Electrical Estimator

Ascent Electric; Ridgefield (WA); On-site; USD 122,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental coverage for you and

Job summary

Ascent Electric in Ridgefield, Washington seeks an experienced Bid Estimator to own the invitation-to-close process, including estimates, strategy, and contractor negotiation. You will drive the pursuit of work and maintain critical contractor engagement to secure profitable contracts.

The role emphasizes sharp margin calls, collaboration with pre-construction on design and costs, and seamless communication across field teams and leadership.

Qualifications

• Experience estimating and bidding commercial and multifamily projects.
• Able to build strong relationships with general contractors.
• Proven track record of converting opportunities into signed contracts.
• Strong analytical skills to assess market trends and margins.
• Excellent communication with field teams, leadership, and customers.

Responsibilities

• Own each bid from invitation to signed contract: estimate, strategy, and close.
• Strategically pursue work and keep key contractors engaged.
• Make margin calls on every job to balance competitiveness and profitability.
• Coordinate with pre-construction on design, costs, buyout, and quantities.
• Maintain clear, proactive communication with all stakeholders.

Skills

Estimating & bidding

Relationship building

Analytical skills

Communication

Job description

Some estimators build numbers. This role reads jobs: where the market's heading before it gets there, and which general contractors put you on the invite list without being asked. Ascent Electric is a lean electrical contractor in Ridgefield, Washington, bidding commercial and multifamily work in the $500K to $8M range. Once we're awarded a project, we perform; that's never been the gap. The gap has been getting deals across the line, and that's the seat we're filling. You'll own each bid from the invitation through the signature: the estimate, the strategy, the relationship with the general contractor, and the close. Our current estimator is sliding over into more of a pre-construction role. He'll be your partner on design, current costs, buyout, and quantities. You'll lean on him to keep every number both competitive and profitable. You'll report directly to the owner, with no layers in between.

WHAT THE WORK ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE Day to day, you're moving between reading new bid invitations, building estimates, and getting general contractors on the phone, often more than one of these at once. You'll lose more bids than you win; that's the nature of the work, and the ones you land carry real weight. Deadlines don't move for a late addendum, even when it lands the afternoon before a bid is due. Between bids, you're keeping the pipeline moving so the field never runs out of the next job.

WHO BELONGS HERE

Own Your Role:

When a bid comes in under target, you look at your own read on the job before anyone else's.

Strong Work Ethic:

An honest day's work for an honest day's pay, with no shortcuts on the number even when the deadline doesn't move.

Be Real:

You tell Todd a number is soft before it becomes his problem, not after.

Win Together:

Tom is your partner on costs and buyout, not a hand-off point. You use him instead of working around him.

Excellence:

Today's process is the starting point, not the finish line, so you're looking for the next edge instead of defending the last one.

PAY AND PATH

$135,000 base to start. On top of that, a bid-win incentive of 0.10% of every signed contract you close, paid quarterly: book $6M in a year, and that's $6,000; book $14M and it's $14,000. After the probationary period, we build a commission plan around what you're actually producing, so it's based on real numbers instead of a guess. Profit sharing sits on top of both, tied to company performance. Realistic cash in a strong year lands between $135,000 and $150,000, with a total package, including benefits, of roughly $175,000.

WHY WORK AT ASCENT ELECTRIC

• Health and dental coverage for you and your spouse
• Company vehicle
• 401(k) with company match
• 17 days of paid time off
• Profit sharing tied to company performance
• Direct access to the owner: no layers between your recommendation and the decision

Responsibilities:

Own each bid from the invite through the award: build the estimate, set the strategy, make the case to the general contractor, and get the contract signed. Strategically hunt down work rather than waiting on the invite list, and keep the general contractors Ascent wants thinking of it first. Make the margin call on every job: know Ascent's current position, read where the market is heading, and win work without cutting into a deal that hurts the company for the next year. Convert opportunities at a pace that keeps the field crews covered, so crew assignments never run out within 30 days. Work directly with pre-construction on design, current costs, buyout, and quantities so every number that leaves the building is both competitive and profitable. Keep field teams, leadership, and customers current with responsive, clear, concise communication, and coordinate competing priorities without dropping threads. Report honestly on pipeline, bid-to-award rate, and backlog coverage so the field schedule can be planned instead of guessed.

Qualifications:

Experience in estimating and bidding commercial and multifamily projects in the $500,000 to $10M range. Ability to build strong relationships with general contractors and maintain a proactive approach to securing bids. Proven track record of successfully converting opportunities into signed contracts, ensuring consistent work for field crews. Strong analytical skills to assess market trends and make informed margin calls that align with company goals. Excellent communication skills to keep field teams, leadership, and customers informed and aligned. Ability to collaborate effectively with pre-construction teams on design, costs, buyout, and quantities. Experience in managing multiple priorities and deadlines without compromising quality or accuracy of estimates.

You do NOT need:

An electrician's license A degree Experience with our specific estimating software Compensation: $135,000+

• Own each bid from the invite through the award: build the estimate, set the strategy, make the case to the general contractor, and get the contract signed.
• Strategically hunt down work rather than waiting on the invite list, and keep the general contractors Ascent wants thinking of it first.
• Make the margin call on every job: know Ascent's current position, read where the market is heading, and win work without cutting into a deal that hurts the company for the next year.
• Convert opportunities at a pace that keeps the field crews covered, so crew assignments never run out within 30 days.
• Work directly with pre-construction on design, current costs, buyout, and quantities so every number that leaves the building is both competitive and profitable.
• Keep field teams, leadership, and customers current with responsive, clear, concise communication, and coordinate competing priorities without dropping threads.
• Report honestly on pipeline, bid-to-award rate, and backlog coverage so the field schedule can be planned instead of guessed.

Compensation:

$135,000 per year