Senior Estimator & Preconstruction Lead — Bakersfield

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

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership through ESOP

4% 401(k) company match

Company medical coverage

Dental and vision coverage

FSA options

EAP and mental health resources

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Trueline Talent is partnering with a long‑established, employee‑owned general contractor in Bakersfield, CA to hire a Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Lead. You will lead a smallEstimating team, drive bid strategy, and shape backlog while collaborating with executive leadership on pursuit decisions.

You will oversee conceptual, design‑build, and hard‑bid estimates across multifamily, commercial, and institutional projects, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery.

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.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of estimators and estimating assistant.
• Oversee workload, deadlines, quality control, and departmental performance.
• Prepare and lead conceptual, design‑build, negotiated, and hard‑bid estimates.
• Review drawings, specs, takeoffs, subcontractor pricing, and final bid strategy.
• Partner with leadership to pursue new opportunities to strengthen backlog.
• Participate in bid strategy, bid/no‑bid decisions, VE, and pricing discussions.
• Serve as a client‑facing representative in meetings and negotiations.
• Build relationships with owners, developers, architects, and subs.
• Support turnover to project management with scopes, schedules, and handoffs.
• Track metrics like estimate accuracy, win rate, and backlog contribution.

Skills

Estimating leadership

Multifamily & commercial

Team leadership

Client-facing leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CM/CE

Professional certifications (CMAA/AACE/CCS)

Tools

Bluebeam

PlanSwift

RSMeans

Sage Estimating

Autodesk Takeoff

ProEst

Microsoft Office

Job description

Trueline Talent is partnering with a long‑established, employee‑owned general contractor in Bakersfield, CA to hire a Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Lead. You will lead a smallEstimating team, drive bid strategy, and shape backlog while collaborating with executive leadership on pursuit decisions.

You will oversee conceptual, design‑build, and hard‑bid estimates across multifamily, commercial, and institutional projects, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery.