Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Life Sciences Construction

Turner & Townsend•Boston, MA

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to serve as a day-to-day client interface and deliver value-added cost management across complex life sciences projects. The position supports a portfolio of laboratory, R&D, and office developments, including new builds, expansions, and renovations in established biotech and pharmaceutical environments. The successful candidate will be self-motivated and comfortable working independently, as part of a team, and in a client-facing role. The role also includes leadership, team development, financial tracking, resource planning, and adherence to internal processes and applicable SOX controls. The base salary range is $140,000–$165,000 USD. Employees may also be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package. On-site presence and requirements may change according to client needs. Turner & Townsend describes its working environment as flexible and supportive of work-life balance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related field.
5–7 years of relevant experience in construction cost management.
Experience leading cost management on medium- to large-scale, complex construction projects.
Strong knowledge of procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting laboratory, pharmaceutical, or life sciences construction projects.
RICS accredited or working toward accreditation.
Construction consultancy experience.

Responsibilities

Estimate and negotiate change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
Provide estimates and cost planning, including producing and presenting final cost plans.
Review and work with design teams and general contractors to develop cost estimates for laboratory, R&D, and office fit-out projects.
Reconcile changes and help contractors maintain accurate cost data.
Gather status updates from contractors and owner project managers for cost reporting.
Prepare written comments on contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
Coordinate cost information from suppliers, subcontractors, and design teams.
Inform and influence engineering and design decisions based on cost impacts.
Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling and cost issues.
Manage cost checks and valuations on medium- to large-scale projects.
Participate in post-contract cost variance and change control processes.
Manage cost impact, contingency tracking, and commitment logs.
Support funding data presentations and coordinate value engineering sessions.
Develop and update cost plans through design phases and at key milestones.
Provide commercial input into design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead client-side negotiations.
Perform quantity surveying, cost control, and change management throughout the project lifecycle.
Maintain robust cost validation, auditing, and valuation processes.
Produce monthly cost reports for client presentation.
Negotiate and agree final accounts in a timely manner.
Compile as-built cost data for benchmarking laboratory and life sciences developments.
Support projects involving laboratory build-outs, R&D facility expansions, and campus-style developments.
Identify, coach, and mentor team members.
Demonstrate leadership and high-quality service delivery aligned with project objectives.
Manage financial tracking, fee forecasts, and resource planning using internal systems.
Implement and maintain consistent use of internal processes and best practices.
Contribute to a collaborative, high-performing team culture and adhere to applicable SOX controls.