Construction Estimator

Actalent; United States; Remote; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

PTO

Job summary

Actalent, a trusted partner in engineering and sciences, seeks a Construction Estimator to lead pre-construction activities, manage the estimating and scheduling team, and refine processes to meet evolving market and technology demands. You will support business development and growth planning while collaborating with internal teams and external stakeholders.

Based in the Charlotte region, this role requires directing cost budgets, schedules, and constructibility reviews across commercial

Qualifications

• Experience leading pre-construction and estimating processes for commercial construction projects.
• Ability to manage multiple pre-construction tasks and teams.
• Strong understanding of market conditions in the Carolinas and Charlotte area.
• Experience in value engineering and risk assessment during pre-construction.

Responsibilities

• Lead the estimating and scheduling team, including outputs and takeoffs.
• Develop and improve pre-construction processes to meet market and tech changes.
• Support business development with accurate estimates, schedules, and insights.
• Collaborate with owners, architects, engineers, and subcontractors from concept through start.
• Oversee detailed project budgets, schedules, and estimates for commercial builds.
• Coordinate with internal/external stakeholders to resolve design/scope issues early.

Skills

Pre-construction management

Construction estimating

Leadership

Communication & presentation

Negotiation

Multi-project management

Charlotte area resident

Carolinas market knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field

Tools

Estimating software

Job description

Job Title: Construction Estimator

Job Description

The Construction Estimator plays a key role in pre-construction activities across a variety of contract structures and serves as a primary brand ambassador for the organization. This individual leads the estimating and scheduling team, develops and refines processes to align with market demands and technological advancements, and supports both business development and growth planning. The role oversees the entire pre-construction phase from initial concept through construction start, ensuring accurate budgets, schedules, and estimates while collaborating closely with internal teams and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Assist in delivering comprehensive pre-construction services for a range of contract structures while representing the organization as a key brand ambassador.
• Lead the estimating and scheduling team, including managing outputs, guiding takeoffs, and ensuring high-quality deliverables.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve pre-construction processes and procedures in response to market conditions and technological advancements.
• Support business development initiatives and long-term growth planning by providing accurate estimates, schedules, and market insights.
• Drive community engagement efforts with non-profit organizations, including both self-selected initiatives and company-sponsored programs.
• Lead comparison analyses and create clear, client-facing documents that explain variances and options for each project stakeholder.
• Work closely with ownership to review, refine, and update business plans, financial projections, and strategic objectives.
• Collaborate with operations teams on project schedule, logistics, safety, general conditions, and constructibility, leading constructibility development and reviews.
• Develop and finalize project assumptions and clarifications to ensure transparent and accurate pre-construction documentation.
• Oversee the pre-construction phase of projects from initial concept through construction start, ensuring alignment with client expectations and project goals.
• Develop, manage, and maintain detailed project budgets, schedules, and estimates for commercial construction projects.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, and other stakeholders to confirm project feasibility and resolve design or scope issues early.
• Conduct risk assessments for pre-construction efforts and develop mitigation strategies to address potential challenges.
• Lead value engineering processes to identify cost-effective solutions without compromising quality or performance.
• Collaborate with project teams to develop comprehensive pre-construction plans that support successful project execution.
• Manage subcontractor relationships, including sourcing, prequalification, and negotiating contracts that support project objectives.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements and internal company standards during the pre-construction phase.
• Prepare and present pre-construction plans, updates, and analyses to clients and senior leadership in a clear and professional manner.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in pre-construction management or a closely related role within commercial construction.
• Bachelors degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of construction processes, materials, and industry best practices.
• Demonstrated experience in construction estimating, preconstruction, and value engineering.
• Proficiency with estimating software and project management tools used in construction environments.
• Experience in commercial construction, including bidding and coordination with multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to guide and develop an estimating and scheduling team.
• Strong communication and presentation skills for client-facing and internal meetings.
• Effective negotiation skills for managing subcontractor relationships and contract terms.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and quality.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities applied to budgets, schedules, risk assessments, and value engineering.
• Established market relationships in the Carolinas construction community.
• Residence in the greater Charlotte region with familiarity with local market dynamics.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Entrepreneurial drive and ambition, with a desire to help shape and grow the pre-construction function.
• Experience coordinating with architects, engineers, owners, and subcontractors to ensure project feasibility.
• Background in general construction management and project management practices.
• Ability to develop client-facing comparison analyses that clearly explain cost and scope variances.
• Comfort presenting to senior management and client stakeholders in formal and informal settings.
• Knowledge of local subcontractors, owners, and other regional stakeholders in the Carolinas.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in preparing estimates, schedules, and pre-construction documentation.

Work Environment

The role is based in the Charlotte region and supports projects with an established footprint and consistent workflow in the area. The Construction Estimator typically reports to the office 23 days per week, with flexibility to work remotely on other days while collaborating closely with the pre-construction team on takeoffs and related tasks. The environment is a general contractor setting with more than two decades of presence in the Carolinas, providing exposure to commercial construction projects, modern estimating software, and project management tools. Work involves regular coordination with subcontractors, owners, architects, and engineers, and requires comfort working in both office and occasional site-related contexts. Professional business attire is expected for client meetings and presentations, with standard office-appropriate dress for day-to-day work.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Charlotte, NC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:Medical, dental & visionCritical Illness, Accident, and Hospital401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions availableLife Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)Short and long-term disabilityHealth Spending Account (HSA)Transportation benefitsEmployee Assistance ProgramTime Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Charlotte, NC.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 6, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Charlotte,NC.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.