Senior Cost Estimator (Transportation)

Overview Cordoba Corporation is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Estimator to support major transportation and transit programs throughout the Pacific Northwest. Based in Seattle, this position will provide advanced construction cost estimating expertise for complex capital programs involving light rail, rail systems, State of Good Repair, transit facilities, and other major transportation infrastructure. The Senior Cost Estimator will be responsible for developing, reviewing, validating, and reconciling conceptual, parametric, and detailed construction cost estimates from early planning and preliminary engineering through final design, procurement, construction, and project closeout. This position will develop engineer's estimates and independent cost estimates; establish estimate assumptions and basis; evaluate quantities, labor, equipment, productivity, market conditions, escalation, risk, and contingency; and assess the cost impacts of design development, construction changes, and alternative delivery strategies. The Senior Cost Estimator will work closely with project managers, designers, engineers, schedulers, construction managers, contractors, consultants, commercial teams, and client stakeholders to provide independent, defensible cost information that supports project budgeting, procurement, change negotiations, risk management, and executive decision-making. Responsibilities Construction Cost Estimating Develop conceptual, parametric, preliminary, detailed, and engineer's estimates for major transportation and transit capital projects. Prepare construction cost estimates throughout design development, including conceptual, 30%, 60%, 90%, 100%, bid, and construction-phase estimates . Develop detailed estimates from design criteria, drawings, specifications, quantity takeoffs, technical reports, site conditions, construction phasing, and other project information. Prepare estimates across multiple transportation disciplines, including civil/site work, structures, stations and facilities, track, utilities, traction power, train control/signals, communications, and MEP systems . Perform detailed quantity takeoffs and develop unit-price analyses incorporating labor, equipment, materials, productivity, subcontractor pricing, indirect costs, and applicable markups . Develop comprehensive Basis of Estimate (BOE) documentation clearly identifying estimate methodology, scope, assumptions, exclusions, qualifications, pricing sources, escalation, contingency, and risk provisions. Develop total construction cost estimates incorporating direct and indirect construction costs, allowances, escalation, contingency, provisional sums, risk provisions, and other applicable project costs. Establish and maintain estimating structures aligned with the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), cost breakdown structure, bid packages, and contract strategy . Engineer's Estimates & Independent Cost Estimates Prepare and validate engineer's estimates to support construction procurement and bid evaluation. Prepare detailed Independent Cost Estimates (ICEs) for construction changes, change orders, contract modifications, amendments, and other commercial actions. Evaluate contractor and consultant estimates for completeness, reasonableness, quantities, labor productivity, equipment, materials, subcontractor pricing, overhead, markups, and alignment with project scope. Develop independent pricing positions and recommendations to support project management and senior leadership. Establish appropriate pricing thresholds and identify significant deviations from anticipated market pricing. Estimate Review, Validation & Reconciliation Independently review estimates prepared by designers, consultants, contractors, and third-party estimators. Evaluate estimates for scope completeness, quantities, unit rates, constructability assumptions, escalation, contingency, risk, market conditions, and consistency with design maturity . Lead and participate in estimate validation and reconciliation workshops with project teams, designers, construction managers, consultants, and other stakeholders. Reconcile differences between independent estimates, consultant estimates, contractor pricing, and project budgets and document the basis for agreed adjustments. Identify cost gaps, scope omissions, inconsistencies, duplicate costs, unrealistic assumptions, and emerging cost trends. Develop clear recommendations regarding estimate reliability, cost exposure, and areas requiring further evaluation. Construction Change & Commercial Estimating Prepare cost-impact analyses for potential changes, directed changes, design revisions, field conditions, and contract modifications . Evaluate contractor change proposals and independently assess labor, equipment, material, subcontractor, overhead, markup, schedule-related, and other proposed costs. Support project teams during change-order and contract-amendment negotiations through development of independent cost positions and supporting documentation. Coordinate with design and construction teams and conduct site visits when required to validate actual field conditions, quantities, access constraints, construction methods, and change scope. Support evaluation of claims and commercial impacts by providing independent cost analysis and documentation. Construction Market Intelligence & Cost Benchmarking Research and monitor Seattle and Pacific Northwest construction market conditions , including labor availability, prevailing wage rates, material pricing, equipment costs, subcontractor capacity, escalation, supply-chain conditions, and contractor market activity. Develop and maintain historical and current construction cost databases using bid results, completed projects, current market pricing, industry-standard databases, and other reliable sources. Benchmark project costs against comparable transportation and transi