Senior Estimator - Caltrans Heavy Civil Infra Projects

Essenti Talent; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Vehicle allowance

Health benefits

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Job summary

Essenti Talent is seeking a Senior Estimator to lead bidding and estimating for major heavy civil and airport infrastructure projects across Southern California, including Caltrans work. The role requires extensive experience with Caltrans standards, production-based estimates, and coordination with subcontractors and vendors.

The successful candidate will develop estimates, evaluate risks, and support bid strategy while ensuring alignment with project operations and management.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of heavy civil construction estimating experience.
• Proven experience estimating Caltrans highway and California public works projects.
• Strong knowledge of Caltrans specifications, plans, bid requirements, and construction standards.
• Extensive understanding of earthwork, grading, paving, structural concrete, underground utilities, and roadway construction.
• Airport/FAA infrastructure estimating experience is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation of detailed estimates and bids for large-scale heavy civil infrastructure projects.
• Review Caltrans specs, plans, special provisions, project drawings, and contract documents.
• Perform quantity takeoffs and develop pricing for labor, equipment, materials, subcontractors, and indirect costs.
• Develop crew-based production rates for high-production grading, excavation, paving and civil operations.
• Coordinate subcontractor and vendor proposals to ensure complete scope coverage and competitive pricing.
• Coordinate with DBE/UDBE subcontractors to meet public works participation requirements.
• Identify bid risks and value engineering opportunities.
• Monitor changes in labor and material costs.

Skills

Heavy civil estimating

Caltrans specs knowledge

Public works bidding

Earthwork & grading

Cost analysis

Negotiation

Tools

HCSS HeavyBid

InEight/Hard Dollar

Primavera P6

Excel

Bluebeam Revu

Takeoff software

Job description

Essenti Talent is seeking a Senior Estimator to lead bidding and estimating for major heavy civil and airport infrastructure projects across Southern California, including Caltrans work. The role requires extensive experience with Caltrans standards, production-based estimates, and coordination with subcontractors and vendors.

The successful candidate will develop estimates, evaluate risks, and support bid strategy while ensuring alignment with project operations and management.