Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction (Heavy Civil)

Turner & Townsend•San Francisco, CA

5d•$100,000 - $140,000•Remote

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to provide cost management services for large-scale data center construction projects. The role focuses on ensuring client objectives are met through a disciplined, value-driven cost management approach, with a particular emphasis on heavy civil and site development works. This is a remote position, requiring the candidate to be physically based in the United States and legally authorized to work in the U.S. Occasional travel to project sites may be necessary. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, be comfortable in a client-facing role within complex construction environments, and be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of working both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, supporting senior team members.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related field.
3–5 years of relevant experience in cost management within construction, with exposure to large-scale infrastructure or heavy civil projects with transferable applicability to data center, mission critical, or similarly complex construction environments.
Experience supporting fast-paced construction programs with significant site development components.
Experience supporting cost management on medium to large projects.
Good understanding of construction methods, procurement strategies, and commercial management principles.
Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills.
Candidates must be physically based in the United States and legally authorized to work in the U.S.; remote work is permitted only within the United States.
Ability to travel to project sites as required.

Nice To Haves

RICS accredited or working toward accreditation preferred.
Construction consultancy experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Supporting the client on procurement strategies, including vendor prequalification, bid evaluation, and coordination of the appointment process.
Assist in the preparation of detailed cost estimates covering construction, fees, and other project costs, while supporting the review of estimates against benchmark data and previous project performance.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of cost plans aligned with early works, site development, and heavy civil scopes.
Assist in reviewing contractor and vendor proposals, including bid leveling and commercial evaluations.
Support value engineering exercises and risk assessments, including evaluating cost and constructability impacts.
Assist with cost reporting by preparing and updating cost reports, forecasts, and budget tracking tools.
Maintain project budgets, spend forecasts, and commercial risk registers under guidance.
Participate in periodic cost review meetings with project teams, contractors, and stakeholders.
Support cost control processes, including review of payment applications and contractor entitlement assessments.
Track and analyze change orders, supporting recommendations to the client.
Contribute to dispute avoidance and resolution efforts related to payments and change management.
Support the tracking of commitments, contingency, and cost impacts across the project lifecycle.
Assist in the preparation of monthly cost reports and client presentations.
Support final account reconciliation, post-contract audits, and project close-out activities.
Maintain cost data and contribute to benchmarking efforts, particularly for heavy civil and site development scopes.
Assist in documenting lessons learned and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
Perform duties using standard tools such as bid analysis sheets, change control documentation, estimating software, and quantity take-off tools.
SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and must be adhered to where applicable.