Senior Cost Engineer (Term-Limited)

About the role

This is a term-limited position of 5 years. The incumbent will perform professional senior level technical expertise in preparing total construction cost estimates at different stages of project design.

Responsibilities

• Manages multiple estimating assignments concurrently and provides assistance to Project Controls Managers for tracking review/development by staff.
• Prepares total cost estimates using preliminary design criteria and narrative information; and documents estimate assumptions, exclusions, qualifications, and conditions.
• Prepares detailed total cost estimates based on 30% to 100% complete design drawings and specifications including total project estimate compilation, cost estimate presentation and reporting, supporting documentation, and assumption and basis of the estimates.
• Prepares detailed independent cost estimates (ICE) for construction changes for all work category disciplines.
• Covers with design groups, site construction manager and visits jobsites to determine actual change conditions and confirms scope as required.
• Prepares cost impact analysis related to the contract potential and/or directed change orders, and for comparison with cost trending analysis, and tracking.
• Recommends pricing thresholds to the project team and senior management.
• Prepares cost estimates for funding agreements (BCE) and conversion of cost estimates to the required Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formats for funding and grant request submittals.
• Reviews and analyzes consultant estimates, from preliminary engineering through final design; at final submittal, adjusts consultant estimate to add addendum changes, cost escalation, contingencies and provisional sum costs for risk impacts; issues as engineer estimate at bid; integrates cost estimates with the schedule to build stronger cost and schedule models, and expands their use from design to also monitor the construction projects; supports estimate reconciliation and estimate validation workshops with consultants and project stakeholders.
• Attends meetings with design groups, cost consultants, third parties, ST project and construction management, consultant construction management and contractors to determine scope and discuss costs for various projects and to resolve scope and costs for proposed changes; facilitates alignment between project controls, design, construction, and commercial teams regarding cost assumptions and project impacts.
• Maintains awareness of new trends and developments in the fields related to area of assignment. Incorporates new developments as appropriate; ensures processes, policies and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively.
• Serves as staff on a variety of committees as assigned; prepares and presents staff reports and other necessary correspondence; attends and participates in professional group meetings.
• Maintains awareness of current construction market prices and develops and maintains historical cost database; and continually maintains database based on current market prices.
• Develops project risk assessment; conducts construction risk analysis, risk mitigation, and cost contingencies analysis using risk analysis and simulation tools such as @Risk or Crystal Ball; supports quantitative risk analysis (QRA) and contingency development processes.
• Develops and implements standards for the preparation of cost (check) independent cost estimates for change order and contract amendment negotiations; assists the project controls manager with other cost estimating, risk assessments and risk mitigation as required.
• Provides support to the Director of Scheduling, Cost Estimating, Risk and VE, and the Executive Director of Transformation and others on matters as directed.
• Serves as a mentor to junior staff and consultants in cost engineering principles, estimating practices, and project controls procedures.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Policy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or closely related field.
• Five years of experience in developing project and construction cost estimates on major public capital projects that includes risk assessment, project control, and cost database development and reporting, preferably in major light rail projects or similar.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of estimating strategies and techniques, including conceptual, parametric, and detailed estimating methodologies.
• Thorough understanding of construction, contracts and terminology.
• Design criteria for light rail projects, project documents and all discipline design drawings and specifications, including civil, structural, architectural, systems, and utilities disciplines.
• Construction with field and bid experience in construction methods, labor productivities, work processes, equipment types/usage, scheduling of work activities, judgment related to incidental cost impacts, owner/general contractor/subcontractor contract relationships and claim analysis.
• Advanced construction cost estimating principles, escalation methodologies, contingency development, and cost benchmarking techniques.
• Resources used for cost estimates including labor/prevailing wage rates, equipment costs based on industry-standard cost databases and estimating resources, productivity information, material pricing, subcontractor pricing, and market trend analysis.
• Principles and practices of project controls integration, including coordination between scope, schedule, cost, risk, and change management functions.
• Contractual terms and conditions.
• Advanced methods and techniques of statistical and financial analysis and financial concepts.
• Computer and project controls/project management and estimating software skills.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Trends and developments in the fields related to area of assignment.