Cost Estimator

Regional Transportation District (RTD)

At Regional Transportation District (RTD), we make lives better through connections!

When you join RTD, you will be among dedicated employees exhibiting RTD's values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration, and ownership. RTD is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace. Come join RTD on this great journey to be the trusted leader in mobility, delivering excellence and value to our customers and community.

The Cost Estimator provides technical leadership, oversight, and quality assurance for capital cost estimating activities supporting multidisciplinary infrastructure investments within RTD's Infrastructure and Planning Services (IPS). This position supports project managers, engineering staff, planners, and technical stakeholders in developing, reviewing, and validating conceptual, preliminary, and detailed cost estimates throughout project development and delivery. The role promotes consistent estimating practices, validates estimate assumptions, identifies scope gaps and project risks, supports budget development and reconciliation, and drives continuous improvement in estimating methodologies and cost analysis practices across infrastructure and planning projects.

Duties & Responsibilities

Core Estimating Responsibilities

• Serves as technical subject matter expert for cost estimating, providing guidance and mentorship to IPS staff during project scoping, development, and budgeting activities; leads the development and continuous improvement of IPS cost estimating practices.
• Develops and maintains standardized cost estimating methodologies and templates for RTD infrastructure and planning projects.
• Develops conceptual, preliminary, and detailed cost estimates for infrastructure and planning projects of varying sizes and complexities, including rail infrastructure, stations, operating facilities, parking structures and lots, roadway and sidewalk improvements, bridges, and wall projects.
• Supports conceptual estimating for planning-level and early-stage development projects with evolving or incomplete scope definition.
• Reviews and validates cost estimates prepared by consultants, contractors, and internal staff to ensure consistency with RTD standards, project objectives, and industry best practices.
• Analyzes scopes of work, drawings, specifications, manufacturer information, site conditions, access, schedules, and related project documentation to identify inconsistencies, constructability concerns, and potential cost impacts.
• Conducts estimate reviews and cost analyses during procurement activities, design progression, project changes, and budget reconciliations.
• Prepares cost "check" estimates for change orders and contract amendment negotiations.
• Identifies scope gaps, constructability concerns, escalation considerations, contingency requirements, and estimate risks impacting project budgets and delivery assumptions.
• Collaborates with Program Management, Asset Management, project delivery teams, and other stakeholders to improve estimate quality and budget alignment.
• Participates in contractor negotiations related to project scope, pricing, and change orders.

Cost Data, Risk, and Forecasting

• Gathers publicly available data to validate proposed budgets, bid trends, including vendor pricing, construction costs, market trends, and price fluctuations.
• Monitors and analyzes regional construction market trends, labor availability, commodity escalation, and procurement conditions affecting infrastructure and planning projects.
• Develops and maintains relationships with manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors to obtain pricing, product, and market information supporting cost estimating and budgets.
• Supports development of long-range planning assumptions and estimate-to-complete forecasting for infrastructure and planning projects.
• Supports project cost risk assessments and development of risk-informed estimating methodologies for infrastructure and planning projects.
• Evaluates cost data and market conditions to provide recommendations regarding contingency levels, escalation assumptions, and budget risk mitigation strategies impacting project budgets and delivery assumptions.

Review, Validation, and Reporting

• Reviews and evaluates cost estimates for accuracy and completeness and conducts estimate audits and peer reviews at key project development milestones.
• Presents estimates and conducts cost-benefit analyses for stakeholders.
• Monitors project budgets and costs, updating estimates throughout project development and delivery phases.
• Maintains estimating records and supporting documentation within RTD document control systems and IPS project management practices.

Other

All other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualification:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering required, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in construction estimating or a similar role in an infrastructure, commercial or industrial environment, including experience with project scheduling, project bidding, cost management, and/or cost analysis.
• Possess and maintain a valid Colorado driver's license and a motor vehicle record that meets RTD driving standards.
• Experience developing or reviewing conceptual estimates with incomplete or evolving scope definition.
• Experience reviewing, validating, or auditing estimates prepared by multidisciplinary teams, consultants, or contractors.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Professional Estimator (CPE) or Certified Estimating Professional (CEP).
• Experience working in a public agency, transit, or highly regulated environment.
• Experience supporting transportation, public infrastructure, utility, facilities, or capital improvement programs.

OR

An equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Key Competencies & Characteristics:

• Strong knowledge of project scheduling, construction methods, materials, job assembly, construction equipment and estimating best practices.
• Strong understanding of conceptual estimating methodologies and risk-based estimating principles.
• Ability to read and synthesize complex information presented in scopes of work, drawings, specifications, and related project materials with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to identify scope gaps, estimate assumptions, and potential cost exposure during early project development phases.
• Strong analytical, organizational, research, mathematical, and strategic thinking skills in complex infrastructure delivery environments.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and make informed decisions.
• Knowledge of construction scheduling and sequencing, and the ability to anticipate and mitigate potential delays.
• Knowledge of applicable design and construction permitting requirements and processes.
• Ability to perform quantity take-offs from plans.
• Ability to work with estimating-related systems, databases, project scheduling and document control systems, and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong facilitation, collaboration, and mentoring skills across multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information effectively to diverse audiences.
• Strong time and workload management skills, including planning, organizing, and prioritizing assignments, manage competing deadlines, and maintain attention to detail.

Working Environment and Physical Requirements:

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.

The work environment is a hybrid of office and field environments. Field environment may include visits to active construction and project sites where the employee may be exposed to varying weather conditions, uneven terrain, loud noise, dust, and other construction-related environmental conditions.

Career Map: Based on job performance, experience, education, and position availability, the next step on the career map for this position may be the Program Development Manager.

We are considering all applications for this position up until the position close date of 7/22/26 11:59PM. For consideration, please be sure to apply before the posting end date.

Pay Range:

$92,003.00 - $129,954.50 Annual

EEO Policy and ADA Accommodations

RTD is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of the race, sex, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. RTD is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, promotions,

Regional Transportation District (RTD)