H-1B Visa Senior Cost Estimator Jobs
Senior Cost Estimators qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field. Roles in construction, defense, and infrastructure consistently generate LCA filings, making this a strong target for H-1B job seekers with quantitative project experience.
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Company Description
Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.
Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.
Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.
We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.
Job Description
Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Estimator to support a major data center client, delivering cost management services throughout the project lifecycle. Responsibilities include cost planning, estimating, forecasting, cost reporting, change management, procurement support, and project closeout.
Candidates local to the Miami area are preferred. However, for exceptional candidates with highly relevant data center, mission-critical, or cost management experience, a more flexible onsite arrangement may be considered.
This is a client-facing role requiring both pre-contract estimating and post-contract cost management experience, as well as the ability to lead commercial discussions and support project delivery from planning through closeout.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and manage project budgets, cost plans, forecasts, and benchmark analyses throughout the project lifecycle.
- Prepare and present cost reports, commercial updates, and financial analyses to project stakeholders and senior leadership.
- Lead cost planning, estimating reviews, and budget validation activities from project initiation through completion.
- Support procurement activities, including bid package development, contractor selection, proposal evaluation, leveling, and commercial recommendations.
- Review contractor and subcontractor pricing, proposals, and change order requests.
- Provide full lifecycle cost management services from pre-construction through construction, closeout, and final account settlement.
- Manage post-contract cost activities including cost reporting, change management, contractor pay application reviews, forecasting, contingency management, and final account negotiations.
- Monitor project expenditures, commitments, contingency utilization, and forecasted final costs.
- Monitor and report project financial performance throughout construction, identifying cost variances, risks, trends, and mitigation strategies.
- Perform cost checks, valuations, benchmarking exercises, and budget reconciliations.
- Collaborate with project teams to identify value engineering and cost optimization opportunities.
- Maintain oversight of project cash flow forecasting and financial reporting.
- Support commercial risk management efforts, including contingency planning, cost risk assessments, and contract compliance reviews.
- Assist in the resolution of commercial issues, claims, and disputes while minimizing project risk exposure.
- Review project controls documentation and ensure alignment between scope, schedule, and budget objectives.
- Produce monthly cost reports and participate in client and project team meetings.
- Manage project financial closeout activities, including final account negotiations and vendor settlements.
- Maintain cost databases and benchmarking information to support future project planning and delivery.
- Mentor junior cost management professionals and contribute to team development.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives and implementation of best practices across project delivery.
- Ensure compliance with internal controls, delivery methodologies, and governance requirements.
- Be a role model that drives a one-business culture and delivers successful outcomes for clients, colleagues, and stakeholders.
- SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related construction field.
- Minimum 5-7 years of experience in cost management, quantity surveying, estimating, or commercial management within the construction industry, including both pre-contract estimating and post-contract cost management responsibilities.
- Experience supporting mission-critical, data center, advanced technology, industrial, infrastructure, or other highly technical construction projects is required.
- Demonstrated experience delivering full lifecycle cost management services from planning and procurement through construction, change management, forecasting, and project closeout.
- Experience preparing and reviewing cost reports, managing change orders, forecasting final costs, and administering post-contract commercial processes during construction.
- Experience reviewing estimates, contractor pricing, change orders, and commercial negotiations.
- Knowledge of construction procurement strategies, value engineering, cost control, and risk management principles.
- Experience working in active operational environments is preferred.
- Construction consultancy experience strongly preferred.
- RICS accreditation or progress toward chartership preferred.
- Excellent communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and client-facing skills.
Additional Information
On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.
Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.
We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this 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 your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.
Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.
See all 32+ H-1B Visa Senior Cost Estimator Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Senior Cost Estimator
Verify your degree field matches the role
USCIS requires your degree to align directly with cost estimating, not just general business. Engineering, construction management, or applied mathematics degrees strengthen your specialty occupation case. A mismatch here is a common RFE trigger.
Search LCA filings by occupation code
Use Migrate Mate to filter employers by H-1B LCA filing history under the cost estimator SOC code. This shows you which companies have actually sponsored this role before, not just which ones say they're open to sponsorship.
Target defense contractors and infrastructure firms
Federal contractors on long-term government projects file H-1B petitions regularly for cost estimators because the roles recur. Companies with active DOD or DOE contracts often have established immigration processes and dedicated HR support.
Confirm the prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
Your employer's LCA must certify wages at Level I through Level IV. Run your job title and location through the OFLC Wage Search before negotiations so you know which tier applies and can flag any offer that falls short.
Flag your cost software certifications during screening
Proficiency in HCSS, Timberline, or MCACES (MII) signals that you're performing specialized technical work, not generalist estimation. This specificity supports the specialty occupation argument USCIS reviews during adjudication.
File with premium processing if your start date is firm
USCIS premium processing upgrades adjudication to 15 business days. If your employer has a project deadline tied to your start date, request that they elect premium at filing to avoid a gap between your offer letter and your ability to begin work.
H-1B Visa Senior Cost Estimator: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Senior Cost Estimator role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, provided the position requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as engineering, construction management, or applied mathematics. USCIS looks at whether the specific job duties demand that theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge. Generic estimation roles where any business degree suffices are harder to defend, so the job description matters.
Which industries hire H-1B sponsored Senior Cost Estimators most often?
Defense, heavy construction, oil and gas, and large-scale infrastructure projects generate the most consistent H-1B LCA filings for cost estimators. Federal prime contractors and engineering procurement construction firms are particularly active sponsors because their project pipelines require specialized estimators on a recurring basis. You can browse employers with verified filing history on Migrate Mate.
What happens to my H-1B status if my project ends and the employer has no immediate next assignment?
Your H-1B status is tied to your employer, not a specific project. If the employer keeps you on payroll at the certified wage, your status remains valid even during a bench period. If they terminate you, you have a 60-day grace period under USCIS rules to find a new sponsor, change status, or depart the U.S.
How does a prevailing wage determination affect a Senior Cost Estimator offer?
Your employer must file an LCA certifying they'll pay at least the prevailing wage for your job title, location, and experience level. DOL sets four wage levels using O*NET data and regional surveys. A Level III or IV designation is common for senior roles. If the offered salary falls below the certified wage, the LCA won't be approved and the H-1B petition can't proceed.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new cost estimating employer mid-project?
Yes. H-1B portability under AC21 lets you start working for a new employer as soon as they file a transfer petition, without waiting for approval, as long as your current H-1B was approved and you haven't fallen out of status. The new employer files a new I-129 and LCA. Your prior project experience and certifications carry over and support the specialty occupation case for the new petition.