Estimating & Benchmarking Lead

KBR•Houston, TX

About The Position

KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions (STS) provides solutions across the asset life cycle, including licensed process technologies, advisory services, technical expertise, energy transition solutions, design capabilities, and smart solutions for planned and operating assets. KBR is seeking an Estimating & Benchmarking Lead to oversee the estimating group and serve as the project's estimating subject matter expert. The role leads the development, review, validation, reconciliation, and benchmarking of capital cost estimates throughout the project lifecycle. It provides estimate assurance, cost validation studies, benchmark analyses, and other estimating assessments; supports early-stage project budgets and tracks performance against approved budgets; and oversees check estimates and estimate updates as projects progress. The role coordinates estimating activities with project controls, engineering, procurement, construction, and contractor organizations, and provides insights to client and PMC leadership. The successful candidate must be able to relocate to an engineering office for a year and then to the job site.

Requirements

Minimum 15 years of estimating, cost engineering, or project controls experience supporting major capital projects.
Demonstrated experience developing, reviewing, and validating capital cost estimates across multiple project phases.
Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Finance, Business, or a related discipline.
Strong knowledge of estimating methodologies, benchmarking, contingency development, estimate assurance, and cost analysis.
Experience supporting large industrial, manufacturing, life sciences, energy, or infrastructure projects.
Must be able to relocate to an engineering office for a year and then to the job site.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or other regulated manufacturing projects.
Experience in an Owner's Representative, PMC, EPCM, or Integrated Project Management Team (IPMT) environment.
Experience supporting large projects with multiple phases exceeding $500 million TIC.
Proficiency with Aspen Capital Cost Estimator or similar cost estimating software.
Professional certifications such as CCP®, CEP®, EVP®, PSP®, PMP®, or equivalent credentials.
Familiarity with benchmarking databases, estimating software, and capital project governance processes.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, review, validation, reconciliation, and benchmarking of project capital cost estimates throughout the project lifecycle.
Serve as the project's estimating subject matter expert and provide independent estimate assurance, cost validation, and benchmarking analyses.
Support development of project budgets, contingencies, and funding requirements during early project phases.
Monitor estimate performance against approved budgets and identify trends, risks, variances, and cost growth drivers.
Oversee development of check estimates, estimate updates, and independent assessments as the project progresses.
Coordinate estimating activities with project controls, engineering, procurement, construction, and contractor organizations.
Provide estimating insights and recommendations to client and PMC leadership to support project decision-making.