Chief Estimator, Water & WWTP - Lead & Grow Team

Orion Placement; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance incentives

Profit sharing

Monthly safety bonus

Paid time off

Health coverage

Employer-paid life insurance

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Confidential Employer in Jacksonville, FL is seeking a senior Water/Wastewater Estimator leader to guide an experienced team and shape estimating strategy for complex heavy civil projects. You will influence bid competitiveness, margins, and project selection while maintaining high standards of accuracy and teamwork.

You will oversee detailed plant estimates, mentor staff, and collaborate closely with executives, operations, and field teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of heavy civil construction and estimating experience.
• 4+ years of water and wastewater treatment plant estimating experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, or mentoring estimating professionals.
• Strong knowledge of heavy civil construction methods, cost drivers, production rates, project risk, and constructability.
• Ability to interpret complex civil, structural, process, and mechanical plans and specifications.
• Experience with estimating platforms such as HCSS, Bid2Win, Bluebeam, PlanSwift, or comparable software.
• Strong Microsoft Excel, Word, and Teams skills.
• Strong communication, decision-making, ownership, and leadership abilities.
• Ability to travel as needed for pursuits, site visits, and project collaboration.
• Ability to successfully complete required pre-employment screening.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant estimating team while establishing clear standards for performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Drive estimating strategy to improve bid competitiveness, win rates, project selection, and margin performance.
• Oversee detailed estimates for complex water and wastewater treatment plant construction projects.
• Review pricing, production assumptions, quantities, subcontractor coverage, constructability, and project risk.
• Lead final estimate reviews and communicate pursuit strategies to executive and operational leadership.
• Partner with leadership on go/no-go decisions based on risk, competition, available resources, and strategic fit.
• Mentor estimators, takeoff specialists, and support staff while building a high-performing estimating organization.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, Superintendents, and field teams to ensure estimates reflect real-world construction methods and production expectations.
• Support preconstruction, value engineering, cost optimization, and alternative construction strategies.
• Build productive relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, vendors, and industry partners.
• Analyze historical costs, production rates, bid results, and market conditions to continuously improve estimating accuracy.
• Improve estimating systems, software, workflows, and processes as the business continues to grow.

Skills

Leadership/mentoring

Communication

Decision making

Ownership

Team leadership

Travel readiness

Tools

HCSS

Bid2Win

Bluebeam

PlanSwift

Excel

Word

Teams

Job description

Confidential Employer in Jacksonville, FL is seeking a senior Water/Wastewater Estimator leader to guide an experienced team and shape estimating strategy for complex heavy civil projects. You will influence bid competitiveness, margins, and project selection while maintaining high standards of accuracy and teamwork.

You will oversee detailed plant estimates, mentor staff, and collaborate closely with executives, operations, and field teams.