Cost Estimator Lead - Data Center Construction

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries. Working across real estate, infrastructure, energy, and natural resources, we transform together, delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc.

Job Description

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Cost Estimator Lead to support a high-profile client’s large-scale, multi-building data center campus program. The role focuses on developing detailed civil, structural, and architectural (CSA) estimates for complex, innovative core-and-shell facilities. This position requires advanced estimating expertise, the ability to operate effectively in fast-paced and evolving environments, and proven experience supporting multi-phase delivery across major capital construction programs. This position is preferred to be based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a hybrid work schedule from Turner & Townsend’s San Francisco office. Remote candidates will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and management of cost plans and detailed CSA estimates from concept through detailed design across multiple geographies.
• Provide program-level estimating leadership across multiple projects and campuses to support portfolio-level decision-making.
• Present milestone cost updates (concept, schematic, DD, CD), clearly communicating basis of estimate, assumptions, inclusions/exclusions, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead quantity takeoffs and cost checks for complex, multi-package CSA scopes, ensuring alignment between scope, drawings/models, and estimates.
• Coordinate estimating activities across multiple teams and projects, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and clarity of outputs.
• Review contractor pricing including bids, pay applications, and change orders; perform comparative analyses and prepare recommendations for clients.
• Lead change evaluation and pricing analysis to support informed commercial decision-making.
• Drive benchmarking and cost modeling, building and maintaining historical cost data and metrics; support life-cycle cost (LCC) analyses.
• Facilitate and lead value engineering (VE) efforts; develop cost and schedule trade-off options and support feasibility and early-stage cost modeling.
• Support procurement and preconstruction activities including prequalification, bid list development, bid analysis, tender reporting, and contract documentation.
• Partner with cost management, procurement, and project controls teams to align estimating outputs with budgets, commercial strategy, and program planning.
• Assess design development and program changes and produce timely estimate updates at appropriate accuracy levels.
• Lead, mentor, and coordinate estimating staff, contributing to team development, training materials, templates, and estimating tools.
• Prepare leadership-ready and client-facing estimating materials for executive, preconstruction, and governance presentations.
• Promote Turner & Townsend’s values, purpose, and collaborative one-business culture.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and must be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related construction field.
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in construction estimating or cost management on large-scale capital programs.
• Data center or mission-critical construction experience strongly preferred, including multi-building campuses, greenfield developments, or major expansions.
• Proven expertise in conceptual estimating, quantity takeoff, and cost fundamentals across CSA scopes; familiarity with MEP systems is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience leading estimating teams and coordinating across multiple projects or programs.
• Strong knowledge of construction procurement strategies and commercial contract structures.
• Experience contributing to value engineering, feasibility analysis, and design/cost optimization.
• Excellent written, verbal, and client-facing presentation skills with the ability to distill complex information for decision-making.
• Highly organized, with the ability to prioritize across multiple concurrent projects in fast-paced environments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CostX (2D/3D takeoff, assemblies, workbooks) strongly preferred; familiarity with AutoCAD or Navisworks is advantageous.

Preferred:

• Professional accreditation (e.g., RICS) or active progress toward certification.
• Consultancy experience on large, complex construction programs.

Additional Information

• On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client’s needs.
• The base salary range for this role is $190K-$195K. Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package.
• We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change. We promote a healthy, productive, and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.
• Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
• All information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.