Senior Estimator & Preconstruction Lead - Backlog & Growth

Trueline; Bakersfield (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership through ESOP

401(k) with 4% company match

Company-paid medical coverage

Dental and vision coverage options

FSA options for medical and dependent

Paid holidays and PTO

Job summary

Trueline in Bakersfield, CA seeks a Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Lead to guide a growing estimating function, win new work, and influence backlog strategy across multifamily, commercial, institutional, and industrial projects.

You will lead a small team, oversee bid preparations from conceptual to hard-bid, and partner with executives to pursue opportunities while maintaining strong client relationships and market insight.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of construction estimating experience with a general contractor.
• Strong estimating experience in multifamily and commercial construction.
• Experience leading, mentoring, or managing an estimating team.
• Ability to develop conceptual, negotiated, design-build, and hard-bid estimates.
• Strong understanding of California construction practices, building code, and market conditions.
• Confidence operating in a client-facing leadership role, not solely a back-office estimating function.
• Excellent communication skills with owners, executives, project teams, and subcontractors.
• Ability to work onsite in Bakersfield, CA.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3 estimators and 1 estimating assistant.
• Oversee estimating workload, deadlines, quality control, and departmental performance.
• Prepare and lead conceptual, design-build, negotiated, and hard-bid estimates across a range of project types.
• Review drawings, specifications, takeoffs, subcontractor pricing, general conditions, allowances, contingencies, and final bid strategy.
• Partner with company leadership to identify and pursue new project opportunities that strengthen backlog.
• Participate in bid strategy, bid/no-bid decisions, value engineering, and pricing discussions.
• Serve as a visible client-facing representative in meetings, presentations, negotiations, and preconstruction conversations.
• Build and maintain relationships with owners, developers, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and other industry partners.

Skills

Estimating leadership

Client-facing leadership

Multifamily & commercial estimating

Mentoring / team management

California construction knowledge

Communication

Onsite work readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management / Civil Engineering or related

Certifications: CMAA, AACE, CCS

Tools

Bluebeam

PlanSwift

RSMeans

Sage Estimating

Autodesk Takeoff

ProEst

Microsoft Office

Job description

Trueline in Bakersfield, CA seeks a Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Lead to guide a growing estimating function, win new work, and influence backlog strategy across multifamily, commercial, institutional, and industrial projects.

You will lead a small team, oversee bid preparations from conceptual to hard-bid, and partner with executives to pursue opportunities while maintaining strong client relationships and market insight.