Cost Engineer. Construction/Development

Job Description

Job Description

Position Title: Cost Engineer, Construction/Development

About Reef:

Reef is a Utah-based vertically integrated investment and development firm founded in 2005. Reef's team is currently involved in some of the most prominent development transactions in Utah and other targeted geographies across the United States.

Built on two decades of success, our investment approach combines proven expertise with purposeful innovation. Reef's team has completed more than 500 transactions across all lines of business. In addition to our real estate investment strategy, Reef and/or affiliates own and operate various businesses that add significant long-term value to its projects. We have grown rapidly, growing from about 25 employees to well over 400, with managed assets on behalf of over 750 institutional and individual partners worldwide.

With the motto "Expect the Best," Reef's most prominent developments include Black Desert Resort, a $2 billion luxury resort in Ivins, Utah; Marcella, a luxury private golf community in Park City, Utah; Tributer Resort, Virginia's newest premier private lakeside golf destination; Cornerstone Club, a 5,000-acre residential community, private club, and resort in Telluride, Colorado; Sweetens Cove, a renowned and evolving golf destination nestled in the Tennessee Valley; and the restoration of the historic Coco Palms Resort in Wailua, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

At Reef, our mission is to recruit, develop, and retain entrepreneurial individuals who desire to build and create something long-lasting and meaningful. Our business enables bright, committed people to work in high-performing teams within an environment that allows each person to achieve their professional objectives. Reef values a strong culture dedicated to the health and well-being of our employees.

Position Summary:

Reef is seeking a Cost Engineer to lead cost management efforts across multiple development projects to support the company's growth. The Cost Engineer supervises and performs cost estimating, cost evaluations, baseline cost reviews, and contractor and supplier cost analyses. They provide cost-related insights to support project planning and organizational decision-making while monitoring emerging cost trends for management attention.

This role maintains the corporate cost reference database for projects in design and construction, ensuring accurate and consistent cost information. Responsibilities may also include reviewing invoices to verify proper revenue collection. The Senior Cost Engineer oversees cost engineering, estimating, and cost control activities across several projects, driving accuracy, accountability, and financial efficiency throughout the project lifecycle.

Responsibilities:

• Lead project and program estimating efforts while maintaining corporate cost databases and reference materials.
• Track, analyze, and report project costs to support development decisions and opportunity evaluation.
• Review design scope, quantities, and estimate assumptions for accuracy; develop conceptual scopes when needed.
• Oversee preparation and validation of cost estimates, ensuring consistency across projects and disciplines.
• Establish pricing structures, cost formats, risk assessments, and confidence levels.
• Prepare and review direct and indirect cost estimates, including labor, equipment, temporary facilities, and external factors.
• Perform productivity analysis and validate labor and production assumptions.
• Support procurement by developing bid criteria, evaluating bids, and participating in vendor discussions.
• Maintain and update cost data, vendor pricing, and unit rate information.
• Conduct cost studies, trend analyses, and benchmarking using historical data and statistical methods.
• Implement performance measurement systems and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Define and enforce project cost control standards, ensuring accurate tracking, reporting, and compliance.
• Oversee cost reporting, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with management requirements.
• Review designs for cost efficiency and recommend value engineering alternatives.
• Coordinate scope integration, cost inputs, and overall project planning across teams.
• Interface with leadership, finance teams, and external stakeholders to present cost insights.
• Collaborate with project managers, engineering teams, and leadership to maintain alignment.
• Plan and lead reporting cycles, meetings, and communication with stakeholders.
• Recommend staffing plans and resource requirements for cost engineering and project controls.
• Support training and development of cost engineering processes and best practices.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, or similar), Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Finance, or a closely related discipline is required; a master's degree and ASCE or ASPE certification is a plus, but not required
• 5-10 years of experience in cost engineering, including cost estimating, cost control, and cost analysis in both field and home office environments.
• Experience in performing, monitoring, and reviewing cost engineering functions, which include cost estimating, cost control, and cost analysis, in the field and the home office.
• Experience establishing and using cost reference databases to build the corporate cost reference library.
• Knowledge of supervision, personnel administration, and training of technical and non-technical personnel.
• Statistical knowledge in the areas of sampling, distributions, probability, and hypothesis testing for metrics.
• Skilled in oral and written communication.
• Proficiency with PC operating systems, with experience using engineering and cost-engineering related programs
• Knowledge of financial reporting systems, controller account codes, and and understanding of Controller instructions, which impact Project Controls (including Project Financial Status Reports and Earned Revenue Determination Data).
• Intermediate level of knowledge of engineering, procurement, contracts, construction, and startup work processes.

Company Benefits:

• 401(k) Plan with Company Match
• Generous Health Plan with HSA Match
• Flexible Paid Time-off
• Daily Company Lunches
• Cell Phone Service Allowance
• Discounts at Company-owned Resorts and Golf Courses