Senior Estimator

Rise Real Estate•Jacksonville, FL

3d•$120,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

RISE is a vertically integrated real estate platform that develops, constructs, and operates multifamily communities designed for long-term ownership. Unlike third-party GCs, RISE builds and holds its own assets, meaning every construction decision directly impacts investment performance, lease-up timing, operational efficiency, and long-term asset value. The estimating team operates at the intersection of development, design, procurement, and construction execution, offering a role for professionals who want influence at the deal level, not just responsibility for producing numbers. This Lead Estimator position serves as the central cost authority within the platform, working alongside development, acquisitions, and construction leadership to protect the financial integrity of projects before they are built and throughout execution. The role owns cost across the full project lifecycle, including conceptual underwriting and feasibility, design phase cost management, GMP/hard-bid estimating, subcontractor procurement and bid leveling, and buyout reconciliation and cost analysis. Decisions made in this role directly impact ROI, project viability, and long-term asset performance.

Requirements

8+ years of estimating experience with minimum 5 years operating as Lead Estimator on multifamily or mixed-use projects.
Proven experience owning estimates from conceptual feasibility through GMP formation and buyout reconciliation.
Strong understanding of multiple construction types including wood-frame, podium, concrete, and structural steel systems.
Advanced takeoff, quantity analysis, and Excel-based financial modeling capability.
Proven subcontractor relationships and bid management experience across multiple CSI divisions.
Ability to build defensible estimates from incomplete or conceptual design information.
Comfortable operating in environments where cost decisions directly affect ownership returns and investment strategy.

Nice To Haves

Experience within vertically integrated owner/developer/GC organizations strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop conceptual and underwriting-level estimates used to evaluate acquisitions and new development opportunities.
Validate pro forma assumptions with development and acquisitions teams.
Translate conceptual plans into accurate unit-based and GSF cost models tied to real-time market conditions.
Identify escalation exposure, scope gaps, constructability concerns, and budget risk early in the process.
Provide continuous cost guidance throughout schematic design, DD, and construction documents phases.
Partner directly with architects, engineers, and internal stakeholders to maintain alignment between design intent and financial targets.
Lead value engineering efforts with clear understanding of cost, schedule, operational, and quality impacts.
Maintain live cost-to-complete visibility throughout design development.
Structure bid packages that drive competition while eliminating scope ambiguity.
Lead subcontractor outreach, bid leveling, scope analysis, and award recommendations.
Build and maintain subcontractor relationships capable of supporting long-term pipeline execution.
Maintain cost databases and benchmarking systems that inform portfolio-wide decisions.
Reconcile estimate assumptions against actual buyout outcomes.
Support project management teams during buyout and early construction phases.
Capture lessons learned and feed cost intelligence back into future developments.