Project Estimator III

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Position Summary

As an Estimator III, you'll lead complex estimates and pursuits for heavy civil and energy-sector construction projects. You'll integrate scope, quantities, production, pricing, construction approach, schedule considerations, subcontractor and supplier input, and risk into complete, competitive estimates.

This position is currently remote, with plans to transition to a future Austin, Texas office. Occasional travel may be required for job walks, project site visits, bid and preconstruction activities, and company meetings at other company locations.

What You’ll Do

Estimate Development

• Lead complex estimates and pursuits from opportunity review through bid completion.

• Establish estimate structure, responsibilities, deliverables, and review requirements.

• Lead development and review of quantities, production assumptions, labor, equipment, materials, subcontractor pricing, and supplier pricing.

• Validate estimate completeness, accuracy, and traceability using historical cost and production information.

• Present estimate strategy and recommendations during leadership bid reviews.

Scope, Risk & Strategy

• Evaluate scope, site conditions, schedule, logistics, production requirements, and construction constraints.

• Develop estimating strategy around means, methods, sequencing, equipment, labor, productivity, and market conditions.

• Evaluate alternative approaches to improve constructability, cost, and competitiveness.

• Lead evaluation of scope, commercial, execution, and estimating risks.

• Develop assumptions, exclusions, clarifications, contingencies, and appropriate risk treatment.

• Recommend bid and pricing strategies based on project risk, opportunity, and execution requirements.

Pricing & Operations Coordination

• Lead solicitation, evaluation, and leveling of subcontractor, supplier, and vendor pricing.

• Coordinate with operations and project leadership to validate construction strategy, production, equipment, schedule, logistics, and site conditions.

• Lead estimate, scope, risk, and bid reviews for assigned pursuits.

• Maintain complete, traceable estimate documentation.

• Lead estimate-to-operations handoffs, communicating scope, assumptions, pricing strategy, risks, opportunities, and critical execution considerations.

• Support industry relationships that strengthen pursuit and estimating effectiveness.

People & Continuous Improvement

• Provide technical guidance, review, and mentoring to Estimator I, Estimator II, and other estimating personnel.

• Review estimating work for accuracy, completeness, consistency, and appropriate risk treatment.

• Share cost history, construction knowledge, estimating practices, and lessons learned.

• Incorporate bid results and project performance into estimating assumptions and cost history.

• Improve estimating processes, tools, standards, and consistency.

Travel & Work Location

• Hybrid / Remote Transition: Currently remote and expected to transition to an Austin, Texas office-based position when the planned office is established.

• Travel Requirements: Occasional travel may be required for project site visits and job walks, bid and preconstruction activities, company meetings, and collaboration at other company offices.

• Work Style: Candidates must be able to work effectively in a remote environment and collaborate with teams across multiple locations.

Education & Experience

Required

• Degree / Experience: Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant technical training and construction experience.

• Years of Experience: Seven (7) or more years of construction estimating, engineering, field support, or similar experience, including four (4) or more years of estimating experience.

• Lead Experience: Demonstrated experience independently developing and leading complex construction estimates.

• Strategic & Risk Analysis: Experience evaluating estimate risk, construction approach, production assumptions, pricing, and bid strategy.

• Presentation Skills: Experience presenting estimates, risk considerations, and recommendations during formal estimate or bid reviews.

Preferred

• Significant estimating experience involving heavy civil construction, earthwork/mass grading, access roads, crane or equipment pads, drainage, aggregate surfacing, underground utilities, concrete, or large-scale site development.

• Civil estimating experience supporting utility-scale solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), or substations. Direct energy-sector experience is preferred, not required; comparable heavy civil, mass grading, and large-scale site-development experience is valued.

• Strong proficiency with HCSS HeavyBid, including development and review of complex estimates.

• Proficiency with Autodesk Civil 3D for reviewing civil design information and supporting quantity development.

• Experience evaluating and negotiating subcontractor/supplier pricing and using historical cost, production, labor, and equipment data.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Construction Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of heavy civil construction and the ability to translate execution strategy into estimating assumptions and pricing.

• Estimating & Analysis: Ability to lead complex estimates and evaluate completeness, accuracy, competitiveness, and risk.

• Risk & Judgment: Ability to anticipate estimating, commercial, and execution risks and develop appropriate bid and pricing strategies.

• Technology & Data: Advanced Microsoft Excel capability, strong proficiency with HCSS HeavyBid, and proficiency with Autodesk Civil 3D.

• Communication & Collaboration: Ability to lead estimate reviews and clearly communicate strategy, assumptions, risks, and recommendations to operations and leadership.

• Ownership & Leadership: Ability to lead estimating efforts, review the work of others, develop estimators, and improve estimating practices.

What Success Looks Like

• Accuracy & Alignment: Leads accurate, competitive estimates that reflect how the work will be built.

• Strategic Execution: Connects estimating strategy to execution through strong understanding of means, methods, production, cost, and schedule.

• Risk & Opportunity Management: Anticipates risk and opportunity and translates both into clear recommendations.

• Optimization: Challenges assumptions and evaluates alternatives to improve constructability, cost, and competitiveness.

• Review & Handoff Quality: Leads effective estimate reviews and handoffs with clear, traceable information.

• Team Development: Develops other estimators and strengthens team knowledge, consistency, and capability.

Physical Demands

This position is performed primarily in a remote office environment and is expected to transition to an office environment in Austin, Texas. Occasional visits to active construction sites or other company locations may be required for job walks, preconstruction activities, or company meetings.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Office Demands: Regularly required to communicate; frequently required to sit, stand, and use a computer and other office equipment; occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and lift or move materials associated with normal office duties.

• Field Visits: When visiting active construction sites, the employee must work safely in typical construction-site conditions and comply with applicable safety and personal protective equipment requirements.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Additional Requirements & Skills

• Comply with and support safety, quality, and environmental initiatives and requirements.

• Ability to abide by the company Code of Conduct on a daily basis.

• Valid driver's license and ability to drive.

• Ability to collaborate effectively as part of an estimating and operations team.

• Ability to protect confidential bid, pricing, subcontractor, supplier, client, and company information.

This job description reflects essential functions of this position. It does not restrict management’s right to reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.