Senior Estimator

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? Watch Our Story.

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures—it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centers driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration.

About the Role

In the role of Senior Estimator, you will perform general or discipline cost estimating, generating capital cost and/or services estimates, data analysis to identify problems and make recommendations, and control activities for project and/or proposal efforts. This isn’t just a job—it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.

Responsibilities

• Support estimate reporting and reviews.
• Provide technical direction to assigned personnel when delegated.
• Execute simultaneous tasks within broadly defined parameters.
• Prepare services, distributable, contractor indirect, and/or capital cost estimates in specialized discipline areas using current techniques and market pricing.
• Provide input on the level of effort required (cost/job hours) through coordination with functions and/or vendors, and consolidate input for costing.
• Perform and review methodology for quantity takeoffs from design drawings for multidiscipline sections and customize forms to reflect best effort.
• Prepare detail pricing for field office non-manual labor/other direct costs (ODC) and home office labor/ODCs.
• Produce capital costs estimate using a crew-based approach, including formation of crews from multiple disciplines.
• Provide detail pricing for manual labor rates.
• Develop unit rates for discipline-specific items.
• Assist in developing conceptual quantities to supplement partial design-build design documents.
• Prepare basis and assumption documentation denoting rationale, inclusions, and exclusions.
• Calculate fee based on established fee model.
• Quantify and spread escalation based on project schedule and estimated costs.
• Develop and perform analysis of project cash models and the corresponding time value of money as the cost of working capital correlating scheduled activities and cost.
• Generate payment schedules.
• Support risk analysis assessment by identifying areas of risk.
• Support contingency efforts as directed.
• Assist in developing unit staffing, job hour, and pricing data for a specific discipline or other specialty, including estimating parameters, factors, indices, and craft distribution reference data based on analysis of HDR and industry experience.
• Perform data analysis, identify problems, and make recommendations.
• Identify or define data sources and techniques for data acquisition.
• Prepare reports and estimate summaries for estimate reviews, as directed by supervisor.
• Participate in estimate reviews and presentations as appropriate.
• Support training activities as needed.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Construction Science Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• A minimum of 10 years' related experience.
• Advanced understanding of Microsoft Office software.
• Advanced understanding of construction estimating concepts, construction scheduling, and elements associated with Risk Intermediate Management fundamentals.
• Able to lead small project estimates.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous field experience.
• Knowledge and understanding of MEP systems.
• Preferred project experience to include: Data Center, Chip Manufacturing, Industrial, Healthcare, or Lab Science.
• Experience with Sage, Timberline, Bluebeam, Revit, HCSS, Excel, Navisworks, or Synchro.
• Certifications (one or more): AEP, CCT, CEP, CACM, CMIT, PSP, EVP, PMI-SP, EIT.
• Ability to interpret construction schedules.

Benefits

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, health, performance, and success, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and an employee assistance program.
• Paid time away, parental leave, and paid holidays.
• A retirement savings plan with employer match.
• Employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Pay

The expected compensation range for this position is $107,464 – $202,000, depending on skills, experience, education, and geographical location.

Schedule

Full-time, regular employee status.

Locations

United States (multiple locations, including but not limited to):

• Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson
• Colorado: Colorado Springs, Denver
• Georgia: Atlanta
• Missouri: Kansas City
• Nebraska: Lincoln, Omaha
• New York: New York
• North Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston-Salem
• Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
• South Carolina: Charleston, Columbia, Greenville
• Texas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Round Rock, San Antonio, Taylor, Tyler, Waco
• Utah: Salt Lake City
• Virginia: Alexandria, Arlington, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Richmond
• Washington: Bellevue, Seattle