Senior Estimator

EDF; West of England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

EDF is recruiting for a Permanent Estimator role to support the HPC Projects service. You will prepare detailed estimates for piping and mechanical work packages, align BOE and WBS/CBS, and support commercial negotiations and forecasting across our nuclear project portfolio.

This role requires extensive estimating experience on large infrastructure or energy projects, Excel-based cost models, and collaboration with planning, procurement, and cost control teams.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualification in engineering, construction management, quantity surveying or a related discipline.
• Professional membership or certification desirable (e.g. AACE, RICS, ICES, or equivalent).
• Extensive estimating experience on large, complex infrastructure or energy projects.
• Experience supporting early stage estimate development for major infrastructure or energy projects, including support to funding gate approvals, commercial negotiations, and early design maturity phases.
• Deep knowledge of piping fabrication, mechanical installation, welding, NDT, and testing requirements.
• Strong understanding of estimating methodologies, BOE development, and WBS / CBS structures.
• Experience working with productivity norms and developing installation rates.
• Proficiency with estimating tools, databases, and Excel-based cost models.
• Understanding of schedule interfaces and how construction sequencing affects cost estimation.
• Collaborative working style within integrated project teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of cost risk exposure

Responsibilities

• Estimate Preparation: Prepare detailed estimates for piping and mechanical work packages, covering direct labour, materials, equipment, preliminaries, subcontracted services, and indirect, and allowances.
• Basis of Estimate (BOE): Prepare and maintain comprehensive BOE documentation clearly defining scope assumptions, quantities, methodologies, pricing sources, and risk allowances.
• Work Breakdown Structure Alignment: Ensure estimates are fully mapped to the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), and aligned to the Control Account framework.
• Data Analysis and Benchmarking: Utilise historical data, productivity norms, and benchmarking data (e.g., industry databases) to validate estimate inputs and assumptions.
• Supplier and Subcontractor Pricing: Liaise with procurement to analyse supplier quotations, subcontractor pricing, and bulk material pricing to ensure competitiveness and completeness.
• Schedule and Productivity Integration: Collaborate with planning and construction teams to ensure activity durations, labour resources, and installation rates reflect delivery strategies and site conditions.
• Change and Trend Support: Support change control, trend analysis, and re-estimation processes as project scope evolves.
• Commercial Support: Provide estimating inputs to commercial negotiations, contract awards, and cost target setting.
• Risk & Opportunity Analysis: Identify cost risks, quantify estimating uncertainty, and work closely with the Cost Forecasting & Estimating Manager and Risk teams to ensure proper integration into contingency and forecast scenarios.
• Forecasting Interface: Collaborate with Project Controls and Finance to ensure estimates are appropriately feeding into financial forecasts, cash flows, and budget development processes.
• Estimate Reviews and Governance: Lead and participate in estimate reviews, internal governance processes, and assurance reviews to ensure estimate robustness and alignment to project strategy.

Education

Degree or equivalent qualification in engineering, construction management, quantity surveying or a related discipline

Professional membership or certification desirable (e.g. AACE, RICS, ICES, or equivalent)

Extensive estimating experience on large, complex infrastructure or energy projects

Experience supporting early stage estimate development for major infrastructure or energy projects (funding gate approvals, commercial negotiations, and early design maturity phases)

Deep knowledge of piping fabrication, mechanical installation, welding, NDT, and testing requirements

Strong understanding of estimating methodologies, BOE development, and WBS / CBS structures

Experience working with productivity norms and developing installation rates

Proficiency with estimating tools, databases, and Excel-based cost models

Understanding of schedule interfaces and how construction sequencing affects cost estimation

Collaborative working style within integrated project teams

Strong commercial awareness and understanding of cost risk exposure

Tools

Excel-based cost models

Job description

Permanent

The HPC Jobs Service supports local people into exciting, long-term careers across our Project.

Job Responsibilities

• Estimate Preparation: Prepare detailed estimates for piping and mechanical work packages, covering direct labour, materials, equipment, preliminaries, subcontracted services, and indirect, and allowances.
• Basis of Estimate (BOE): Prepare and maintain comprehensive BOE documentation clearly defining scope assumptions, quantities, methodologies, pricing sources, and risk allowances.
• Work Breakdown Structure Alignment: Ensure estimates are fully mapped to the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), and aligned to the Control Account framework.
• Data Analysis and Benchmarking: Utilise historical data, productivity norms, and benchmarking data (e.g., industry databases) to validate estimate inputs and assumptions.
• Supplier and Subcontractor Pricing: Liaise with procurement to analyse supplier quotations, subcontractor pricing, and bulk material pricing to ensure competitiveness and completeness.
• Schedule and Productivity Integration: Collaborate with planning and construction teams to ensure activity durations, labour resources, and installation rates reflect delivery strategies and site conditions.
• Change and Trend Support: Support change control, trend analysis, and re-estimation processes as project scope evolves.
• Commercial Support: Provide estimating inputs to commercial negotiations, contract awards, and cost target setting.
• Risk & Opportunity Analysis: Identify cost risks, quantify estimating uncertainty, and work closely with the Cost Forecasting & Estimating Manager and Risk teams to ensure proper integration into contingency and forecast scenarios.
• Forecasting Interface: Collaborate with Project Controls and Finance to ensure estimates are appropriately feeding into financial forecasts, cash flows, and budget development processes.
• Estimate Reviews and Governance: Lead and participate in estimate reviews, internal governance processes, and assurance reviews to ensure estimate robustness and alignment to project strategy.

Qualifications/Experience

• Degree or equivalent qualification in engineering, construction management, quantity surveying or a related discipline.
• Professional membership or certification desirable (e.g. AACE, RICS, ICES, or equivalent).
• Extensive estimating experience on large, complex infrastructure or energy projects.
• Experience supporting early stage estimate development for major infrastructure or energy projects, including support to funding gate approvals, commercial negotiations, and early design maturity phases.
• Deep knowledge of piping fabrication, mechanical installation, welding, NDT, and testing requirements.
• Strong understanding of estimating methodologies, BOE development, and WBS / CBS structures.
• Experience working with productivity norms and developing installation rates.
• Proficiency with estimating tools, databases, and Excel-based cost models.
• Understanding of schedule interfaces and how construction sequencing affects cost estimation.
• Collaborative working style within integrated project teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of cost risk exposure

For this role you must have evidence of right to work in the UK. As a project, we do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Why Join Us?

For more than 60 years, nuclear power stations in the UK have been quietly keeping Britain fuelled with massive amounts of home-grown energy.

Our teams up and down the country are proudly continuing to serve the nation - but they also have an eye on the future.

EDF is leading the UK's nuclear renaissance with the construction of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C and plans for a new power station at Sizewell C in Suffolk.

Nuclear power is the most reliable, low-carbon energy source currently available to the UK. EDF is playing a key role in the development of nuclear sites, while Hinkley Point C will provide low-carbon electricity to meet 7% of the UK demand. The project is already making a positive impact on the local and national economy as well as boosting skills and education.

We're not just building new nuclear power stations. We're developing careers, upskilling generations and creating thousands of employment and apprenticeship opportunities across a variety of skills areas.

It takes a special kind of person to work in the nuclear energy industry and although we have thousands of them there's always a need for more.

Our industry has a mind-boggling range of opportunities and more jobs, and in more places, than you might think. But it's also an industry which is changing.

We're a responsible business and proud to be Britain's biggest generator of zero carbon electricity. With size, age and experience, we believe we can do even more.