Cost Engineer

About Us

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $8.1 billion in revenue for 2025, Clayco specializes in the "art and science of building," providing fast track, efficient solutions for mission critical, industrial, life sciences, power & energy, aviation, commercial, institutional, residential and sports & entertainment related building projects.

The Role We Want You For

As a Project Cost Engineer, you will assist in the development and management of the project financial strategy. You will be working directly with the project management team to manage the project budget, costs, change orders, pricing requests, billings, and forecasts. You will be responsible for generating and maintaining reports that provide information to different groups, work with the management team to identify variances, risks and maintain quality control processes to improve project cost procedures and ensuring conformity with management's strategy.

The Specifics of the Role

• Works with all project disciplines to ensure understanding of total project cost budget allowances and targets.
• Review project documents and specifications to accurately identify, develop and track request of change orders (owner and subcontractor related), baseline estimates, potential risk exposures while communicating potential impacts to the financial targets, schedule, and overall project management process.
• Works closely with the accounting department to ensure the correct integration of all information needed to ensure accuracy in billings, payment applications, change orders, direct cost, labor cost, etc.
• Works closely with the project management team, executive management personnel, subcontractors, as well as occasional contact with clients.
• Responsible for cost engineering, cost estimation, cost analysis, and control activities for projects with significant non-routine requirements or for proposal estimating activities which require a moderate degree of technical skill and experience.
• Ensuring quality, accuracy, consistency, spend profile, performing change management, and transparency in all cost management deliverables.
• Take ownership of the cost control function and ensure integrity of the cost and forecast reporting.

Requirements

• Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or Construction Management, or related degree.
• 1-4 years of Project Cost experience.
• Preferred 1 year of experience in the construction industry.
• Knowledge of project development stages, procurement, project controls, and construction execution practices is required.
• Working knowledge of applicable computer software such as PMWeb or similar project portfolio management software, DataServ, Excel, JD Edwards, or related software programs.
• Effective problem-solving skills.
• Results oriented and deliver on customer commitments.

Some Things You Should Know

• Our clients and projects are nationwide – Travel will be required.
• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!
• This position is classified as a safety-sensitive role in accordance with applicable state and federal laws. Candidates selected for this position will be subject to a comprehensive background check, which includes mandatory drug testing.

Why Clayco?

• 2025 Best Places to Work – St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2025 ENR Top 400 – Top Data Center Contractor (Top 3).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms – Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors – Green Contractor (Top 3).

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.