Director of Preconstruction Jobs
Director of Preconstruction jobs are open across general contracting, commercial development, and infrastructure, covering seniority from lead estimator to VP of Preconstruction, with specializations in cost estimation, design coordination, and project delivery strategy. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Summary
The Director, Office of Preconstruction, Construction and Pavements is responsible for providing executive direction over the activities within the office to effectively promote, implement, and administer national policies regarding contract administration, construction practices, and pavement technologies within the Federal-aid highway program (FAHP).
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This job is open to
The public
Senior executives
Clarification from the agency
Open to U.S. Citizens.
Duties
The Director, Office of Preconstruction, Construction and Pavements:
- Serves as the agency expert and represents the Office and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in making technical decisions on design criteria, policy, or standards and their application on Federal-aid projects.
- Provides leadership in formulating and promoting pavement engineering policies and guidance in support of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and FHWA strategic goals.
- Develops national policies, criteria, and standards to improve the structural design, and rehabilitation of roadway pavements, and to develop and implement national policies and corporate strategies to heighten focus on traditional and innovative construction methods and construction quality.
Develops national geometric design, consultant services, utilities, value engineering, and contract administration policies and guidance in support of DOT and FHWA strategic goals, objectives, and corporate management strategies. - Directs the guidance and oversight of the construction contracting process used by the States and local governments in procuring works under the FAHP.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
- Provide all required documents by closing date.
- A Secret clearance is required.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Complete a one-year SES probationary period (unless already completed).
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)
- SECURITY CLEARANCE: You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
- WRITING SAMPLE: A writing sample may be required.
- PRESENTATION: Applicants may be asked to prepare and present a presentation, provide a presentation on a scenario-based situation or a similar activity as a part of the applicant evaluation process.
Qualifications
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.
TQ 1. Demonstrates executive level experience providing leadership in developing, implementing, or evaluating surface
transportation laws, regulations, policies, and principles involving pavements and materials, quality assurance, infrastructure design, construction management, contract administration, and/or consultant services.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.
There are five ECQs:
- ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding – This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
- ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency -This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
- ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
- ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
- ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM’s SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.
There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:
- Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
- FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
- SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)"
Education
If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)
Additional information
Veterans Preference: Veterans’ preference is not applicable to the SES.
Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.
Tiering: The Department/Agency structures its SES positions into categories (i.e. tiers) to determine the pay range for each position. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department/Agency.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm
Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
Retirement/Pension Plan - You will be covered by a defined benefit, contributory Federal retirement system that provides benefits for both normal retirement (with as few as 5 years of civilian service) and for circumstances that might occur earlier, such involuntary retirement because of disability.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) - You may participate in a retirement savings investment plan that offers before-tax savings and tax-deferred investment earnings. For more details, please visit the TSP website
Employee Assistance - Employees and their immediate families can take advantage of free confidential counseling with health professionals as part of the Federal Employees Assistance Program.
Transit Benefits - We subsidize up to $315 of mass transit commuting costs each month.
Information related to performance, suitability, and security will be verified. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment.
To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Our benefits package offers:
Annual Leave (paid vacation), Sick Leave, and Holidays - You will earn 26 days of annual leave and 13 days of sick leave per year. In addition, the Federal Government observes 11 regular paid holidays each year.
Health Benefits - Employees and family members are eligible for health benefits at reasonable rates with no required medical examinations or restrictions because of age or physical condition. Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - You may choose to participate in the FSA Program. This program allows you to set aside money, on a pre-tax basis, for certain kinds of out of pocket medical expenses or dependent care costs of a child or parent
Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program - You may elect to participate in the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.
Life Insurance - You may participate in the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance program. The program offers employees an opportunity to acquire life insurance protection at group rates with a government contribution toward the cost of basic insurance.
For more details on the various health and life insurance benefits offered to most Federal Employees click here
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual’s application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.
OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
- RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.
- VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.
- ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:
- CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
- SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.
- CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Most recent performance evaluation.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select and upload your resume and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the “Include Personal Information” section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.
Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.
If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, at Transjobs@dot.gov.
Agency contact information
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Overview
- 0340 Program Management
- Credentialing
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Find JobsDirector of Preconstruction Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in director of preconstruction jobs.
- 10 or more years of construction estimating and preconstruction experience
- Demonstrated experience leading preconstruction on commercial, industrial, or institutional projects
- Proficiency in estimating software such as Sage Estimating, WinEst, or Bluebeam
- Strong knowledge of construction cost databases, subcontractor bid management, and value engineering
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field
- Professional certifications such as DBIA, LEED AP, or Certified Professional Estimator preferred
Tips for Your Director of Preconstruction Job Search
Quantify your estimate-to-award conversion rate
Hiring managers want proof your estimates actually win work. Pull your win rate from past proposals, the total value of awarded contracts you estimated, and the average variance between your estimates and final project costs. These numbers make your resume concrete and credible.
Tailor your resume to the project type
A director of preconstruction who has built K-12 schools reads differently to a healthcare GC than one with data center or multifamily experience. Lead each application with the project type in the job posting, and reorder your project list to front-load matching work.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists director of preconstruction openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight your subcontractor network depth
Employers in competitive markets care whether you can deliver reliable subcontractor coverage. Name the trades you have strong relationships with, the markets those relationships cover, and any history of pulling qualified bids in short turnaround windows. That depth is hard to teach and easy to verify.
Prepare a preconstruction process walkthrough for interviews
Most director of preconstruction interviews include a scenario question asking you to walk through how you'd approach a project from schematic design through GMP. Practice a crisp version of your process, naming the handoffs, risk flags, and tools you use at each stage.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
Before accepting an offer, clarify which project types you'll own, how early you enter the design process, and whether you have direct authority over the estimating team. Scope misalignment is a common reason directors leave within two years, so settle it in the offer conversation.
Director of Preconstruction Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most director of preconstructions?
Moss, Michels, and OHLA USA are hiring the most director of preconstructions right now, with openings concentrated in Ohio, Florida, and Georgia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Activity tends to cluster around general contractors and construction management firms with active commercial or institutional pipelines.
How many director of preconstruction jobs are remote?
About 50% of director of preconstruction openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the site-visit and subcontractor-relationship demands of the role. Work that leans toward strategy, estimating oversight, and client presentation is most likely to allow remote or hybrid arrangements, while roles tied to active design coordination are predominantly on-site.
How do you become a director of preconstruction?
Most directors of preconstruction build up through estimating or project management roles, taking on increasingly complex project types before moving into a preconstruction manager position. From there, demonstrating ownership of the full estimate-to-GMP process, managing an estimating team, and winning work at a consistent rate are the clearest paths to a director title. Certifications in estimating or design-build can accelerate the progression.
Can you get hired as a director of preconstruction without direct leadership experience?
It is uncommon but possible if your estimating volume and project complexity are strong enough. Candidates who have led preconstruction on large projects as a sole contributor, managed subcontractor bid processes end to end, and presented budgets directly to owners often make a credible case even without a formal management title. Framing your resume around outcomes rather than org chart position helps close that gap.
What does the director of preconstruction interview process look like?
Most processes run three to four rounds. The first is a screening call with HR or a recruiter focused on background and project types. The second brings in the VP of Operations or a senior leader for a deeper conversation about your estimating philosophy and project history. A third round often involves a scenario exercise or presentation, and final rounds typically include executive leadership. References from project owners or design partners carry significant weight at the offer stage.
Where can I find and apply to director of preconstruction jobs?
You can find and apply to director of preconstruction jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your project type experience and seniority, then apply directly to each one that fits.
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