FEMA-Disaster Recovery Specialists (Cost Estimators)

Join the Dewberry Team!  Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to help our country with disaster recovery work? Dewberry maintains a cadre of skilled professional and technical staff in an on-call capacity to support disaster recovery work across the United States. We are currently searching for highly qualified Cost Estimators to support these projects. As one of our Disaster Specialists, you will collaborate with some of the best and brightest in the industry and use your expertise to support critical recovery efforts in disaster-impacted communities. This is an excellent opportunity for those who want to use their knowledge, skills and abilities to help disaster survivors at disaster recovery operation work sites throughout the United States and its territories. 

*Please note, remote work is not permitted for this role. This is a non‑full‑time, deployment‑based on-call position supporting disaster relief efforts across the United States. Team members are deployed to impacted sites as needed and may travel frequently on short notice. While the role requires physical presence at various disaster locations, it is not tied to a single office or fixed worksite.

Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.

In this role, you will deploy to disaster sites to support FEMA or other government entities in the delivery of disaster recovery programs such as the Public Assistance (PA) program or the FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) Direct Housing program. Cost Estimators will perform field inspections of damaged facilities to gain an understanding of the project scope of work, including means and methods of construction. They prepare both parametric and detailed cost analysis on a variety of public infrastructure projects using available data sources. Cost Estimators may identify the eligible scope for restoration projects and produce accurate and defendable cost estimates that meet the client quality requirements.  

• Minimum of 5 years of full-time professional experience in field of study  

• Experience creating parametric and detailed bottom-up cost estimates for new and restoration infrastructure projects including materials, labor, and equipment  

• Experience coordinating project scoping and estimating efforts in a team environmental  

• Experience developing conceptual, design, and construction document estimates  

• Previous experience using RS Means, Xactimate or similar national estimating platforms  

• Experience with modern construction practices, facility assessments, construction inspection, project scope development and cost estimating  

• Working knowledge of International Building Code (IBC), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other governmental regulatory compliance  

• Excellent oral and written communication skills   

• Must be computer literate and proficient with MS Office Suite applications 

• Must be able to work both independently and in a team environment under stressful conditions  

• The ability to work up to 12 hours per day, 7 days a week while deployed to a disaster recovery operation for up to 12 months    

• Must have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record 

• Be a U.S. citizen capable of passing a federal background investigation to obtain a Public Trust clearance   

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in related field  

• Professional Engineer, Registered Architect, Licensed Professional Contractor, or cost estimating certifications   

• Working knowledge of the FEMA PA Program law, regulation and policy 

• Prior FEMA PA experience as: Program Delivery Manager, Site Inspector, Policy Advisor, Cost Estimator, or Hazard Mitigation Specialist  

• Experience with residential site development or construction including roads, utilities, and drainage. 

• Proficiency using FEMA's Cost Estimating Format, RS Means and Xactimate 

*At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization. 

*This position is covered by the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act of 1965 (SCA). 

*Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation. 

*Only recipients of an offer of employment from Dewberry, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by Dewberry’s background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law. 

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The projected range for this position is $55 to $63 hourly. Depending upon other factors, i.e., skills, experience, location, market conditions, the range may vary slightly.