Senior Cost Estimator

PACO Group, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 117,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Group Life Insurance

LTD and AD&D

Job summary

PACO Group, Inc. is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Estimator to provide independent cost estimating, estimate assurance, and commercial support for major capital infrastructure programs in large, complex environments.

You will work with project leadership to ensure cost accuracy, commercial integrity, and successful delivery. Responsibilities include reviewing contractor estimates, evaluating change orders, and developing independent pricing for negotiations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Economics, Finance, or related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in Project Controls, Commercial Management, Construction Management and major infrastructure projects.
• Experience on projects exceeding $500 million.
• Experience working for owners, program managers, construction managers, or major infrastructure contractors.
• Significant estimating experience in Rail & Transit, Transportation Infrastructure, Bridges & Highways, Utilities, Airports, Marine & Port facilities or large public infrastructure programs.
• Highly desirable certifications include CCP, PSP, PMP, PE, MRICS/FRICS, CPC.

Responsibilities

• Review and validate detailed contractor and consultant estimates.
• Analyze quantities, labor productivity, equipment utilization, indirect costs, escalation, and contingency.
• Evaluate estimating methodologies and identify cost risks.
• Benchmark estimates against industry standards.
• Provide expert recommendations regarding estimate accuracy and completeness.
• Review contractor change order proposals and claims.
• Develop independent pricing to support negotiations.
• Support contract administration and dispute resolution.
• Analyze construction means and methods and schedule impacts.
• Support forecasting, contingency management, and cost reporting.
• Present estimate findings to project leadership and facilitate review workshops.

Skills

Estimating

Project Controls

Commercial Management

Infrastructure Experience

Pricing & Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Construction Management/Quantity Surveying/Economics/Finance

Tools

CostOS

Oracle Primavera Cloud

Microsoft Project

EcoSys

ARES PRISM

Procore

Excel

Power BI

Power Query

Oracle

SAP

Sage

Job description

Location: NY, NY

Employment Type: Full-Time

We are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Estimator to provide independent cost estimating, estimate assurance, and commercial support for major capital infrastructure programs. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned estimating professional who thrives in large, complex transportation and infrastructure environments and enjoys working alongside project leadership to ensure cost accuracy, commercial integrity, and successful project delivery. If you have extensive experience reviewing contractor estimates, evaluating change orders, and supporting commercial negotiations on multi-million or billion-dollar infrastructure projects, we'd like to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Review and validate detailed contractor and consultant estimates
• Analyze quantities, labor productivity, equipment utilization, indirect costs, escalation, and contingency
• Evaluate estimating methodologies and identify cost risks
• Benchmark estimates against industry standards
• Provide expert recommendations regarding estimate accuracy and completeness

Change Management & Commercial Support

• Review contractor change order proposals and claims
• Evaluate labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, overhead, profit, and schedule impacts
• Develop independent pricing to support negotiations
• Support contract administration and dispute resolution
• Recommend fair and reasonable pricing strategies

Construction Cost Support

• Analyze construction means and methods
• Evaluate sequencing, phasing, access restrictions, and schedule impacts
• Support forecasting, contingency management, and cost reporting
• Provide independent commercial guidance throughout project execution
• Evaluate estimate confidence levels and uncertainty
• Analyze market trends, labor availability, procurement risks, and material pricing
• Assist in developing cost management strategies and recommendations

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with Project Controls, Construction Management, Commercial Management, Engineering, Procurement, Quality, and Program Management teams
• Present estimate findings and recommendations to project leadership
• Facilitate estimate review workshops and commercial discussions
• Build strong relationships with contractors, consultants, and stakeholders

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Economics, Finance, or related discipline
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in:
• Project Controls
• Commercial Management
• Construction Management
• Experience supporting major infrastructure construction projects

Preferred

• Experience on projects exceeding $500 million
• Experience working for owners, program managers, construction managers, or major infrastructure contractors

Preferred Industry Experience

Candidates should have significant estimating experience in one or more of the following:

• Rail & Transit
• Transportation Infrastructure
• Bridges & Highways
• Utilities
• Airports
• Marine & Port Facilities
• Large Public Infrastructure Programs

Candidates whose experience is primarily limited to vertical building construction may not meet the requirements for this position.

Preferred Technical Skills

• CostOS

Project Controls

• Oracle Primavera Cloud
• Microsoft Project

Commercial & Change Management

• EcoSys
• ARES PRISM
• Procore

Data & Reporting

• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Power Query
• Microsoft Power BI
• Microsoft 365

ERP Systems

• Oracle
• SAP
• Sage

Preferred Certifications

Highly desirable certifications include:

• Certified Cost Professional (CCP)
• Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Professional Engineer (PE)
• MRICS or FRICS
• Certified Professional Constructor (CPC)

Candidates actively pursuing these certifications are encouraged to apply.

Compensation

Good-faith compensation rate range is around $85-$95 per hour, depending on experience, qualifications, certifications, technical expertise, and client requirements.

Benefits Summary

401(k) and 401(k) Employer Matching.

Group Life Insurance, LTD and AD&D.

EEO Diversity Statement

PACO Group, Inc. is committed to furthering opportunities for everyone in the national construction market. The firm periodically reaffirms this commitment through an active affirmative action plan. It provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all employees without unlawful discrimination regarding race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, religion, military status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or citizenship status. As an equal opportunity employer, we have recruited, hired, promoted, and retained an ethnically and socially diverse professional staff. Our efforts to date have produced a multidisciplinary workforce - a record of diversity that extends to the highest levels of the firm's management.

Why Join Us?

You'll play a critical role on some of the region's largest capital infrastructure programs, working alongside industry leaders to ensure projects are delivered with sound commercial judgment, accurate cost forecasting, and strong financial stewardship.

If you're passionate about infrastructure, commercial excellence, and delivering high-quality project outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.