Amazon

Chief Estimator, AMER Estimating and Cost Control

Amazon$153K — $254K *
Real Estate & Construction
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field such as Construction Management or Engineering.
  • 8+ years of progressive construction cost estimating or management experience in commercial, industrial, or infrastructure settings.
  • 3+ years of experience in a people management role, demonstrating leadership skills.
  • Experience managing third-party vendors in estimating delivery.
  • Proficiency in cost estimating software and databases like RSMeans or CostX, as well as general construction document interpretation skills.
  • Exceptional analytical abilities with strong communication skills for presenting insights to senior leadership and stakeholders.
  • Familiarity with multi-geography pricing strategies and regional market dynamics.

Responsibilities

  • Build and mentor a team of Regional Estimating Managers and Technical Estimators.
  • Oversee key estimating scope areas, improving the cost estimation cycle continuously.
  • Manage third-party vendor relationships, ensuring quality and timely deliverables.
  • Drive a feedback loop between estimates and actual costs for ongoing accuracy improvement.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams for annual capital planning and budgets.
  • Develop cost databases and methodologies that reflect current market conditions.
  • Produce both conceptual and detailed cost estimates for large-scale data center constructions.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • 401(k) matching plan to support retirement savings.
  • Paid time off and parental leave policies.
  • Support for adoption and surrogacy expenses.
  • Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources.
Full Job Description
We are seeking an experienced Manager, Construction Estimating (Chief Estimator equivalent) to lead the estimating function within the AMER Estimating and Cost Control (ECC) organization.

This is a high-impact people management role. You will build and lead a team of Regional Estimating Managers aligned to AMER construction regions and Discipline Specific Technical Estimators (Electrical, Mechanical, and Civil/Structural/Architectural) - providing end-to-end construction estimating capability for a portfolio primarily focused on North and South America deliverables, but with significant Global cross functional work and opportunity. Your team will produce estimates that inform capital authorization, operating plans, and award decisions for billions of dollars in annual data center construction.

This role is foundational to ECC's mission: Managing the end to end cost lifecycle from initial estimate through final account. Estimates improve every cycle because the team that produced them sees what actually happened.

Key job responsibilities

- Build, lead, and develop a team of estimating professionals and vendors across regional, product, and discipline lines, including hiring, performance management, and career development

- Own delivery and performance of the key ECC estimating scope areas: Basis of Design (BOD) Estimating, Design Intercept and Innovation Estimating, New Regions Planning, Project-Level Estimating (AMER), Operational Plan (OP) Support, Capital Appropriations Requests Assembly, Initial Budget Creation Support, and End-to-End Cost Planning

- Manage third-party estimating vendor contracts and deliverables, ensuring quality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness at scale - supply capacity and performance will never be the bottleneck

- Drive the estimate-to-actual feedback loop with Cost Control, systematically benchmarking estimates against portfolio actuals to improve accuracy every cycle

- Lead estimating team inputs into the annual Operating Plan (OP) capital planning cycle alongside Preconstruction, Finance, and Cost Control - delivering estimate-anchored market-relevant forecasting

- Own the Estimating Team inputs into pre-award budget packages: CAR assembly, estimate-to-CAR handoff with Preconstruction and Techincal infrastructure Project Manager (TIPM), and initial budget creation inputs for new projects based on AMER and Global benchmarks

- Collaborate globally on Basis of Design estimates, PDCM/First of Kind/Intercept/Innovation costing, and new regions planning with Design Engineering and global estimating teams

- Develop and maintain cost databases, estimating tools, templates, and methodologies that reflect current market conditions across multiple AMER geographic markets

- Produce conceptual and detailed cost estimates for data center construction from schematic design through construction documents

- Communicate cost insights, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership, translating complex estimating data into actionable capital governance decisions

- Partner with Construction Management, Design Engineering, Finance, DCSP, and Preconstruction as the subject matter expert for all estimating matters - customer obsessed, partner first

A day in the life

You start the day reviewing estimate deliverables from your regional managers and third-party vendors - a West Coast campus civil estimate is due for review prior to being used in a CAR request, and a Central/SE region estimate needs reconciliation against recent GC RFP Round pricing. Your discipline estimators flag a PDCM intercept from Design Engineering that requires a rapid cost impact assessment for a mechanical innovation. You coach your team through prioritization, unblock vendor issues, and ensure the estimate quality meets ECC standards.

By midday, you're in a cross-functional sync with Preconstruction and Finance discussing OP planning assumptions - your team's estimate-anchored forecasts are the starting point for capital planning across the AMER portfolio. After lunch, you review benchmarking data from the ECC Analytics team, using actual project costs to calibrate your team's next round of estimates. You close the day aligning with your Cost Control peers on a feedback loop for recently completed projects - the data that makes next quarter's estimates better.

This role operates in a hyper-growth environment where data center demand is accelerating, construction markets are dynamic, and the ability to produce accurate, timely estimates directly impacts AWS's capacity delivery and capital efficiency. You will travel periodically to construction sites and regional offices across AMER.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil Engineering, or a similar technical discipline

- Experience in construction of data center delivery (design, commissioning and construction), mission critical facilities, or equivalent industrial/manufacturing facility builds

- 3+ years of people management experience

- Experience working with and managing third party vendors

- 8+ years of progressive experience in construction cost estimating, cost management, or quantity surveying in commercial, industrial, or infrastructure construction

- Demonstrated experience producing conceptual through detailed construction cost estimates for large-scale, complex projects ($500M+)

- Proficiency with cost estimating tools and databases (e.g., RSMeans, CostX, Sage/Timberline, proprietary cost databases, Bluebeam, On-Screen Takeoff, or equivalent)

- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret construction drawings, specifications, and contract documents across multiple disciplines (MEP, civil, structural, architectural)

- Experience with multi-geography pricing - understanding regional labor markets, material escalation, and supply chain dynamics across the U.S.

- Exceptional communication skills with the ability to present cost insights to senior leadership (L8+) and translate estimating data into capital governance recommendations

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Master's degree in construction management, Engineering, or MBA

- Experience with Basis of Design estimating, design-phase cost input, and value engineering

- Track record of building estimating programs from the ground up - establishing tools, templates, processes, and cost databases

- Experience with capital planning cycles, Budget assembly, or capital governance processes

- Experience with reverse engineering awarded contracts to validate subcontractor pricing and identify cost optimization opportunities

- Familiarity with hard bid, negotiated, and design-build delivery methods

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, VA, Herndon - 153,200.00 - 254,500.00 USD annually

USA, WA, Seattle - 153,200.00 - 254,500.00 USD annually

About Amazon

Audible is a provider of spoken audio information and entertainment , on the Internet. They provide premium spoken audio content, such as audio versions of books and newspapers and radio programs, that is delivered over the Internet and played back on personal computers and hand-held electronic devices. The Audible service allows consumers to purchase and download their content from their Website, store it in digital files and play it back on personal computers and electronic devices. More than 15,000 hours of audio content are available on their Web site, including audio versions of books, periodicals and radio programs. Several manufacturers have agreed to support and promote the playback of their content on their hand-held audio-enabled electronic devices.

Amazon Careers

Joining Amazon presents an unparalleled opportunity to become part of a vibrant team pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth in the global marketplace. As a leader in e-commerce, technology, and logistics, Amazon offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and professional interests. Work You’ll Do At Amazon, every day is an opportunity to collaborate with the brightest minds in technology and business to redefine what’s possible. Whether you’re interested in software development, marketing, human resources, or customer service, Amazon has a position waiting for you. Transform the way the world shops and innovates with our diverse and inclusive team. Amazon is not just a company; it’s a community where you can drive real change and contribute to projects impacting millions globally. Lead with Innovation and Leadership Amazon is the perfect place to enhance your leadership and innovation skills. Our culture encourages pushing the envelope and imagining the unimaginable. Here, you will lead projects that challenge the status quo and define new industry standards. Work with a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. Our leadership is focused on harnessing the collective power of unique perspectives to foster growth and innovation. Explore Amazon’s Employment Benefits Amazon’s commitment to its employees extends beyond just career growth. We offer competitive benefits, including health care, parental leave, and diversity training, ensuring that our team not only excels professionally but also enjoys well-being and security. Internship and Networking Opportunities Start your career with an Amazon internship and gain hands-on experience that matters. Our internships provide a gateway to full-time employment and an opportunity to network with professionals across various sectors of the company. Future-Proof Your Career With Amazon, your career path is filled with numerous opportunities for advancement. Our learning and development programs are designed to nurture your professional growth and keep you at the forefront of industry trends. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the job opportunities at Amazon that match your skills and interests. We are constantly on the lookout for passionate, curious, and innovative team players ready to make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Explore the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await at Amazon. Amazon is more than just a company—it’s a platform for building a promising future. Whether you’re starting or looking to advance your career, Amazon offers the resources, support, and network you need to succeed. Join us, and be a part of our continuing mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company.
Learn more about Amazon
Size
1,608 employees
Market Cap
$832.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$21.3 billion
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+28.1%
Revenue
$386 billion
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