Senior Estimator

Actalent; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Yearly bonuses

Relocation assistance

Vision, Dental, Health

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an experienced Estimator for its Louisville, KY office to prepare accurate commercial construction estimates and detailed proposals. The role requires deep knowledge of plans, specs, budgeting, and bid processes, with strong client and subcontractor collaboration.

The position focuses on ground-up and renovation projects across healthcare, hospitality, and institutional facilities, utilizing Bluebeam, Excel, and On-Screen Takeoff for take-offs and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Experience with conceptual estimates and early-stage planning.
• Knowledge of On-Screen Takeoff or similar estimating tools preferred.
• Experience on healthcare, hospitality, or institutional projects.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam for plan review and take-offs.
• Attention to detail and client relationship building.
• MS Office proficiency and estimating software experience.

Responsibilities

• Review project docs and create accurate estimates with proposals.
• Prepare quantity and manpower take-offs to support budgets.
• Prospect and procure new bid opportunities.
• Analyze plans and specs to develop complete bid estimates.
• Attend site visits and bid meetings to gather information.
• Collaborate with clients and subcontractors to clarify scope.
• Maintain professional relationships to support repeat business.
• Use estimating software (Bluebeam, Excel) to prepare documents.
• Develop preliminary estimates for budgeting.
• Read blueprints to ensure accurate scope and pricing.
• Manage multiple estimates and deadlines in fast-paced environment.
• Perform other duties to support estimating dept.

Skills

10+ years exp

Estimating expertise

Conceptual budgeting

Construction processes

Blueprint reading

Math skills

Time management

Communication

Teamwork

MS Office

Estimating software

Bidding processes

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

On-Screen Takeoff

Bluebeam

Job description

Job Title: Estimator

The Estimator plays a key role in developing accurate, high-quality estimates and detailed proposals for a wide variety of commercial construction projects, including ground-up builds and renovations. This position requires strong organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and a comprehensive understanding of construction processes, plans, and specifications. The Estimator actively contributes to business development by identifying and pursuing new bid opportunities while maintaining highly professional relationships with clients, subcontractors, and peers.

Job Description

The Estimator plays a key role in developing accurate, high-quality estimates and detailed proposals for a wide variety of commercial construction projects, including ground-up builds and renovations. This position requires strong organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and a comprehensive understanding of construction processes, plans, and specifications. The Estimator actively contributes to business development by identifying and pursuing new bid opportunities while maintaining highly professional relationships with clients, subcontractors, and peers.

Responsibilities

• Review project documentation and create, refine, and submit accurate, high-quality estimates accompanied by clear and detailed proposals.
• Prepare high-level quantity and manpower take-offs to support budgeting and project planning efforts.
• Prospect and procure new bid opportunities by actively engaging in the market and identifying potential projects.
• Comprehensively analyze plans, specifications, proposals, and related documentation to develop complete and competitive bid estimates.
• Attend site visits, pre-bid meetings, jobsite walk-throughs, bid presentations, and coordination meetings as required to gather information and represent the estimating function.
• Collaborate closely with project teams, clients, and subcontractors to clarify scope, pricing, and project requirements.
• Maintain an extremely professional working relationship with clients, subcontractors, and peers to support long‑term partnerships and repeat business.
• Utilize estimating software, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Office applications to prepare, review, and present estimates and supporting documents.
• Support conceptual and schematic design budgeting by developing preliminary estimates and cost models.
• Read and interpret blueprints, plans, and specifications to ensure accurate scope definition and pricing.
• Manage multiple estimates and projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the estimating department and overall project success.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 10 years of experience as a commercial construction estimator.
• Proven ability to proficiently provide estimates and estimating services for commercial construction projects.
• Strong experience with conceptual estimation and conceptual and schematic design budgeting.
• Solid knowledge of commercial construction processes, methods, and terminology.
• Ability to read, interpret, and fully understand blueprints, plans, and specifications.
• Excellent math skills for accurate quantity take-offs, cost calculations, and budgeting.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills to manage multiple projects at once.
• Excellent communication skills, both internal and external, to interact effectively with clients, subcontractors, and team members.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented work environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience using estimating software and tools commonly used in construction estimation.
• Familiarity with commercial construction bidding processes.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or a combination of education and equivalent years of experience in a related field.
• Experience with conceptual estimates and conceptual estimation for early-stage project planning.
• Knowledge of On-Screen Takeoff or similar on-screen estimating tools is preferred.
• Experience working on a variety of commercial projects, such as healthcare, hospitality, and institutional facilities.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam for plan review, markup, and quantity take-offs.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in preparing estimates and proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships with clients and subcontractors.
• Comfort with using Microsoft Office and other standard business software to support estimating and reporting activities.

Work Environment

This role primarily operates in an office setting with regular visits to active project sites for site walks, pre-bid meetings, and coordination activities. Projects are located in the Lexington and Louisville areas, and travel is local with no overnight travel required. The team is close‑knit and regularly organizes outings, cookouts, and sports activities, fostering a collaborative and supportive culture. The organization works on a wide variety of commercial projects, including hospitals, hospitality facilities, and other commercial buildings, with both ground‑up construction and renovation work. The environment emphasizes teamwork, professional conduct, and internal promotion, and may provide access to a company vehicle and fuel card for work‑related travel.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Louisville, KY.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $90000.00 - $110000.00/yr.
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.

Yearly Bonuses Relocation Vision, Dental, Health

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Louisville, KY.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 15, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Louisville,KY.

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 without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment 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 the city 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 law shall 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 applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.