FEMA-Disaster Recovery Specialists (Cost Estimators)

Join the Dewberry Team! Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to help your country with disaster recovery work? Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more 50 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. Our outstanding employees and more than 30 years of experience supporting FEMA sets us apart from our competitors. Dewberry is recognized for providing exceptional talent to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Our commitment to excellence stems from our high value on personal integrity and from our defining "Dewberry at Work," attributes, that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century. 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.

Cost Estimators

Dewberry is currently searching for highly qualified professionals to support FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) Program. Candidates with prior PA experience are preferred. Candidates must be U.S. Citizens and able to successfully pass a Federal background investigation which includes disclosing personal information such as criminal, credit, residential, employment, social and medical history. Selected candidates must be able to commit to a 6-to-12-month deployment assignment.

Disaster Specialists travel to disaster sites to support FEMA in the delivery of the PA Program. They assist local government agencies and other Program-eligible entities in the preparation of grant applications for the restoration of damaged public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings and utilities. The work includes but is not limited to site assessments of disaster-damaged infrastructure, documenting detailed damage descriptions, developing restoration scopes of work, formulating detailed cost estimates, and assisting with hazard mitigation planning.

Cost Estimators will work through the various FEMA assistance programs. Estimators will perform field inspections of damaged facilities to gain an understanding of the probable scope of work, including means and methods of construction. Estimators will conduct both parametric and detailed cost analysis on a variety of public and municipal infrastructure. Estimators will prepare estimates using a variety of documented data sources. Identify scope of eligible work for projects, including cause and dimensions of damage, and the work necessary to repair the damage, and produce efficient, traceable, verifiable, and defendable cost estimates meeting the quality review requirements of FEMA.

Minimum of 5 years of full-time professional experience in field of study
• Experience creating parametric and detailed quantity Cost Estimates for damaged infrastructure including materials, man-hours, and equipment
• Experience coordinating scope/estimating efforts in a team environmental
• Experience developing conceptual, design, and construction document estimates
• Previous experience using RS Means Cost Data or similar national cost data sources

• 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 (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• Must be able to work both independently and in a team environment under stressful conditions

• Ability to work up to 12 hours/day, 6 days a week
• Must have a clean driving record and able to maintain a valid driver's license in order to operate a company, personal, or rental vehicle

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in related field
• Professional Engineer, Registered Architect, Licensed Professional Contractor, or Estimating certifications/registrations
• Knowledge of the FEMA Public Assistance Program
• Prior FEMA Public Assistance experience as: Program Delivery Manager, Site Inspector, Policy Advisor, Cost Estimator, FEMA Certified Trainer, Hazard Mitigation Specialist Experience using FEMA's Grants Manager
• Experience Utilizing FEMA's Cost Estimating Format in development of estimates

*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/ Affirmative Action 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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