Senior Cost Estimator
CityOfNewYork
Posted: May 14, 2026
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Quick Summary
The Senior Cost Estimator position involves leading the cost estimation process for construction projects, ensuring accurate and timely cost control, and collaborating with project teams to achieve project goals and objectives.
Required Skills
Job Description
Hours: Full-time – 35 Hours
Work Location: 30-30 Thomson Avenue, LIC, NY 11101
Only candidates who are permanent in the Associate Project Manager title, reachable on DDC’s Promotional Exam #3573, or the Open Competitive Exam #3110 may apply. Please include a copy of your Notice of Results or indicate if you are permanent in the title. If you do not meet the previously mentioned civil service criteria, you will not be considered for an interview.
The NYC Department of Design and Construction seeks a Senior Cost Estimator to advance project controls practices under the general supervision of the Senior Project Controls Specialist and work with the Advanced Capital Planning Unit to support the City in planning its capital needs and address citywide strategic goals. The role involves preparing cost estimates by analyzing record drawings and specifications, reviewing existing conditions, schedules, bid records, and scoping documents, and assessing risks and complexity. The candidate will collaborate closely with the ACP Director and program managers, Project Controls leadership, estimators, and schedulers, and other stakeholders, including other City agencies.
Responsibilities include integrating schedule, risk, complexity, and cost cognizant of existing building and site conditions; utilizing top-down estimating; planning and scheduling packaging collaboration with the ACP Unit; management of WBS; reviewing and analyzing prior bids to establish projected unit costs; tracking unit production rates and construction costs; and ensuring adherence to project controls procedures. The position will involve field visits, coordination with ACP Unit and other project controls specialists, and supervising or mentoring junior staff to resolve project controls issues and support the planning efforts of the Advanced Capital Planning Unit. The emphasis is on preparing fully informed preliminary cost estimates to inform decisions on best path forward for the future capital projects of multiple City Agencies.
This role provides exposure to innovative technologies such as BIM, virtual design and construction and reality capture, advanced analytics, and project management information systems. The selected candidate will research and integrate emerging tools for quantity take-offs, cost estimation, and data analysis, contributing to ongoing improvement of estimating procedures and resources. Working closely with senior project controls professionals, the candidate will receive mentorship and professional development opportunities to support career growth in project controls and cost management, while ensuring accurate, comprehensive, and efficient cost estimating for a wide range of construction disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and general construction.
Please note: All candidates must be currently authorized to work full-time in the United States (U.S.). In compliance with Public Law 99-603, candidates are required to present original documents proving citizenship or the legal right to work in the U.S. DDC is unable to support or sponsor any visa application or visa extension, including but not limited to OPT/STEM visas, H-1B visas, F-1 practical training, permanent residence sponsorship, or any proposed change of visa type. DDC does not offer a training program as required by U.S. immigration law, and is not hiring temporary employees. Candidates must have proper work authorization when an employment offer is made.
Additionally, educational credentials must be from a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accredited institution. Credentials from foreign institutions require independent equivalency verification from an approved evaluation service. A list of providers (fees apply) is available at: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/nyc-dcas-foreign-education-evaluation-guide.pdf
All applicants, including City Employees:
Please go to NYC Government Jobs | Explore Careers | City of New York, go to Search for Open Jobs, and type in the Job ID # listed above. Submit job application as prompted. Do not apply via Employee Self-Service (ESS), e-mail, mail, or fax your resume to DDC directly.
ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER - 22427
One year of full-time satisfactory experience in supervising employees performing project management work, such as planning, administering, managing, coordinating, or expediting, on engineering and/or architectural and/or landscape architectural projects, or supervising a construction project with a value of $1,000,000 or more, and either:
1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, engineering technology, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural technology, construction, construction management, construction technology, sustainable design, urban planning, urban studies, city planning, transportation planning, business administration, or public administration, and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in project management work, such as planning, administering, managing, coordinating, or expediting, for engineering and/or architectural and/or landscape architectural projects; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and five years of experience as described in "1" above; or
3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent plus any combination of college or university education and/or experience described in "1" above to make up the equivalent of five years of education and experience. One year of experience credit will be given for: (a) each 30 semester credits of college or university education leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, engineering technology, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural technology, construction, construction management, construction technology, sustainable design, urban planning, urban studies, city planning, transportation planning, business administration, or public administration; (b) a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in one of the disciplines described in "1" above; (c) a Juris Doctor degree, or (d) a valid New York State license as a Professional Engineer, Registered Architect or Registered Landscape Architect. Where experience which is primarily of a design nature is not acceptable towards meeting the qualification requirements.
In addition to meeting the qualification requirements for Assignment Level I, candidates must have at least one additional year of experience as described in "1" above in a supervisory capacity or have served for at least one year as a project manager for a large and/or complex construction project.
In addition to meeting the qualification requirements for Assignment Level I, candidates must have at least two additional years of experience as described in "1" above in a supervisory capacity or have served for at least two additional years as a project manager for a large and/or complex construction project.
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.