Chief Estimator (Heavy Highway/Paving)

Peckham Industries, Inc.; Palmer (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Peckham Industries, Inc. is seeking a Chief Estimator to lead estimating for asphalt paving and heavy highway projects across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

The role manages a team of estimators, ensures bids are submitted on time and accurately priced, and works with operations to improve bid performance. Travel up to 20% to support offices across New England.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience estimating asphalt paving or heavy highway work.
• Experience estimating DOT projects in the $5 million to $45 million range.
• Proficient using Bid2Win (B2W), Microsoft Excel, Word, and Project.
• Strong knowledge of regional paving markets, public bidding, and DOT specifications.
• Good understanding of construction means and methods, crew and equipment production rates, material sourcing, trucking, and plant operations.
• Proven ability to identify estimating risk, develop practical contingencies, and make sound bid/no-bid recommendations.
• Collaborate with leadership and operations leadership to evaluate bid opportunities, assess risk, and make the best decisions for the company.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and reviewing the work of other estimators.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Proficient verbal and written English
• Legal right to work in the U.S.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and mentor the estimating team across a four-state market.
• Review plans, specs, site conditions, quantities, costs, and production assumptions before bid submission.
• Track market conditions, competitors, opportunities, and pricing trends to guide bidding decisions.
• Communicate bid strategy, risk, and financial exposure to leadership and operations.
• Maintain relationships with customers, subcontractors, and suppliers to support competitive bids.
• Lead project handoffs and document bid assumptions, risks, and commitments.
• Compare estimated costs with actual results to improve future bids.
• Develop estimates and bid strategies for asphalt paving and heavy highway projects, including major DOT work.
• Work with operations and project managers to ensure bids reflect project execution.
• Evaluate alternative construction methods and value engineering opportunities to optimize costs.

Skills

Estimating experience

DOT project estimating

Bid2Win (B2W) proficiency

Excel

Construction knowledge

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering / Construction Management

Tools

Bid2Win (B2W)

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Project

Job description

Job Summary

The Chief Estimator leads estimating for asphalt paving and heavy highway projects across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. This role manages a team of estimators and ensures bids are submitted on time, accurately priced, and achievable in the field. The Chief Estimator brings knowledge of each market to bid strategy and works with operations to improve bid performance.

Job Summary

The Chief Estimator leads estimating for asphalt paving and heavy highway projects across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. This role manages a team of estimators and ensures bids are submitted on time, accurately priced, and achievable in the field. The Chief Estimator brings knowledge of each market to bid strategy and works with operations to improve bid performance.

Essential Functions

• Results matter. Lead, assign work to, and mentor the estimating team across the four-state market.
• Focused. Review plans, specifications, site conditions, quantities, costs, and production assumptions before bid submission.
• Obligated. Track market conditions, competitors, upcoming opportunities, and pricing trends to guide bidding decisions.
• Communicate bid strategy, risk, and financial exposure clearly to leadership and operations teams.
• Respect and engage. Maintain relationships with customers, subcontractors, and suppliers to support competitive bids.
• Lead project handoffs and document key bid assumptions, risks, and commitments.
• Compare estimated costs with actual results and use those findings to improve future bids.
• Ownership and caring. Maintain consistent estimating procedures, tools, and bid review practices.
• Mastery. Develop estimates and bid strategies for asphalt paving and heavy highway projects, including major DOT work.
• Work with operations and project managers to confirm that bids reflect how the work will be built.
• Compulsive tinkering. Evaluate alternative construction methods and value engineering opportunities to optimize project costs.

Requirements, Education And Experience

• 5+ years of experience estimating asphalt paving or heavy highway work.
• Experience estimating DOT projects in the $5 million to $45 million range.
• Proficient using Bid2Win (B2W), Microsoft Excel, Word, and Project.
• Strong knowledge of regional paving markets, public bidding, and DOT specifications.
• Good understanding of construction means and methods, crew and equipment production rates, material sourcing, trucking, and plant operations.
• Proven ability to identify estimating risk, develop practical contingencies, and make sound bid/no-bid recommendations.
• Collaborate with leadership and operations leadership to evaluate bid opportunities, assess risk, and make the best decisions for the company.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and reviewing the work of other estimators.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Proficient verbal and written English
• Legal right to work in the U.S.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field preferred.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The actual rate or salary offered will be determined based on job-related factors, including relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, and other legitimate business considerations, consistent with applicable law and the Company’s compensation practices.

Travel

Position may require up to 20% travel by personal vehicle to offices throughout New England based on the needs of the business.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

This is mostly sedentary outside of traveling to construction sites. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers. The job will require frequent traveling in the field and various construction sites. This would require the ability to sit at a desk, frequent walking, bend or stand as necessary.

Values

At Peckham, you will experience our values wherever you work: corporate offices, plants, quarries, or paving operations. We share a common set of values - safety, integrity, dedication, and efficiency which are embedded in how we show up every day. Ours is a culture where we protect family and friends, our word is our bond, we are committed to serve and results matter. Our values are the foundation of our growth, and we believe will pave the way for future success.

^PPC^