Capital Cost Estimator – Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP)

Lilly • Indianapolis, IN

5d • $130,500 - $211,200 • Onsite

About The Position

The Capital Cost Estimator develops owner-side Class 5 through Class 1 estimates for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, building controls, and utility distribution systems for complex pharmaceutical manufacturing and infrastructure projects. The role turns evolving engineering scope, design information, execution strategies, market data, and benchmarks into complete, traceable estimates that support project decisions. Estimate considerations include installation labor, equipment setting, supports, testing, commissioning interfaces, temporary services, and MEP trade indirect costs.

The position is part of Lilly’s Global Facilities Delivery organization, which delivers new and renovated capital assets worldwide through design, construction, and qualification contractors. Many assets support manufacturing medical innovations, expanding the supply of existing medicines, and delivering solutions to patients.

The role is based onsite at Lilly Technology Center-South in Indianapolis, Indiana. The employee must reside in or relocate to Indianapolis and may travel up to 25%, including to domestic and international project locations. The anticipated wage is $130,500–$211,200. Full-time equivalent employees may also be eligible for a company bonus and a comprehensive benefits program, subject to eligibility and company terms.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, quantity surveying, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• At least 5 years of direct capital cost estimating experience for industrial, manufacturing, life sciences, or similarly complex capital projects.
• Demonstrated experience personally developing estimates across multiple levels of project definition, including conceptual and detailed estimates.
• Authorization to work in the United States on a full-time basis; Lilly will not sponsor or support work authorization or visas for this role.
• Must reside in or relocate to Indianapolis, Indiana, with onsite presence at Lilly Technology Center-South.
• Ability to travel up to 25%, including to domestic and international project locations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience estimating pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, food, semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, or other process-intensive facilities.
• Experience in both owner and contractor estimating environments.
• Professional certification such as AACE Certified Estimating Professional (CEP), Certified Cost Professional (CCP), or equivalent credential.
• Experience with benchmarking, estimate reconciliation, value engineering, bid leveling, and change estimate development.
• Familiarity with CSI MasterFormat, Uniformat, equipment-based process estimating, and owner work breakdown structures.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple estimate assignments, and clearly communicate limitations and uncertainty.

Responsibilities

• Develop Class 5 through Class 1 capital cost estimates using methods suited to project-definition maturity, including capacity-factored, parametric, assembly-level, unit-rate, and detailed quantity takeoff methods.
• Prepare estimate plans, workbooks, quantity takeoffs, pricing build-ups, Bases of Estimate, assumptions, exclusions, qualifications, and supporting documentation.
• Interpret business requirements, basis-of-design information, drawings, specifications, equipment lists, process flow diagrams, P&IDs, layouts, schedules, contracting strategies, and construction execution plans to define scope and cost.
• Develop labor, material, equipment, subcontract, construction management, temporary facilities, logistics, indirect cost, escalation, and contingency inputs for assigned disciplines and estimate classes.
• Obtain and normalize vendor budget quotes, contractor pricing, market rates, productivity factors, location factors, escalation inputs, and historical cost data.
• Identify and document scope gaps, overlaps, ambiguities, estimate risks, cost drivers, and missing inputs, including how they are treated in the estimate and Basis of Estimate.
• Benchmark costs using historical project data, comparable facilities, market intelligence, and normalized unit-cost metrics; validate estimate reasonableness, identify cost drivers, and explain variances.
• Develop and maintain internal benchmarking databases using actual costs from completed and active projects, and maintain current insights into relevant external benchmarks.
• Complete estimate reconciliation, variance analysis, and estimate-to-estimate bridging as scope and design mature.
• Support multidisciplinary estimate reviews and page-turns with project teams, engineering partners, construction partners, procurement, and project controls.
• Prepare estimate summaries and cost narratives for project reviews, funding decisions, value engineering, option analysis, bid evaluation, and change assessment.
• Maintain estimates in Oracle Unifier PMIS to provide a complete and auditable estimate trail.

Benefits

• Company bonus eligibility for full-time equivalent employees, depending in part on company and individual performance.
• Company-sponsored 401(k) participation eligibility.
• Pension.
• Vacation benefits.
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits eligibility.
• Flexible benefits, including healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts.
• Life insurance and death benefits.
• Certain time off and leave of absence benefits.
• Well-being benefits, including an employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior