Senior Mechanical Estimator

Ward Personnel; Dublin; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension contribution

Travel expenses

Accommodation and per diems for travel

Laptop and phone

Ongoing training and support towards C

clear career progression

Job summary

Qualifications

• Third-level qualification in Quantity Surveying or related discipline.
• At least 5 years' estimating or QS experience in industrial insulation or mechanical services.
• Ability to take off and price from P&IDs and isometrics.
• Knowledge of insulation and cladding materials and applications.
• Experience in sectors such as data centres, pharma, semiconductor, energy, chemical, or food & beverage.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with digital take-off software such as Bluebeam or CostX.
• Familiar with contract forms and commercial processes: valuations, variations, final accounts.
• Willingness to travel within Europe regularly and hold a valid passport.

Responsibilities

• Review tender documents to understand scope and risk.
• Carry out detailed take-offs of pipework and equipment; price from first principles.
• Price insulation, cladding, labour outputs, and preliminaries.
• Coordinate with workshop for material yields and hours; compare supplier quotations.
• Prepare tender submissions with qualifications, clarifications, and VE options.
• Price work in Ireland and Europe, accounting for local labour and logistics.
• Handover won tenders to project teams and support cost-control budgets.
• Identify variations, negotiate final accounts, and manage early warnings and notices.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Bluebeam

CostX

P&IDs take-offs

Reads isometrics

Pricing from drawings

Travel readiness

Driving licence

Education

Quantity Surveying degree

Tools

Bluebeam

CostX

Job description

Our client is one of Ireland's leading specialists in the fabrication and installation of industrial insulation and cladding. They deliver for blue-chip multinational clients on mission-critical projects across Ireland and Europe. They have recently partnered with a major European private equity investor to form Ireland's largest specialist industrial insulation and cladding group. The group has European hubs in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium, a dedicated fabrication workshop for metal cladding and removable thermal insulation jackets, and a clear plan to grow through new projects and strategic acquisitions.

This is an opportunity to join a well-established, founder-led specialist at the start of a well-funded growth phase. There is real scope for career progression as the group expands.

Sectors and project types include:

• Data centres: Hyperscale and colocation facilities, including chilled water, condenser water, and process cooling systems.
• Life sciences and pharmaceutical: Pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing plants, including clean utilities, process pipework, vessels, and HVAC.
• Semiconductor manufacturing: High-specification fabs with complex process and utility systems.
• Energy and power generation: Energy generation plants, steam systems, and high-temperature applications.
• Chemical and process: Chemical plants and process industries with hot, cold, and personnel protection insulation.
• Food, beverage, and brewing: Production facilities, including refrigeration and cold insulation systems.

The Role

Reporting to the Commercial Director (or Commercial Manager), you will manage the estimating and commercial side of insulation and cladding packages from first enquiry through tender, award, delivery, and final account. You should be able to read a set of isometrics and P&IDs, build a detailed estimate from first principles, and protect the margin once the job is live. With the group expanding across continental Europe, you will travel to European project sites and hubs from time to time for pre-tender meetings, site surveys, measurement, and commercial reviews.

Key Responsibilities

Estimating and Tendering

• Review tender documents, including specifications, P&IDs, isometrics, GA drawings, line lists, and equipment schedules, to fully understand the scope and risk.
• Carry out detailed take-offs of pipework, fittings, valves, flanges, vessels, tanks, and ductwork, and apply standard fitting equivalents and measurement rules.
• Build estimates from first principles covering insulation materials, metal cladding and jacketing, removable insulation jackets, labour outputs, access and scaffolding, and preliminaries.
• Price work produced in the in-house fabrication workshop, working with the workshop team on material yields and fabrication hours.
• Get and compare supplier and subcontractor quotations, and keep pricing current as material costs change.
• Prepare clear tender submissions with qualifications, clarifications, exclusions, programme assumptions, and value-engineering options.
• Price work in Ireland and in other European countries, accounting for local labour rates, logistics, travel, accommodation, and compliance.
• Maintain and improve the group's cost database and labour norms using data from completed projects.

Commercial and Quantity Surveying

• Hand over won tenders to the project team and set up cost-control budgets.
• Prepare monthly valuations, payment applications, and cost-value reconciliations (CVRs).
• Identify, price, and agree variations and change orders, and manage early warnings and notices under the contract.
• Measure work on site and reconcile installed quantities against the contract.
• Negotiate and agree final accounts with main contractors, M&E contractors, and end clients.
• Review contract terms, including NEC, FIDIC, and client bespoke conditions, and flag commercial risk.

Travel and Client Engagement

• Travel to European sites and hubs as projects need it, including Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
• Build strong relationships with main contractors, M&E contractors, EPCMs, and multinational end clients.
• Work with site supervisors, project managers, and colleagues across the wider group to share pricing data and best practice.

Requirements

• A third-level qualification in Quantity Surveying, Mechanical Engineering, Building Services, or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
• At least 5 years' estimating or QS experience in industrial insulation, mechanical services, or a closely related specialist trade such as HVAC, process piping, or fire protection.
• Proven ability to take off and price from P&IDs, isometrics, and mechanical drawings.
• Good knowledge of insulation and cladding materials, systems, and applications, including hot, cold, cryogenic, acoustic, and personnel protection.
• Experience in at least one of the group's core sectors: data centres, pharmaceutical or life sciences, semiconductor, energy, chemical, or food and beverage.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with digital take-off software such as Bluebeam or CostX.
• A working knowledge of standard forms of contract and commercial processes: valuations, variations, and final accounts.
• A valid passport and willingness to travel within Europe regularly for short trips.
• Full clean driving licence.

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary depending on experience
• Performance-related bonus
• Pension contribution
• Health insurance
• Travel expenses, accommodation, and per diems for European travel
• Laptop and phone
• Ongoing training and support toward professional membership
• Clear career progression within a newly formed, investor-backed group that is growing across Ireland and Europe