documentation, stored materials and lien waivers.
• Verify approved change orders and contingency allocations.
• Prepare payment recommendation reports for client approval.

Change Order & Contract Administration

• Prepare independent estimates for change requests and owner-directed changes.
• Review contractor change order submissions and supporting documentation.
• Evaluate entitlement, pricing, schedule impacts and commercial risk.
• Support change negotiations and resolution.
• Maintain change logs and commercial trackers.
• Interpret contract provisions and provide commercial guidance to project teams.

Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Prepare executive summaries, cost reports and project dashboards.
• Present commercial findings and recommendations to owners and project stakeholders.
• Support audits, governance reviews and commercial performance assessments.
• Collaborate closely with project controls, construction management, procurement and finance teams.

Project Closeout

• Review final account submissions.
• Reconcile contract values, payments and approved changes.
• Validate financial closeout documentation and lien releases.
• Support project closeout audits and final commercial reporting.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, Cost Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum of five years' experience in cost engineering, quantity surveying, commercial management or cost consulting.
• Strong understanding of construction contracts, procurement and commercial administration.
• Experience preparing estimates, BOQs, cost reports and change order evaluations.
• Experience reviewing contractor payment applications and project cost forecasting.
• Working knowledge of mechanical, electrical and building systems.
• Ability to analyze and interpret drawings, specifications and contract documents.
• Excellent analytical, communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting mission critical, data center, industrial or large-scale commercial construction projects.
• Professional certifications such as MRICS, RICS APC Candidate, CCP, PMP or equivalent.
• Experience with, Procore, Bluebeam, Power BI, SAP and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Advanced Excel and data analytics capabilities.
• Familiarity with earned value management and project controls methodologies.

Currie & Brown is one of the world's leading physical assets management and construction consultancies, dedicated to advising clients in respect of the management and utilization of their physical assets. We differentiate ourselves through innovation, expertise and experience, helping our clients achieve exceptional outcomes across the built environment.

With principal offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Shanghai, we operate throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, India and the Middle East.