Project Estimator/Project Manager

MW Mechanical Inc.; Escondido (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Kaiser HMO

Dental DeltaDental

Life Insurance

401(k)

Profit Sharing

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Paid Sick Leave

Job summary

TheCompany,Inc. is seeking an experienced Estimator/Project Manager to lead commercial and industrial HVAC projects from bid through closeout.

You will own the full lifecycle, review plans, prepare accurate estimates, winwork, and manage awarded projects to deliver on schedule, within budget, and above target margins. The ideal candidate blends business acumen with technical know-how, performing takeoffs, price labor, and handling submittals, RFIs, and procurement while coordinating with general

Qualifications

• 5+ years estimating and/or project management in HVAC/mechanical contracting.
• Ability to read mechanical, architectural, and structural plans.
• Experience with estimating software and MS365 tools.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead estimating and preconstruction activities for commercial/industrial HVAC projects.
• Develop labor-based and material estimates with detailed bid packages.
• Manage submittals, RFIs, change orders, and procurement during projects.
• Coordinate with GC, owners, and field leadership to protect margin.

Skills

Estimating & PM

Plan reading

RFIs & submittals

Excel & MS365

Negotiation

Team coordination

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Trimble Accubid

Bluebeam

Procore

BuildOps

Claude AI

Job description

POSITIONSUMMARY

TheCompany,Inc.isseekinganexperiencedEstimator/ProjectManagertoleadcommercialandindustrialHVACmechanicalprojectsfromthefirstbidthroughfinalcloseout.Thisroleownsthefullprojectlifecycle:reviewingplansandspecifications,buildingaccurateandcompetitiveestimates,winningwork,andthenmanagingawardedprojectstodeliveronschedule,withinbudget,andatorabovetheestimatedgrossprofitmargin.

Theidealcandidateunderstandsbothsidesofthebusiness.Youcanperformdetailedquantitytakeoffsandpricelaborwithconfidence,andyoucanalsorunajob:managingsubmittals,RFIs,changeorders,procurement,billing,andcoordinationwithgeneralcontractors,owners,andourfieldleadership.BecausecompensationincludescommissiontiedtoprojectGPM,thisrolerewardsestimatorswhobidsmartandprojectmanagerswhoprotectmargin.

KEYRESPONSIBILITIES

EstimatingandPreconstruction

• Reviewbiddocuments,plans,specifications,addenda,andscopesofworkforcommercialandindustrialHVACmechanicalprojects(Division23andrelatedscopes).
• Performdetailedquantitytakeoffsforductwork,piping,hydronicsystems,HVACequipment,accessories,insulation,andrelatedscopes.
• Developlaborestimatesusinglaborunits,crewsizing,andproductivityfactorsappropriatetoprojectconditions.
• Solicite,evaluate,andlevelquotesfromsuppliersandsubcontractors,includingequipmentvendors,controls,insulation,testandbalance,riggingandcrane,andelectrical.
• Preparecompletebidpackagesandproposalswithclearinclusions,exclusions,clarifications,alternates,andqualifications.
• Attendpre-bidmeetingsandjobwalks;submitRFIsduringbiddingwhenscopeisunclear.
• Identifyvalueengineering,design-assist,anddesign-buildopportunitiesthatimprovecompetitivenessandmargin.
• PreparepublicworksandprevailingwagebidsinaccordancewithCaliforniaDIRrequirements.
• Trackbidactivity,followuponoutstandingproposals,andmaintainbidhistoryandhitratedata.

ProjectManagement

• Leadtheturnoverfromestimatingtooperations,includinginternalkickoffmeetingswiththeFieldSupervisorandfieldleadership.
• Developandmaintainprojectschedules;coordinatemanpowerneedswiththeFieldSupervisorandforemen.
• Prepare,submit,andtracksubmittals,shopdrawings,andproductdata;manageequipmentreleasesandlongleadprocurement.
• WriteandtrackRFIs;managedesignandfieldcoordinationwithgeneralcontractors,engineers,andothertrades.
• AttendownerandGCprogressmeetingsandrepresentTheCompanyprofessionallyoneveryproject.
• Coordinatepermits,inspections,equipmentstartup,testandbalance,andcommissioningactivities.
• Managecloseout,includingpunchlists,O& Mmanuals,warranties,as-builtdocumentation,andtrainingturnovertoowners.

FinancialandContractManagement

• Buildprojectbudgetsandcostcodestructuresfromtheawardedestimate.
• Monitorjobcostsforlabor,material,equipment,andsubcontracts;forecastcosttocompleteandidentifymarginriskearly.
• Identify,price,negotiate,anddocumentchangeorderspromptly;protectthecompanyagainstunapprovedscopegrowth.
• Preparemonthlyprogressbillings,schedulesofvalues,andpayapplications;trackretention,conditionalandunconditionallienreleases,andcollectionsincoordinationwiththeFinancialController.
• Reviewcontractsandsubcontractsforscope,schedule,andriskitemsandescalateconcernstoleadership.
• Issueandmanagepurchaseordersandsubcontractswithinapprovedauthority.
• Ownprojectgrossprofitmarginresultsfrombidthroughcloseout.

ClientandBusinessDevelopment

• Buildandmaintainstrongrelationshipswithgeneralcontractors,owners,engineers,andvendorstogeneraterepeatbusiness.
• Identifynewbiddingopportunitiesandsupportcompanygrowthinthecommercialandindustrialmarkets.
• Communicateprojectstatus,issues,anddecisionsclearlyandinwriting.

SafetyandCompliance

• SupportTheCompany’sInjuryandIllnessPreventionProgramandsitespecificsafetyrequirementsoneveryproject,consistentwiththeTheCompanySafetyHandbook.
• FollowCompanypolicies,Cal/OSHArequirements,andjobsiterules,includingrequiredPPEduringsitevisits.
• Supportprevailingwageandcertifiedpayrollcomplianceonpublicworksprojects.

SystemsandDocumentation

• Maintainaccurate,currentprojectrecordsinBuildOpsandcompanysystems,includingestimates,schedules,submittals,RFIs,changeorders,andjobcostdata.
• UseMicrosoft365(Outlook,Teams,SharePoint,OneDrive,Excel)forprojectcommunication,documentcontrol,andreporting.
• UseapprovedAItools,includingClaude,toimprovethespeedandqualityofproposals,scopereviews,correspondence,andreporting,inaccordancewithCompanypolicyondataandconfidentiality.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 5ormoreyearsofestimatingand/orprojectmanagementexperiencewithacommercialorindustrialHVACormechanicalcontractor.
• Provenabilitytoreadandinterpretmechanical,architectural,andstructuralplansandspecifications.
• Experiencewithquantitytakeoffandestimatingsoftware(forexample:TrimbleAccubid,QuoteSoft,FastDUCT/FastPIPE,Bluebeam,orsimilar).
• WorkingknowledgeofHVACsystems,equipment,ductwork,andpiping,andfamiliaritywiththeCaliforniaMechanicalCode,Title24,ASHRAE,andSMACNAstandards.
• Experiencemanagingsubmittals,RFIs,changeorders,schedulesofvalues,andprogressbilling.
• StrongcommandofExcelandMicrosoft365.
• Excellentwrittenandverbalcommunication,negotiation,andorganizationalskills.
• ValidCaliforniadriver’slicenseandtheabilitytotraveltojobsites.

MajorPluses

• BuildOpsexperience:PriorhandsonuseofBuildOpsforestimating,projectmanagement,jobcosting,orfieldoperations.
• Claudefamiliarity:WorkingfamiliaritywithClaude(Anthropic)orsimilarAItoolsfordraftingproposals,reviewingscopesandspecifications,summarizingdocuments,orstreamliningprojectcommunication.

Preferred

• Bachelor’sdegreeinConstructionManagement,MechanicalEngineering,orarelatedfield,orequivalentindustryexperience.
• Publicworksandprevailingwageprojectexperience.
• Industrial,laboratory,cleanroom,healthcare,ordatacenterprojectexperience.
• Sheetmetalormechanicalfieldbackground.
• Design-buildordesign-assistexperience.
• Cal/OSHAorOSHA30HourConstructioncertification.
• ExperiencewithProcoreorsimilarGCprojectplatforms.

SKILLSANDCOMPETENCIES

• Commercialawareness:understandshowestimatingdecisionsandfieldexecutiondrivegrossprofitmargin.
• Accuracyandattentiontodetailintakeoffs,pricing,anddocumentation.
• Abilitytomanagemultiplebidsandactiveprojectsatonceandmeetfirmdeadlines.
• Soundjudgmentinidentifyingscopegaps,risk,andchangeorderopportunities.
• Professional,solutionorientedapproachwithclients,fieldcrews,andvendors.
• Comfortableadoptingnewtechnologyandimprovingworkflows.

PHYSICALREQUIREMENTSANDWORKENVIRONMENT

• Primarilyofficebased,withregularvisitstoactiveconstructionandindustrialjobsites.
• Jobsitevisitsmayinvolvewalkinguneventerrain,climbingladdersandstairs,andexposuretoweather,noise,andconstructionconditions.
• Prolongedperiodsofcomputerwork,planreview,andmeetings.
• MustwearrequiredPPEonjobsites.

Reasonableaccommodationswillbeprovidedtoqualifiedindividualswithdisabilitiesinaccordancewithapplicablelaw.

COMPENSATIONANDBENEFITS

Compensation

• BaseSalary: $85,000to$95,000annually.Finalsalarywithinthisrangewillbebasedonexperience,qualifications,andskills.
• Commission: CommissionbasedonGrossProfitMargin(GPM)ofprojectsestimatedandmanaged.Commissionterms,calculationmethod,andpaymenttimingareprovidedinaseperatewrittencommissionagreement.
• Reviews: Aperformancereviewafter90daysandannualreviewsthereafter.

Benefits

• Medical: KaiserHMO(Silver),with100%oftheemployeepremiumpaidbytheCompany.Upgradeoptionsavailable.
• Dental: DeltaDental,100%employerpaidemployeecoverage.
• LifeInsurance: Companyprovidedlifeinsuranceatnocosttotheemployee.
• Chiropractic: Companysponsoredchiropracticprogram,fullycoveredforemployees.
• 401(k): SafeHarbor401(k)planafteroneyearofservice.
• ProfitSharing: EligibilityfortheCompanyprofitsharingprogram,basedoncompanyperformance.
• PaidTimeOff: Paidtimeoffthatincreaseswithyearsofservice.
• PaidHolidays: PaidholidaysperCompanypolicy.
• PaidSickLeave: ProvidedinaccordancewithCalifornialaw.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k)matching
• Dentalinsurance
• Fuelreimbursement
• Healthinsurance
• Lifeinsurance
• Paidtimeoff
• Parentalleave
• Visioninsurance

Experience:

• HVACMechanicalorIndustrialsales:2years(Preferred)
• ProjectManagement:2years(Preferred)

WorkLocation:Inperson